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Image-guided drug delivery
takes the next step
Hitting
the right spot
Creating a white-light LED for everyday use
The race
for white light
Navigating
the airways
Lung biopsy ‘navigator’ may help
doctors find their way
The race
for white light
LEDs: they produce vibrant light in
thousands of colors, offer intriguing
design and lighting possibilities and
are more energy efficient than
traditional lighting. They’re not yet
an everyday standard, but a new
technology may just change that.
Page 12
8
to the next level.
18
Emotional
technology
Modern life moves much faster than
ever before. In our few free moments,
we want to leave stress far behind.
Cancer and cardiovascular disease affect millions of people doses and spread them over a period of time. It’s definitely not
around the world. They’re also two of the most deadly and the powerful punch doctors – and patients – are hoping for.
difficult-to-treat diseases. Currently, most treatments involve
powerful drugs that are distributed passively throughout Right on target
the body – all for a disease that may be limited to one spot. One solution is to deliver the treatment right to the target
Doctors are left without an efficient way to ensure the spot. Right now, the best way to do this is through injectable
treatment gets to where it’s needed most. drug-loaded ‛carrier’ particles, which already exist for the
treatment of some diseases, such as breast cancer. But they
This ‛whole-body’ dosing also limits a doctor’s ability to ensure aren’t as effective as they could be.
the treatment is as effective as possible. Due to the inherently
toxic nature of treatments like chemotherapy, doctors have to The current generation of carriers localizes treatment but
work within a tight margin – called the therapeutic window – only in a passive manner, with drugs released as a slow diffused
to make sure the amount of treatment given is enough to have leakage over time. Ideally, there would be a better way to
a positive effect while keeping side effects and toxicity to a control – or trigger – the release of drugs right at the disease
minimum. Usually, this means the doctor has to limit treatment site.
The first technique, developed for the treatment of cancer, “When microbubbles are exposed to ultrasound pulses,
involves drug-loaded particles mostly made of phospholipids they rapidly expand and contract in size eventually causing
– called liposomes. Typically just 100 to 200 nanometers in them to explode,” notes Marcel Bohmer, who’s responsible
diameter, liposomes are tiny enough to travel through small for microbubble development at Philips Research. “But actually
capillaries in the vascular system and penetrate deep into one of the most exciting aspects of microbubble drug delivery
diseased tissue. After injection, the particles are tracked using is the aftereffect of that bubble burst.”
MRI and once they’re at the target site, a small amount of heat
is applied using ultrasound, causing the heat-sensitive particles Researchers have found that when microbubbles burst, the
to release the treatment drugs on the spot. explosion somehow pierces nearby cell membranes making
them more porous and, therefore, more susceptible to drugs.
Since damage can occur when tissue is overheated, MRI is ideal This phenomenon is called sonoporation and could allow for
because it can be used to monitor local temperature changes new treatment possibilities. In fact, there’s a whole range of
in the body. “The physiological range of heating body tissue is new drug therapies based on genetics and DNA that may
Temperature-sensitive liposomes.
Novel techniques for drug delivery purposes, the more robust polymer shell is
preferred. These shells are formed around oil droplets containing
the treatment drugs. The oil is then partially removed and a
capsule with a polymer shell is the result. The oil acts as a liquid
The potential of image-guided drug delivery has not
reservoir for the drug, whereas the gas helps trigger its release
gone unnoticed. In fact, Philips is heading a €15.9 million
during the ultrasound application.
project focused on furthering the novel techniques.
The ‛Sonodrugs’ project, which is partially funded by the
European Union, draws on the expertise of 15 partners,
including medical centers and academic institutions from
throughout the EU.
The project will run for four years and work will focus
on a number of different areas, including the development
of new particles with the right size, structure, physical
High-resolution electron microscope images of microbubbles
behavior, half-life and bio-compatibility, as well as exploring
before and after drug release.
the bio-distribution and effectiveness of the drug-delivery
techniques in-vitro and in-vivo. For more information, go to www.research.philips.com/password
Smart medicine
Nowadays, everything seems to be smart: smart phones, smart cars,
smart toasters. And soon we may be taking smart pills.
