The nanosensor in the human body will "signal" the onset of the disease
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
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Diagnosis is an important point in medicine, because the effectiveness of treatment depends largely on the stage at which the treatment is started. Diagnostic methods are given special attention to scientists, but the main problem has always been that in some cases the disease is asymptomatic in the initial stages, and by the time the first signs of the disease appear, treatment is hampered by the onset of irreversible processes.
Even cancers are easier to treat in the first stages. For example, pancreatic cancer in most cases is detected in the last stages, when metastases have already affected other organs or lymphatic system. The disease at the onset of development does not cause any symptoms, which is why the cancer has an extremely low survival rate.
In this regard, scientists decided to develop a completely new method for diagnosing any diseases, including cancer tumors of any location at the very beginning of their development.
The technology consists in nanosensors, which will get used to the human body and transmit information about the state of all organs and systems to the computer.
Thomas Webster, one of the developers of the innovative method of diagnosis, noted that he and his colleagues are trying to create sensors that resemble natural cells of the body. As expected, in the future, such nano-sensors will be implanted in immune cells, and circulate throughout the body. In the event that any pathology develops in the body, nanosensors will signal a problem, in addition, microorganisms that fall on the implant (bacteria, viruses, fungi) will help determine the nature of the disease and the stage. Such a method will allow doctors to prescribe effective treatment without even resorting to examination of the patient or other diagnostic tools (ultrasound, x-ray, biopsy, etc.).
Now, experts are testing the technology by implanting nano-sensors into the titanium parts of the catheters and the hip.
Specialists have reported that nanosensors are made of carbon pipes and do not pose a threat to human health. Such sensors will send signals to an external device, and the physician will be able to obtain complete information about the patient's health status and respond in a timely manner to one or another pathology.
Molecular diagnostics and nanoparticles will help to identify almost any disease at the very beginning of development, this technology has great prospects in the future.
Scientists first of all hope that this method will help to detect cancer onset at the very beginning of development, when the tumor has not yet managed to hit the entire organ and spread to others.
Nanotechnology today takes a special attention of scientists, for example, now also work is being done to stimulate the growth of nerve cells with the help of nanoparticles. As specialists note, this will help to recover patients with injuries of the spinal cord or brain. Nanocetes in the form of a special gelled substance fill the formed void between the nerve cells and stimulate their growth (to date, a similar method is tested in laboratory animals).