Ferrography, a practice used by the American and Israeli air forces to monitor the condition of machinery, extracts tiny iron particles from lubricants such as oil and grease to analyze wear in machines. Determining whether a system requires preventative maintenance can be the key to preventing catastrophic failure.
Now Tel Aviv University scientists are exploring a modification of this technique for human analysis – called “bio-ferrography” – to diagnose diseases in their early stages, determine the efficacy of drugs, and ascertain the condition of orthopedic implants.
Prof. Noam Eliaz, head of Tel Aviv University’s Materials and Nanotechnologies Program, says bio-ferrography has the potential to help develop better medications and better implants, and to diagnose the development of diseases, including cancer, at a very early stage.
Source: George Hunka
American Friends of Tel Aviv University