Just slightly larger than a typical multivitamin, Philips’ new specific spot. Once there, iPill has the technology onboard to
intelligent pill (iPill) has the potential to take intelligent drug take internal measurements, such as temperature and acidity
delivery to the next level as the first pill that effectively combines levels, and wirelessly transmit the data via a transceiver to an
localized drug release with the ability to measure the internal external unit, which the doctor can monitor.
environment and communicate this information to the outside
world – without the need for large machines or wires. This could be great news for patients suffering from hard-
to-treat and increasingly common intestinal disorders such
Although iPill is designed to be swallowed like a regular pill as Crohn’s disease and colitis, which are often treated with
and travels normally through the digestive system, iPill is systemic doses of steroids. With iPill doctors may one day
definitely not your average pill. In fact, it’s not really a pill at all, have the option of delivering the much-needed treatment
but more of a drug-filled capsule that uses the natural digestion right to the problem spot. iPill may even be helpful in treating
process to reach the intestines and then deliver treatment at a colon cancer – which affects nearly one million people a year
iPill’s drug reservoir is filled with the right dose iPill is uploaded with the drug delivery location and iPill is swallowed normally and then travels through
of treatment drugs, which can be adjusted to a the dispensing profile. the digestive tract to the stomach and on to the
patient’s individual profile. small intestine.
iPill keeps in constant contact with a belt-worn control Based on transit time information and measured When the pH sharply decreases, iPill knows it has
unit. Changes in pH levels allow iPill to determine its pH levels, iPill knows when it has reached the entered the large intestine. As iPill is designed for
location in the digestive tract. Once pH rises steeply, target location and begins drug release. one-time use only, iPill then passes normally out
iPill knows it has reached the small intestine. of the body.
By the dozen
“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple
and learn how to handle them, and
pretty soon you have a dozen.”
John Steinbeck, American Pulitzer-prize winning author
70% increase
The California Environmental
Protection Agency estimates that
secondhand smoke increases the risk
of breast cancer in younger, primarily
premenopausal women by 70%.
Secondhand risks
Non-smokers exposed to secondhand
smoke at home or work increase
their risk of developing heart disease by
25-30% and lung cancer by 20-30%.
In fact, experts estimate that 10-20%
of lung cancer cases occur in
non-smokers.
The race
for white light
From red to yellow to violet, LEDs produce vibrant
light in all the colors of the rainbow. They’re also more
energy efficient than most other lighting options and offer
exciting new light and design possibilities. Still far from
being the new standard, LEDs are just now beginning
to enter the mainstream lighting market. And the new
Lumiramic* Phosphor technology could help pave the way.
The Mayan civilization is noted for its spectacular art A team of lighting design specialists uses 127 Philips LED
and monumental architecture. The historical site of Edzná, ColorBlast(R) fixtures to create the dance of light. At the
in the Mexican state of Campeche, is no exception. beginning of the show, the temple is saturated in rich hues
It takes beauty even a step further by combining remarkable of red, then blanketed in vibrant greens and blues.
architecture with a newer form of art: dynamic, colorful And, importantly, the LEDs that bathe the site in color
displays of light that bring new life to the ceremonial center do not radiate heat or UV rays, which could damage
that flourished from 250 to 900 AD. the exterior over time.
On weekend evenings, the temple is awash in millions of colors The dynamic lighting spectacle that enhances the temple’s
during a multimedia spectacle called the ‛Light of the Itzáes’ - natural beauty has now made Edzná a new icon for the
made possible by Philips LED technologies. Maya culture.
As far as cancer goes, lung cancer is as bad as it gets with During the biopsy, tissue samples of the suspicious masses
one of the lowest survival rates around – 80% of all lung cancer are taken to determine if lung cancer is present, and if so,
patients die within a year of diagnosis. The overall five-year which stage it’s at and whether it’s localized or has spread –
survival rate hovers between 10-15%. Why? Because it’s one important for gauging the best treatment approach. Lymph
of the most difficult diseases to diagnose and treat. Lung cancer nodes are also commonly sampled to determine if the cancer
needs to be diagnosed early, before the disease has a chance to has spread outside of the lungs. Biopsies are performed
spread. With recent advances in imaging technology, suspicious regularly to test for cancer but when tough-to-maneuver areas
sites can be detected earlier than ever before. It’s reaching like the lungs are involved, things can get complicated quickly.
these sites that now poses the biggest problem.
“With advanced imaging now available, earlier detection
When a doctor suspects lung cancer, patients typically undergo of suspected lesions is driving the need to sample ever-
a chest CT scan to pinpoint possible tumors, and some are smaller peripheral lesions and lymph nodes, which is
then referred for a PET scan. Although imaging scans can give not always straight-forward,” explains Rex C.W. Yung,
doctors a pretty good idea if there are tumors present in the Director of Bronchology and Pulmonary Oncology at
lungs, the only way to confirm this is with a tissue biopsy. the Johns Hopkins University.
