CNN —Traditional medical imaging – used to diagnose, monitor or treat certain medical conditions – has long struggled to get clear pictures of patients with dark skin, according to experts.
Researchers say they have found a way to improve medical imaging, a process through which physicians can observe the inside of the body, regardless of skin tone.
They found that a distortion of the photoacoustic signal that makes the imaging more difficult to read, called clutter, increased with darkness of skin.
The applications of photoacoustic technology vary, but with the researchers’ new developments, it may help diagnose health issues more accurately and equitably.
We know there’s no basis in the human genome for racial sub-speciation.”This study isn’t the first to find skin color biases in medical technology.
Persons:
–, Muyinatu Bell, it’s, ” Bell, Theo Pavan, “, ” Pavan, ”, Guilherme Fernandes, Camara Jones, ” Jones, Bell
Organizations:
CNN, Ultrasonics Systems, JHU, University of São Paulo, American Public Health Association
Locations:
Brazil