British scientists have
invented a smart stethoscope that can hear a kidney stone that has
been broken down by treatment, the BBC reported
Sunday.
Doctors can use the stethoscope to hear echoes
created by shock wave therapy, or lithotripsy, to determine whether
the therapy worked.
Tests at Guy's Hospital in London
indicated that use of the stethoscope can save patients unnecessary
repeat therapy and x-ray monitoring.
Lithotripsy hits kidney
stones with thousands of shock waves in an effort to break them into
pieces small enough to urinate out of the body or be dissolved by
drugs.
But there is no way to tell how the process worked,
other than x-rays before and after treatment.
Kidney
specialists at Guy's Hospital and scientists at Southampton
University wanted to learn whether echoes produced by shock waves
could be used to determine the treatment's
effectiveness.
Southampton Prof. Tom Leighton said the smart
stethoscope picks up sounds and sends them to a box, which amplifies
and changes the sounds' frequency so the doctor can hear them.
When the stone is intact, the doctor hears a tick, and when
it has been shattered, the sound changes to a tock, he
said.
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Once again it is an election
too close to call -- a reminder of the 2000 race, whose final
outcome hung in the balance for 36 days because of disputes
over vote counting. One can only hope that nothing of the sort
happens this time around -- in Florida or any other state.
(Click on photo for full story).
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Breaking News
Wednesday 3rd November,
2004
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