Carine ChowA pocket-size heart imaging device can effectively detect a "silent killer" - a blood vessel condition that accounts for 300 deaths every year in Hong Kong, Chinese University's medical school said. A patient is diagnosed with a thoracic aortic aneurysm if the diameter of the aorta is greater than 4.5 centimeters. "Aortic aneurysm is a silent killer as 95 percent of cases carry no symptoms," Randolph Wong Hung-leung, clinical associate professor of surgery, said. Some of the risk factors for the condition include high blood pressure, old age, being male and smoking. Researchers hope that the pocket-sized devices can be used in the newly opened CUHK Medical Centre and clinics for thoracic aortic aneurysm screenings in the future.

Source: The Standard January 07, 2021 19:07 UTC