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Hospitals are grateful for their volunteers
Akron, Summit County jobless rates increase
Future members of school board get early lessons
Browns lose game they never should have lost
After 30 years at the helm of Akron Children's, Considine still looks to future
Utility mines new power source
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2 men shot during party in Fairlawn
Cancellation of Christmas not an option
Akron man killed in crash on his street
Several people hurt in Akron crash
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Akron Children's Hospital CEO, wife announce $1 million gift to support research
Police: Pennsylvania man killed misbehaving puppy before Steelers game
Akron Circle K store robbed for second time this month
KSU suspends basketball player
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Blogs:
Pets:
A Dog Named Christmas – Pet for the Holidays
The Heldenfiles:
Viewing Notes
Patrick McManamon:
Of pass interference and alleged "fake" injuries
Akron Zips:
No. 1 Akron to play Stanford next
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Audio: Mangini disputes Poteat call, accuses Lions of faking injuries
Kent State Sports:
Flashes travel to Florida Atlantic
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeye Football – Present and Future
Varsity Letters:
Gulley to visit Central Michigan in December
All Da King's Men:
The Onion, By Any Other Name…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Glaring Contradictions
Akron Law Café:
Don't Try to Have Fun if you are Depressed
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
What Automotive Thing Are You Thankful For?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Faye Dunaway to be Evicted?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Monique asks how to get tickets for the Polar Express.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why I am Glad I live in NEO
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
SpineMatrix spinal imager pinpoints problems
By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Sunday, May 25, 2008
SpineMatrix, the company behind the invention of Wooster physician Dr. Mark Finneran, is ramping up production of the chronic back pain detection system inside the Akron Global Business Accelerator.
''We're already scheduling training in many places,'' Chief Executive Officer Ben Shappley said.
Until now, trying to figure out whether a
patient's pain is caused by a muscle, disc or joint problem was largely a guessing game, with X-rays, MRIs and CT scans all having limitations.
In many cases, physicians resort to more drastic techniques, involving the use of long needles injected into the spine to try to pinpoint the origin.
But the matrix scan uses computerized censors embedded in a gel on electrodes that adhere to a patient's back, issuing a color-coded report in a painless procedure that takes 15 minutes in a doctor's office.
''The diagnosis is based on what your blood vessels and muscles are doing or not doing,'' operations manager Whit Miller said.
The system — currently in place at Bath Township's Crystal Clinic — was tested by the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State University College of Medicine and Texas Back Institute.
In clinical trials involving nearly 3,000 people, it correctly diagnosed the problem:
• 99.6 percent of the time when it said the problem was related to muscles;
• 95 percent of the time when it identified the culprit as a facet (the joint of a vertebrae);
• 88 percent of the time when it determined a bad disc was to blame.
By eliminating invasive techniques, the spinal imager could also significantly reduce health costs — no small thing in a country where 30 million suffering Americans have made back pain the No. 2 reason for doctor visits.
SpineMatrix, headquartered in Copley Township, recently launched its manufacturing arm in the Akron Global Business Accelerator.
Where the company once thought it would outsource the assembly of the system, Miller said, ''we decided we like the idea of controlling it ourselves.''
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
Get the full article here.
