Until now, vascular elasticity could only be measured with large, expensive equipment in hospitals. To bring the technique closer to the patient, VitaK, a spin-off from Maastricht University, has developed under supervision of Associate Professor dr. Cees Vermeer the “Stiffnograph”, a new, portable medical device. With the help of the StiffnoGraph, care providers are able to monitor non-invasively the stiffness of the large arteries within 2 minutes.

On the basis of the obtained results and the medical dossier of the patient/client, the care provider is able to take necessary medical steps and to provide substantiated nutrition advice using the “Vermeer Index”.

“Vascular stiffening is the result of calcification, elastin degradation and changes in the smooth muscle cells in the arteries. There are many factors influencing these processes. In the past decades, VitaK has extensively studied which conditions contribute to vascular stiffening and how improved nutrition may help keeping the vessel wall elastic. Besides investigations in our own laboratories, tens of thousands of subjects were screened in collaboration with leading research centres in universities and hospitals all over Europe, and hitherto unknown associations between nutrition and cardiovascular disease were discovered. From these studies it appeared that the three major risk factors for loss of vascular elasticity and related cardiovascular mortality are: age, tobacco smoking and subclinical vitamin K deficiency”, says dr. Cees Vermeer, CSO of VitaK.

Target groups: The StiffnoGraph is especially developed for measurements in patients or clients with prevalent cardiovascular disease, but also in high risk groups including elderly people, diabetics and patients with chronic kidney disease. The device is meant to be used by health care professionals such as general practitioners, orthomolecular physicians, sports physicians, alternative medical practitioners, physiotherapists, dieticians, etc.

StiffnoGraph: This is a Point-Of-Care (POC) system / in vitro diagnostic device which is easy to operate. Besides the Arterial Stiffness score (from 1 to 6) also the oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart beat are accurately shown. The device comes with a handbook written by dr. Vermeer which not only contains a manual but also an overview of 21 factors contributing to vascular stiffening. Moreover, the handbook contains a table elaborating the Vermeer Index, which may form the basis for dietary recommendations.

VitaK: VitaK Innovation in Life Science is a spin-off from Maastricht University and has many years of experience in clinical scientific research and the development of new diagnostic test systems. The application thereof in our Care line takes place on the basis of patented concepts. Presently, VitaK’s scientists are developing the “CardioCare” and the “NephroCare”, two POC systems which are specifically targeted for use in cardiovascular patients and kidney patients, respectively.

Source: Brightlands

The data show that high breast volume and low compression pressure are associated with positive performance measures such as lower recall rate and higher specificity (true positive) of tumor detection. Procedures with too low pressures result in unnecessary recalls due to false positives. Flattening of the breast on the basis of pressure, also prevents unnecessary discomfort and pain, which may contribute to a higher breast cancer screening compliance of women. The Sigma pressure technology aims to optimize these three elements.

Sigmascreening’s Sensitive Sigma Paddle is the first pressure based compression paddle providing real-time and reproducible information on mammographic pressure, which can considerably reduce frequently experienced pain for women during screening. It optimizes compression for every individual breast, taking into account breast size and tissue stiffness, which leads to an optimal mean contact pressure per woman thereby optimizing both specificity (true negative) and sensitivity (true positive) for the most optimal screening result.

Sigmascreening’s pressure-standardized breast compression is expanding rapidly in screening centers and hospitals throughout Europe. In Europe, over 10,000 patients already experienced the more  woman-friendly way of making mammograms while clinicians are starting to recognize the improved sensitivity and specificity of our technology. The Sensitive Sigma Paddle with CE marking is already being used in the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland.

Source: Sigmascreening