FEATURE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
and solve problems in healthcare and biology. They apply electrical, mechanical, chemical, optical and other engineering principles and work closely with research scientists, physicians, nurses, other engineers and business people. They work in academia, medical and pharmaceutical industries, hospitals and government and are involved in three major tasks: Research and development, trying to understand living systems; humans, animals and plants at both macro and micro levels Develop and invent new biomedical materials, devices, mathematical algorithms, instruments and processes. Manage biomedical technology in healthcare
Biomedical engineering is a
multidisciplinary field that spans several fields such as biology, electrical engineering, chemical engineering and mechanical engineering. The following selected areas reveal the endless number of applications that demonstrate the breadth of biomedical engineering field: In biomedical instrumentation or medical devices, engineers develop measurement sensors to record biological and physiological parameters or signals, these processes capture data and remove any undesired interference signals and store or display useful information. Biomedical instruments may be used for disease diagnosis or treatment. Biomedical devices include a wide range of applications including patient monitors such as ECG, thermometers, blood pressure meters, glucose level meters, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, artificial organs, blood chemistry analyzers, blood oxygenators, expert systems, artificial kidneys, laser system for eye surgery and automatic insulin infusion pump. Biomedical engineers are more involved nowadays in utilizing wireless technology in designing implantable medical devices. These devices have been reported for monitoring the levels of glucose, cholesterol, pH and oxygen levels. Implantable medical devices may also be used in therapy and prosthesis applications. Therapeutic applications include neuroprosthetic devices control for paralyzed people, cortical stimulators to create vision for the blind, and brain stimulators for Parkinson disease. There are other very useful prosthetic applications such as pain suppression, drug
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Biomedical engineering is a very dynamic field since it keeps changing with the evolution of healthcare service. If a BME engineer is not able to continuously upgrade his knowledge and skills, he or she will be out-dated in couple of years. Biomedical engineering is still trying to find its place in our world. So far, the decision making process at the hospital is still dominated by physicians. That would require serious efforts to improve the relationship between engineers and medical staff and enhance the role of the BME engineers.
Mr. Malek El Husseini, GE Healthcare, and Business Development Director Middle East
infusion and control of insulin dispenser. Medical imaging is another major
area in biomedical engineering and clinical healthcare. Doctors use various biomedical imaging to view inside the body without need for surgical procedure. Biomedical imaging modalities include x-rays, Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound, Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Fluoroscopy Optical microscopy and Electron microscopy. Medical laboratory testing is divided
into several main categories which include pathology, histopathology, cytopathology, electron microscopy and genetics. Molecular laboratory testing is one of the fastest growing areas of biomedical engineering and has moved from research settings to the clinical laboratory. It involves the analysis of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) at the gene, chromosome, or genome level. Molecular tests are often faster and more sensitive
than traditional diagnostic tests. Some viruses for example, are slow-growing organisms and difficult to culture and since molecular tests avoid culturing it can return a result earlier than traditional tests. Molecular testing is used in many applications such as the identification of sources and factors that affect a disease. Medical doctors use molecular test results to improve diagnosis and provide more effective treatment. It is used for identifying the presence of pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Molecular laboratory testing has other applications including the detection and treatment of cancer, blood grouping, pharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring and DNA profiling in forensic medicine. Clinical engineering is also a pivotal
area of biomedical engineering. It deals with medical equipment management in hospitals and clinical settings. Their main responsibility is to ensure that all equipment are safe and functioning according to specifications. The role of
Arab Health Issue 5 2011 57
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