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A composition of High resolution ultrasound He has demonstrated one High precision to detect cases with suspicion of meningitis in neonates and infantswhat could represent a Alternative without invasive lumbar punctureThe traditional diagnostic method. This is the main conclusion of an international study led by the Institute of Global Health of Barcelona (ISGlobal), a center impulsed by the «La Caixa» Foundation, in collaboration of Spain, Mozambique and Morocco. The results have been published in the magazine Pediatric research.
The meningitis It is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. When its origin is bacterial or fungal, It can result mortal if it is not diagnosed and treats early. Even in cases where cooling is yours, it can be serious, such as neurological deterioration or cognitive disorders. Despite the medical advances of the last decades, meningitis continues to represent and a serious threat to children’s health, special in low and medium income countries, where the diffuldizades for an early early diagnosis aguravan aguravate.
The real, invasive and unusual diagnosis
Realmmee, the diagnosis of meningitis requirement of a Lumbar puncture to obtain cerebrospinal fluidWhich subsequent is analyzed in the laboratory in search of signs of inflammation, such as a high count of White blood cells.
It is an invasive technique, with associated risks and with important practical limitations. In the High income countriesIt is carried out protocolly even in cases of low suspicion, which translates into a large number of «normal» procedures and therefore by a Low diagnostic performance. On the other hand, in the Low income countriesLack of resources makes The test is barely practicedwhich entails an important infradiagnosis or, in many cases, empirical diagnoses already often inaccurate.
The alternative, an ultrasound apostitive
The objective of the study was to validate the apostitive Neosonics, which uses high frequency ultrasound applied through the baby’s open plumbing «A membranous space between the skull bones, which has not yet been closed – To visualize and analyze the cerebrospinal fluid. Algorithm deep learning Analyze the images, visualize and count the cells, and determine whether inflammatory signs compatible with meningitis.
The study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was held between 2020 and 2023, and included more than 200 200 babies up to 24 months of the Spanish hospitals Sant Joan de Déu, La Paz and Quironsalud, in addition to the Maputo hospital (Mozambique) and the happiness and the hall. Rabat-Ibn Sina (Morocco). «The device was able to classify correctly 17 of 18 cases with meningitis and 55 of the 58 controls sin meningitis,» explains Sara Ajanovic, a researcher in Islobal and author director of the study. «I concretized, detected high levels of white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid with a 94% sensitivity and 95% specificity.»
The new apostitive-costus-effective, laptop and easy to use-there would be no allow solo to reduce the number of lumbar punctures, but also could apply in patients unstable clinics, where a lumbar puncture is contraindicated. «The introduction of a non -invasive tool could reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics, prevent according to lumbar puncture, and improve the early diagnosis, thus commission not invasive of the response to the Bassat Bassat Treatment, General Director of Isglobal, ICREA researcher and senior author of the study.
Artificial intelligence and the future of diagnosis
The Validacy of Neosonics represents a first step towards its future incorporation into clinical practice. Parallel, Other studies coordinated by Isglobal They explore the potential to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) with ultrasound technology To optimize the interpretation of the resulting ones. Thanks to the use of advanced algorithms, AI allows you to analyze image metrics and detect texture patterns associated with the presence of inflammatory cells in elischid cerebrospinal, thus improving the diagnosis of diagnosis of the system diagnosis in cases of the infrine of the system in cases.
References
Ajanovic S, Jobst B, Jiménez J, Quesada R, Santos F, Carandell F, López-Azorín M, Valverde E, Ybarra M, Bravo Mc, Petrone P, Sial H, Muñoz D, Agut T, Salas B, Races N, Alarcó, Iriondo M, Luaces C, Sidat M, Mer, Zandamel, Zandam, Zandam, Zandam. Rodrigues P, Graça D, Ngovene S, Bramugy J, Cossa A, Mucasse C, Buck Wc, Arias S, Abbass C, Tligi H, Barkat A, Ibáñez A, Grrilla M, Elvira L, Calvo C, Pellicer A, Cabañas F, Bassat Q; United Study Group. Detection of non -invasive meningitis in neonates and babies: Multicentric International Study. Pediatrician resa. 2025 July 23. https://doi.org/10.1038/
Sial, H., Carandell, F., Ajanovic, S., Jiménez, J., Quesada, R., Santos, F., Buck, Wc, Sidat, M., United Study Consortium, Bassat, Q., Jobst, B. and Petrone, P. (2024). New detection of child meningitis promoted by the AI of high -resolution ultrasound images. Medrxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312709
