A biomedical team from Monash University in Australia has developed xGlom, an exciting new imaging tool that offers an important look inside the kidney. xGlom’s 3D images are made possible via MRI and computer in far less time than traditional methods and provide a comprehensive view, from minute detail to the big picture of overall kidney health.
Kidney researcher Professor John Bertram, Head of the Monash Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, uses xGlom to study glomeruli, tiny ball-shaped filtration units in the kidney. He analyzes their size, shape and number and the changes they undergo as a result of disease. According to Bertram, “There is growing evidence that the number of glomeruli in the kidney—which can range from 200,000 to 2 million—is strongly linked, not only to kidney disease, but to cardiovascular health.” He goes on to say, “You do not produce any more glomeruli after birth, so if you’re born with a low number, you’re at higher risk of very serious diseases.”
With xGlom, scientists will also be able to study the structure of the kidney and monitor disease progression, such as fibrosis or scarring of the kidney.
Source:
Powerful Imaging Tool Unlocks Kidneys’ Secrets, Medical Xpress, May 20, 2013