Dear Middle East Insider,
The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012, but it had spread to 20 other countries by June 2015. In Saudi Arabia alone, 1,035 cases were confirmed within the same period, accounting for 458 deaths.
Against this background, it's reassuring to learn that researchers are making progress in the effective use of imaging for early detection and management of disease progression. For the latest information in this area, click here.
Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass and Cairo University radiologist Dr. Sahar Saleem have published an important new book about their CT studies of the mummies of ancient Egyptian rulers and their families. It contains some fascinating forensic findings, and to coincide with this publication, we've looked at recent developments and the latest thinking on scanning the pharaohs. Click here to get the story.
Identifying drug mules (otherwise known as body packers) by physical examination or laboratory analysis is notoriously problematic, so imaging is playing a central role here. Radiologists from Turkey have an extensive knowledge of this field, and they've shared their experiences in a new article. To learn more, click here.
The Egyptian national breast cancer screening program began in 2008, so it offers great potential for researchers. Dr. Nivine Chalabi from Ain Shams University in Cairo and colleagues have examined the medical records of nearly 137,000 women ranging in age from 40 to 65. Their main goal was to determine the relationship between breast cancer risk and the recent American College of Radiology classification of mammographic densities. What were their results? Click here to find out.
Last but not least, doctors in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, don't take the massive annual Hajj in their city for granted, according to a report presented at the 2016 Saudi Heart Association annual meeting in Riyadh. For the full details, click here.
This letter features only a few of the many articles posted in AuntMinnie Middle East. Please scroll through the rest of our coverage below this message.
