Blood Tests - Essay Example

Carrying out blood tests using the traditional method is very slow and causes anxiety since most people fear the needle. Hence, Israeli researchers have discovered the use of new optical instruments for carrying out blood tests in a faster and easier way. To get the blood information, the medical experts just need to shine light through a person’s skin. The images obtained through such methods are usually clear since the instrument produces high-resolution images without using fluorescent dyes (Optical Society of America, 2012). To prove the effectiveness of the instrument, the researchers collected a blood sample from a donor and tested it. They measured the diameters of the white and the red blood cells, and they got accurate values. Additionally, they measured the quantities of different blood components, and they got accurate values too (Optical Society of America, 2012).

The devices work through the Spectrally Encoded Confocal Microscopy (SECM). Through this technique, the images are formed after the split of light beams to form a line of purple to red colors. When scanning a person’s blood, a probe is placed close to the person’s skin. The red-to-purple line is then directed towards the blood vessels. When the blood cells pass the line, they split it into scattered colors forming images (Optical Society of America, 2012).

The technique is advantageous over other blood scan systems since it does not rely on complicated equipment and harmful fluorescent dyes. However, the researchers discovered that one of the challenges of using this technology is the difficulties in finding the blood vessels' depths (Optical Society of America, 2012).

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The use of optical microscopy in studying blood characteristics will make the work of medical experts easier. In the paper, the researchers have demonstrated the viability of the Spectrally Encoded Flow Cytometry (SEFC). The researchers compared the images formed by the new in vivo image system with other systems like the in vitro. The research outcomes showed the images formed by the new technology are clearer and comparable to the images formed by the older system (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012).

In their study, the researchers compared the images of different blood testing systems. They compared the SEFC imaging using the in vivo, and the in Vitro imaging system. The researchers used Healthy volunteers who pressed their lower lips against the probe of the in vivo imaging. For the in vitro imaging, blood was collected from the healthy donors using venipuncture. The results showed that the SEFC in vivo imaging system produces clearer images compared to the in vitro imaging system (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012). This is because it was possible to see and count even the smallest capillaries. Additionally, more images were observable in the in vivo imaging system. However, while using the in vivo system, the researchers experienced some challenges while trying to find the image depths (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012).

Through the study, the researchers discovered that the SEFC in vivo can show the characteristics of people’s blood components and the technique is non-invasive (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012). The use of SEFC will be helpful in tracking hematocrit levels, which is useful when studying circulation alterations before and after surgeries (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012).

The study highlights the effectiveness of SEFC in visualizing cell deformation especially for those patients with sickle cell anemia. However, the researchers suggested that additional studies regarding the potential of the in vivo SEFC are necessary. This is because an upgrade in the system is necessary to increase the imaging depth (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012).

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I

All the articles demonstrate the potential of the SEFC in carrying out blood tests. The authors of both articles criticize the technology, and they think that further research is paramount before its implementation. All the authors agree that one of the challenges of using the technology is increasing the image depth. Additionally, in the scholarly article, the authors think that the study was not effective since less amount of captured and recorded data was present. For instance, the researchers imaged very few RBCs, and WBCs saved in a few small files (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012).

II

Unlike the media article, the scholarly article gives an alternative viewpoint regarding the SEFC system. The authors in the article suggest that for the system to be more effective, it requires faster and parallel data storage. Additionally, it requires efficient and programmed image analysis (Golan, Yeheskely-Hayon & Minai, 2012).

III

The title of the media article explains the contents of both articles. The title explains how the new optical instrument uses light to form the blood images. Both articles explain the image formation of the blood components through the new optical instrument. Furthermore, the articles demonstrate the effectiveness of the entire procedure.