Locationally challenged
Because the procedure can be so challenging, the typical
diagnostic yield for lung biopsies of small lesions and lymph
nodes is anywhere from 30-70%, indicative of the challenge
of locating and sampling the small masses. Yet to really
improve patient survival rates, the yield needs to be closer
to the ideal of 100%.
Virtual navigation
During the biopsy, the navigator uses PET/CT images
to construct a 3D virtual model of the patient’s lungs and
target lesions to help doctors find their way within the
airways. It's a step up from the current technique that relies
on 2D images.
Flying blind
With ‛blind’ biopsies – when target lesions are outside the
lung walls and therefore not visible with the bronchoscope
– it’s even more difficult to sample lesions. To overcome this
issue, the researchers have developed a way for the navigator
tool to process and combine CT and PET images to show
these outside lesions as well as the lymph nodes. “During
bronchoscopy, doctors often try to sample the lymph nodes as
well as the lesion to see if the cancer has spread,” explains Yung.
“Being able to perform biopsies on more than one site in one
procedure can reduce time and costs for multiple procedures.”
More
The navigation program displays current real-time bronchoscopic
images (left) and images from the virtual lung navigator model
(right) based on the CT images and the relevant PET/CT data,
which supports targeted placement of the bronchoscope.
Emotional
technology
Modern life seems to move so much faster than ever before.
Quality time - either alone or with loved ones - is getting
scarce as work and home pressures mount. Technology was
supposed to give us a better work-life balance, yet for many
it’s just led to a feeling of always being ‛on’. But there’s good
news: a new kind of technology might just help us put the
‛quality’ back into quality time.
Tired Placid
Lethargic Calm
25% by 2020
It’s estimated that emergency
department visits could grow 25%
to 20.2 million in the US by 2020.
DIY energy
Surprisingly, Kenya is the global leader in the number of
solar power systems installed per capita. More than 30,000
small household solar panels, each producing anywhere
from 10-100 watts, are sold in the country each year.
Thrill of creativity
“Happiness is not in
the mere possession of money;
it lies in the joy of achievement,
in the thrill of creative effort.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States
Feelings first
Coming in eighth in the same study
was the tiny kingdom of Bhutan,
whose former king coined the term
‛Gross National Happiness’ in reference
to the government’s top priority.
As a senior scientist for the Smart Kitchen Life project at with a range of Philips technologies to develop products that
Philips Research, Jettie Hoonhout combines her background help people make healthier choices in their everyday lives.
in psychology and her love of food with a passion for making
technology more personal and enjoyable. It’s the idea that How is your background in psychology helpful?
quality-of-life can actually be improved with the right kind of Before we can develop a new technology that involves food
technology that motivates her to do what she does everyday. or eating – something that people usually feel quite strongly
Here are the details. about – we have to interact with people to find out what
they want and would appreciate.
Describe what you’re currently People naturally have a strong
working on. emotional connection to food. Most
I’m working on the Smart Kitchen Life people love food – but not always
project, which explores ways to support healthy food. So when trying to help
people with things pertaining to food, people adopt a healthier lifestyle, it can
such as food preparation, nutrition and be a sensitive area. We need to look at
taste. One main focus is finding ways to research on changing habits and how
help people adopt and maintain healthier best to help motivate people to make
lifestyles. There are many people who the changes on their own and feel good
would like to change their eating habits about it – this is where my psychology
for the better. Often, they’re worried background comes into play.
about their health, weight and/or fitness
levels – or that of family – but don’t know exactly how to make My role also involves presenting product ideas and seeing how
these important changes. So in this project we combine the people react to the product based on their family situation,
latest insights in nutrition science and psychology (for example history, eating habits and preferences. Then we find ways to
how to increase people’s motivation and compliance) improve the product or technology based on their feedback.
to consider the
surrounds the project. I strongly
a success. For instance, in the kitchen believe in the power of synergy
people want to feel empowered so
it’s important that any technology
human aspect.” when bringing together people with
different backgrounds – in most cases
or product we develop enhances one plus one equals much more than
their experience, not complicates it. People also want to two! And, of course, I love cooking and eating. Sorry if this
stay involved in the process so we have to take that into sounds like a sales pitch, but I really do have a great job!
account as well. And since people usually have an emotional
connection to food and eating, it’s important to delve into For more information, go to www.research.philips.com/password