Study: Increase in image-guided biopsies

According to a recent study published in medical journal Radiology, the majority of biopsies are now being done in a less invasive way, using imaging to direct the needle.

Researchers led by Dr. Sharon W. Kwan, a resident in radiology at the University of California in San Francisco, found that between 1997 and 2008, image-guided biopsies went from 59 percent of all biopsies to 67 percent. Biopsies, which involve removing tissue or fluid for testing, are more accurate when the needle is guided by imaging such as CT scans, ultrasound and MRI.

The frequency of biopsies to screen for disease has been increasing annually, with improving technology such as image guidance making them more and more accurate. A biopsy can help detect cancer in its earliest stages, allowing patients to start receiving treatment sooner and improving the chances of survival for most types of cancer.

The failure to diagnose cancer is one of the leading causes of medical malpractice lawsuits. If you or a loved one has been the victim of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed cancer, please contact the cancer malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. for more information and to schedule a free case consultation. We have helped clients with Bronx cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Long Island cancer malpractice and other New York cancer malpractice cases.

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Study: Link between obesity and cesarean section

A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has found that patients with a higher body mass index (BMI) at the time of delivery are at a greater risk of having a c-section.

Researchers involved in the study examined data on roughly 125,000 women who had a baby between 2002 and 2008, including the way in which each baby was delivered, as well as other information surrounding the birth. Each woman was part of the National Institutes of Health’s Consortium on Safe Labor.

Along with her team, lead researcher Dr. Michelle Kominiarek, a fetal and maternal medicine physician at Indiana University Hospital, found that for each additional unit in BMI, the risk that a woman would need to undergo cesarean section increased by 4 percent. Of the women included in the study, 14 percent had c-sections.

In the U.S., about a third of all births are delivered through c-section, which can increase the risk of bleeding, infection and hysterectomy. The rate of c-section is now about 50 percent higher than it was just two decades ago, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If your child has suffered an injury that may have been preventable, please call or e-mail Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today. One of our experienced birth injury attorneys will evaluate your case at no cost. We have helped clients across New York, including those with Bronx birth injury, Queens birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Manhattan birth injury and Long Island birth injury cases.

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New Way to Detect Common Cancers

According to scientists, a sensor known as an “electronic nose” may be able to identify chemical variations in a person’s breath that indicate cancer. The breath test was found to be able to identify prostate, breast, lung and bowel cancers by making a distinction between healthy and malignant breath.

Although this technology is still in its earliest stages of development, the clear usefulness of this tool could be a huge step in diagnosing these types of cancer earlier than before. The study that gave way to this report, which was published in the British Journal of Cancer, was conducted using 177 participants. Each person’s breath was tested to detect whether cancer was present or not.

Early detection of cancer allows for earlier treatment and a better prognosis. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosing or treating cancer, the cancer malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Please call us today, or submit an instant inquiry now. Our firm has helped clients with Queens cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Bronx cancer malpractice, Long Island cancer malpractice and other New York cancer malpractice cases.

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