Monitoring Low White Blood Cell Levels
June 26, 2018 | Terry Sharrer
Anti-cancer chemotherapy knocks down the patient’s white blood cells, making them more vulnerable to infections. Thus, monitoring WBC counts is a useful tool in cancer management. Researchers at MIT have built such a monitor: “Their tabletop prototype records video of blood cells flowing through capillaries just below the surface of the skin at the base of the fingernail. A computer algorithm can analyze the images to determine if white blood cell levels are below the threshold that doctors consider dangerous.” MORE
Image Credit: MIT News