Mobisante has launched its MobiUS SP1 in the US, the world’s first smartphone-based ultrasound imaging system.

The device joins other portable point-of-care diagnostics that have recently entered the mobile health sector, including GE’s handheld visualisation tool Vscan and Siemens' Acuson P10.

The £4,700 MobiUS SP1 is designed for use in foetal, cardiac, pelvic, paediatric, musculoskeletal, peripheral vessel and abdominal imaging, providing the potential for enhanced patient care in any location, even remote areas.

The mobile health technology uses both cellular and WiFi networks, and consists of a Windows Mobile 6.5-based Toshiba TG01 smartphone, an ultrasound probe and computer software.

The manufacturer claims that the system could also be more suitable for use in low-income regions than traditional ultrasound equipment due to its lower operating costs and the increased convenience it would provide for patients.

Mobisante actually received FDA clearance for the device in February 2011, but it took eight months to implement necessary FDA-mandated controls.

The company is exploring the option of making a version of the product for healthcare-specific tablet computers as well.

A portable, non-invasive acoustic device now available in the UK can provide sustainable long-term relief from the symptoms of tinnitus.

UK patients whose symptoms have been relieved by the Acoustic CR Neuromodulation device from ANM include a retired labourer who had suffered from tinnitus for 20 years.

Available exclusively in the UK from Harley Street centre The Tinnitus Clinic, the therapy targets the auditory centre of the brain to inactivate the hyperactive nerve cells causing the symptoms.

Long-term tinnitus sufferer Peter Humphries experienced symptom relief within 10 days after receiving treatment with Acoustic CR Neuromodulation.

He commented: “I’m amazed to find that the treatment is working. I first noticed a change after about 10 days. Since then, there’s been a noticeable change every couple of days as my tinnitus starts to disappear.”

Acoustic CR Neuromodulation was developed in Germany and is sold by Adaptive Neuromodulation (ANM) in Cologne.

The Tinnitus Clinic, part of the Brook Henderson Group of independent healthcare providers, has signed an exclusive UK distribution agreement with ANM for this technology.

According to current neurological theory, tinnitus is caused by acoustic nerve cells misfiring together. Acoustic CR Neuromodulation disrupts these pathological signals by transmitting a patient-specific set of tones to the patient’s auditory cortex.

The portable device combines a matchbox-sized acoustic transmitter with small medical earphones. Patients wear the device for 4–6 hours per day while engaged in normal activities. Over 6–12 months the acoustic signal is fine-tuned in line with the changing symptoms.

In clinical trials, Acoustic CR Neuromodulation reduced tinnitus symptoms in 7 out of 10 patients over 9 months.

The FDA has approved Shire’s Firazyr (icatibant injection), the first self-administered treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in the US.

The portable, pre-filled syringe means that the unpredictability of HAE attacks are easier to handle for patients suffering from the disease.

Timothy Craig, Professor of Medicine & Paediatrics, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania, said: “Until now, HAE patients faced challenges gaining rapid access to acute treatment such as the need to travel to the physician’s office or hospital”.

But following initial injection training, the treatment can be self-administered by any patient and should be stored at room temperature.

Janet Long, US HAE Association Executive Vice President, stated: “With this approval, patients have an important new option to treat HAE attacks.”

The FDA’s approval was based on results collated from three double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trials involving 223 patients.

HAE is a rare genetic disease characterised by recurrent and often painful episodes of acute swelling which can be life-threatening. The swelling can affect any part of the body but most commonly occur in the face, gastrointestinal tract, extremities or genitals.

The disease is caused by low levels of C1 esterase inhibitor, which can lead to elevated plasma levels of bradykinin, thought to be responsible for HAE symptoms. Signs and symptoms of HAE do not respond to standard treatments for allergic angioedema such as epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines.

Firazyr is now approved in 38 countries, including the European Union and the US for the treatment of acute attacks of HAE in adults.

Clearbridge BioLoc has unveiled a prototype of its new blood testing equipment, AssayQuest.

The product is a fully-automated, portable analysis platform that performs complex and cost effective point-of-care testing from a finger-prick blood sample.

Its aim is to enable healthcare professionals to conduct laboratory-quality tests and receive results within minutes.

Dr Lee Smith, CEO of Clearbridge BioLoc, said that AssayQuest will provide healthcare professionals with “fast and affordable results at the point of care”.

The system consists of a disposable Test-card and Reader. The Test-card contains blisters filled with customisable reagents connected by a microfluidic matrix. The Reader’s roller pump mechanism processes the Test-card by rupturing the blisters in an automated sequence.

AssayQuest will connect to smartphone devices through the use of the AQroid mobile application. The smartphone will control the system, capture the result and analyse it. The application enables transmission and sharing of test data over 3G cellular networks as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS location tagging.