ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICAL ELECTRONICS
In this millennia we have seen a rapid growth in biomedical science and it’s technology.It has widened the horizon of medical research and is clear that medical electronics have become an inevitable part in treatment and disease prevention. Advanced treatment technology has thus resulted in enhanced quality of human life.
Medical technology is a wide field were the research and innovations plays a major role in sustaining life. It includes fields like biotechnology,pharmaceuticals etc. helping the technical community to mold modern medical equipments and treatment methods to improve the health of patients all over the world which varies from the minute instutments like thermometers, stethoscope to the complex ones like MRI,X-ray machines,artificial organs and even robotic prosthetic legs.This progress of medical field has opened up a world of possibilities in genetherapy ,stem cell therapy and immunotherapy .Biomedical science has been playing a major role in healthcare by not only curing disease, but also by preventing them.
History of advancement of medical technology
In the beginning of 19th century, the advancement in medical field was fueled by the evolution in technology and so even a simple equipment like stethoscope made a great change in the method of diagnosis. Along with the introduction of clinical thermometer and sphygmomanometer diagnosis was more precise and accurate.By the wake of the 20th century,innovations in technology was used immensely in medical electronics which on one hand helped to invent medical tools with the new profound technology and on the other hand organize data and record medical reports more easily and efficiently.Nearing to the second half of 20th century medical technology accelerated due to the advancements in radiotherapy used for cancer treatment.
When we look back to the history of medical electronics it’s clear that medical imaging has been an essential factor in diagnosis. X-ray imaging, the technique used as first choice in many clinical situations, had a major advancement with the introduction of computers.
Even though the images were obtained from the transverse axis of body it was able to be reconstructed to 3-D images with the help of modern computer technology.
Application of X-rays were the common technique used in the field, but the most noticeable advancements were the development of computed tomographic (CT) scanner and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These developments led to Nobel prize for their developers, and both are the mainstays of clinical practice today.Moreover technology has been the main game changer for medicinal field.
Technology in modern medicine
One of the most discussed topics in the medical field recently is mainly genetics.Computers have become the key tool in acceleration of progress in biotechnology.
The human genome project is a great example for role of technology in medical electronics.Genome sequencing test can provide with valuable information about one’s drug sensitivity, multi factorial or monogenic medical conditions.There are various fields leveraging the advantages of this project including medical diagnosis, forensic biology, virology, nutrigenomics, dietetics and biological systematics.
In recent years,technical innovations has combined with multi-nozzle three-dimensional printing techniques to automatically assemble personal cells along with other bio materials to build exclusive organ substitutes for defective/failed human organs.These include prosthetic limbs, artificial kidneys etc.Also the advancements in robotics and optical imaging has helped the surgery to be more precise and less invasive of surgical techniques.
Electronic health record (EHR) is a systematized collection of patient and population electronically stored health information in a digital format.It can also be used as a data population health tool for the future.
As the future of medical healthcare not only depends on the medical community but also on the capability of the patients to look after themselves and so the introduction of health trackers, smart wearables and sensors has been successful in aiding this technologically . Even smart phones with heart rate monitors and heart rate sensor which measures your heart rate in beats per minute using an optical LED light source and a LED light sensor. The light shines through your skin and the sensor measures the amount of light that reflects back and that will vary as blood pulses under your skin past the light.
Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented growth in the field of nanoscience which has led to emergence of a new field called nanomedicine. Nanomedicine is facing many challenges but when doctors have a complete access to medical robots,there might be a chance to find and cure the most deadliest diseases and repair physical injuries and increase life expectancy of humans.
So technology has no demerits?
We have seen that technology has greatly enhanced our ways of medical treatment and healthcare.X-ray techniques have evolved significantly over years; yet it is understood that ionizing radiation can lead to DNA damage that can cause cancer. It is still treated as a serious problems and efforts are underway to minimize these radiations.Electronic health record system (EHR) also faces threat of hacking and thus the misuse of data of sensitive patients .
We are in a new era of evolving medical technology that aims not only to find cure for diseases but also to find out innovative ways to enhance the medical field. Technological advancements in healthcare have contributed to services being taken out of the confines of hospital walls and combining them with user-friendly devices.The future of healthcare lies in working hand in hand with technology and healthcare workers in providing faster,cheaper and effective solutions for disease and other health related issues.
