Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a prototype of a small device that can measure a patient's white blood cell levels.
The portal testing device could be used at home by a chemotherapy patient or anyone else at risk of infection. Using the device, they could test their WBC count, then alert the doctor if it drops below a certain value, rather than waiting for the next routine blood test, so that prompt attention could be given to avoid an infection.
The device uses imaging to examine the narrow capillaries at the base of the fingernail.
Article:
Monitor detects dangerously low white blood cell levels
Wed Apr 4, 2018, 02:08 PM
