Typical brain images of 70 year-old subjects: a healthy subject (left) and a patient with Alzheimer's. The colour codes the thickness of the cortex (the more blue, the thinner).

E-health technologies aid early disease diagnosis

Reference: 09/56

The fifth annual e-Health Research Colloquium in Brisbane tomorrow will be told that new imaging technologies have brought forward the detection of Alzheimer’s disease by about 18 months.

• 30 March 2009

The event, which is hosted by the Australian e-Health Research Centre (AEHRC), showcases recent trends and developments in health-related information and communications technologies (ICT) as they move from the research phase into clinical adoption and practice.

CSIRO e-Health Theme Leader, Dr David Hansen, said: “An ICT enabled health care system is a national priority.

“Recent studies show that e-health initiatives, such as electronic health records, will lead to better health outcomes, as well as increasing Australia's GDP by $7.5 - 8.7 billion per annum within 10 years“.
 
The Alzheimer’s imaging research is one of several projects from the Australian E-Health Research Centre to feature at tomorrow’s colloquium. Others include:

• Tools for developing and using common clinical terminologies which will underpin the use of electronic health records to better manage patients.
• Chronic disease prevention and management, using technology such as sensors and mobile phones to monitor people’s vital signs and activity levels.
• Software that will reduce bottlenecks in hospital emergency departments by better predicting how many patients will present and their expected medical needs.
• Training of the future workforce to perform colonoscopies, using a next generation colonoscopy simulator.

Speakers include the Chief Information Officer from the Ministry of Health Holdings in Singapore, Dr Sarah Muttitt, and the CEO of the National e-Health Transition Authority, Peter Fleming.

What: The Fifth Annual e-Health Research Colloquium

Where: Tuesday 31 March 2009, 8.30am - 4.30pm

When: Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane.

Media are welcome to attend.

The Australian e-Health Research Centre is a leading national research facility for health care innovations in information and communication technologies. It is a joint venture between CSIRO and the Queensland Government.

Image available at: E-health technologies aid early disease diagnosis.

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