• AcroMetrix (Benicia, California) said that it has received FDA clearance for the VeriSure Pro HBV DNA external quality control. This control is for use on Chiron’s procleix ultrio assay for the detection of HBV DNA using nucleic acid amplification. AcroMetrix is the only Chiron approved provider of controls for the Chiron Procleix and Ultrio assays. The VeriSure Pro line of external quality controls is intended to provide a means of estimating accuracy and detecting systematic deviations of nucleic acid test procedures for the qualitative determination of HIV-1 RNA, HBV DNA, HCV RNA, and WNV RNA. AcroMetrix makes products for clinical diagnostic and blood testing laboratories.

• Bruker Daltonics (Indianapolis, Indiana) launched its ImagePrep sample preparation device for automated matrix deposition onto tissue slices at the 55^th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry. MALDI mass imaging of tissue samples with Bruker’s MALDI Molecular Imager (for research use only) solution allows color-coded visualization of the distribution of peptide or small protein biomarkers, or of drugs and their major metabolites for the direct analysis of molecular distributions in tissue sections. The ImagePrep device provides reproducible sample preparations for MALDI imaging in a fully automated, push-button process. Another unique advantage of ImagePrep is the combination of excellent spectra quality at high image resolution of 50 m at the same time. Bruker Daltonics makes tools based on mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry.

• Digirad (Poway, California) reported the introduction nSPEED, an advanced three dimensional SPECT image reconstruction technique. This algorithm provides the clinicians with significant image quality improvement over existing 2-D reconstruction techniques by producing clearer and more accurate images to help improve physicians’ interpretation confidence. nSPEED models the depth-dependent point response function in an iterative reconstruction algorithm (OSEM), thus enabling depth-dependent resolution recovery and improving chamber contrast in cardiac SPECT images. Such improvement may further enable the reduction of acquisition time while maintaining image quality as compared to conventional reconstruction without depth-dependent resolution recovery, while adhering to ASNC imaging guidelines. With this product, Digirad is striving to obtain ASNC and other society acceptance in order to meet accreditation requirements. Digirad provides diagnostic imaging products for use in cardiology, internal medicine, and general imaging applications.

• FASgen (Baltimore, Maryland) said it has expanded the potential use for its serum FAS (fatty acid synthase) ELISA diagnostic research test, FAS-Detect ELISA for the identification of Non-Alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The current diagnostic technique for this disease is a liver needle biopsy. While only for research use presently, FASgen anticipates the opportunity for use of the non-invasive FAS-Detect ELISA NASH test in the future will be substantial. NASH commonly occurs as the result of fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now common among the obese population, with an estimated 25 million adults harboring NAFLD, with up to 5% of these patients developing NASH. A large number of NASH patients go on to develop potentially fatal cirrhosis.

• FONAR (Melville, New York) reported that the April 23, 2007, issue of the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging featured an article entitled “Upright MRI of glenohumeral dysplasia following obstetric brachial plexus injury.” The study evaluated the effectiveness of Upright MRI imaging for the diagnosis of a particular deformity in a child’s shoulder (glenohumeral dysplasia), which occurs as the result of an injury known as obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI), also known as Erb’s palsy. The authors conclude that “Upright MRI could, thus, serve as the standard procedure of care in pediatric obstetric brachial plexus population for glenohumeral imaging.” The study, which included 89 children, ages 0.4 to 17.9 years, with OBPI, was conducted on a FONAR Upright Multi-Position MRI. FONAR manufactures MRI systems.