Indlela entsha yokuskena ikhiqiza izithombe ezinemininingwane emihle kakhulu ezingaguqula ukufundwa kokwakheka komuntu.
Lapho uPaul Taforo ebona izithombe zakhe zokuqala zokuhlola izisulu ezikhanyayo ze-COVID-19, wacabanga ukuthi wehlulekile.Isazi se-paleontologist ngokuqeqeshwa, uTaforo uchithe izinyanga esebenza namaqembu kulo lonke elaseYurophu ukuze aguqule ama-accelerator ezinhlayiyana e-French Alps abe amathuluzi okuskena ezokwelapha ashintshashintshayo.
Kwakusekupheleni kukaMeyi 2020, futhi ososayensi babemagange ukuqonda kangcono ukuthi i-COVID-19 izibhubhisa kanjani izitho zomuntu.U-Taforo wanikwa umsebenzi wokwenza indlela engasebenzisa ama-X-ray anamandla amakhulu akhiqizwa i-European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) eGrenoble, eFrance.Njengososayensi we-ESRF, uye weqa imingcele yama-x-reyi anokulungiswa okuphezulu kwezinsalela zamatshe nezidumbu zomumu ezomisiwe.Manje wayesesaba inqwaba yamathawula ephepha athambile, anamathelayo.
Izithombe zibabonise imininingwane eminingi kunanoma iyiphi i-CT scan yezokwelapha abake bayibona ngaphambili, ebavumela ukuthi banqobe izikhala ezinenkani endleleni ososayensi nodokotela abazibona ngayo ngeso lengqondo futhi baqonde izitho zomuntu."Ezincwadini ze-anatomy, uma uyibona, inkulu, iyizinga elincane, futhi ziyizithombe ezinhle ezidwetshwe ngesandla ngesizathu esisodwa: ziyizincazelo zobuciko ngoba asinazo izithombe," i-University College London (UCL) ) kusho..Umcwaningi Omkhulu uClaire Walsh uthe."Ngokokuqala ngqa singenza into yangempela."
U-Taforo no-Walsh bayingxenye yeqembu lamazwe ngamazwe labacwaningi abangaphezu kuka-30 abadale indlela entsha enamandla yokuskena ye-X-ray ebizwa ngokuthi i-Hierarchical Phase Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT).Ngawo, ekugcineni angasuka esithweni somuntu esiphelele aye embonweni owandisiwe wemithambo yegazi emincane kakhulu noma ingqamuzana ngalinye.
Le ndlela isivele ihlinzeka ngemininingwane entsha yokuthi i-COVID-19 iyilimaza futhi ilungise kabusha imithambo yegazi emaphashini.Nakuba amathemba ayo esikhathi eside kunzima ukunquma ngenxa yokuthi akukho lutho olufana ne-HiP-CT olwake lwaba khona ngaphambili, abacwaningi abajatshuliswe amandla ayo babona ngomdlandla izindlela ezintsha zokuqonda izifo nokubeka imephu isimo somuntu ngemephu yesimo sezulu enembe kakhudlwana.
Udokotela wezifo zenhliziyo e-UCL u-Andrew Cooke wathi: “Abantu abaningi bangase bamangale ukuthi sekungamakhulu eminyaka sifunda ukwakheka kwenhliziyo, kodwa akukho ukuvumelana ngesakhiwo esivamile senhliziyo, ikakhulukazi inhliziyo . . . lapho inhliziyo ishaya.”
“Bengiwulindile wonke umsebenzi wami,” esho.
Indlela ye-HiP-CT yaqala lapho izazi zezifo ezimbili zaseJalimane ziqhudelana ukuze zilandelele imiphumela yesijeziso yegciwane le-SARS-CoV-2 emzimbeni womuntu.
UDanny Jonigk, udokotela wezifo zesifuba eHannover Medical School, kanye noMaximilian Ackermann, udokotela wezifo e-University Medical Center Mainz, babeqaphe kakhulu njengoba izindaba zecala elingavamile le-pneumonia ziqala ukusabalala eChina.Bobabili babenolwazi lokwelapha izimo zamaphaphu futhi babazi ngaso leso sikhathi ukuthi i-COVID-19 yayingajwayelekile.Lo mbhangqwana wawukhathazeke kakhulu ngemibiko “ye-hypoxia ethule” eyayigcina iziguli ze-COVID-19 ziphapheme kodwa zabangela ukuba amazinga azo komoyampilo ehle.
U-Ackermann noJonig basola ukuthi i-SARS-CoV-2 ngandlela thize ihlasela imithambo yegazi emaphashini.Ngenkathi lesi sifo sibhebhetheka eJalimane ngoMashi 2020, lo mbhangqwana waqala ukuhlola izisulu zezisulu ze-COVID-19.Ngokushesha bahlola i-hypothesis yabo yemithambo ngokujova inhlaka kumasampula ezicubu bese bencibilikisa izicubu ku-asidi, okushiya imodeli enembile ye-vasculature yasekuqaleni.
Besebenzisa le ndlela, u-Ackermann noJonigk baqhathanisa izicubu zabantu abangabulawanga yi-COVID-19 nalabo abafa.Ngokushesha babona ukuthi kuzisulu ze-COVID-19, imithambo yegazi emincane kakhulu emaphashini yasonteka futhi yakhiwa kabusha.Le miphumela eyingqophamlando, eyanyatheliswa ku-inthanethi ngoMeyi 2020, ikhombisa ukuthi i-COVID-19 akusona isifo sokuphefumula kuphela, kodwa isifo semithambo esingathinta izitho zomzimba wonke.
“Uma uhamba emzimbeni futhi uqondanisa yonke imithambo yegazi, uthola amakhilomitha angu-60 000 kuya kwangu-70 000, okuyibanga eliphindwe kabili ukuzungeza inkabazwe,” kusho u-Ackermann, udokotela wezifo waseWuppertal, eJalimane..Wengeze ngokuthi uma kuphela iphesenti elilodwa lale mithambo yegazi elihlaselwa yileli gciwane, ukugeleza kwegazi nekhono lokumunca umoya-mpilo kungaba sengozini, okungaholela emiphumeleni elimazayo kuso sonke isitho.
Lapho uJonigk no-Ackermann bebona umthelela we-COVID-19 emithanjeni yegazi, babona ukuthi badinga ukuqonda kangcono umonakalo.
I-x-ray yezokwelapha, efana ne-CT scans, inganikeza imibono yazo zonke izitho, kodwa ayinakho ukulungiswa okuphezulu ngokwanele.I-biopsy ivumela ososayensi ukuthi bahlole amasampula ezicubu ngaphansi kwesibonakhulu, kodwa izithombe eziwumphumela zimelela ingxenye encane kuphela yesitho sonke futhi azikwazi ukukhombisa ukuthi i-COVID-19 iqala kanjani emaphashini.Futhi inqubo ye-resin ithimba elakhiwe idinga ukuhlakazwa kwezicubu, okucekela phansi isampula futhi kukhawulele ucwaningo olwengeziwe.
"Ekupheleni kosuku, [amaphaphu] athola umoya-mpilo futhi isikhutha siyaphuma, kodwa ngenxa yalokho, sinezinkulungwane zamamayela emithanjeni yegazi nama-capillaries, ahlukaniswe kancane kakhulu ... cishe kuyisimangaliso," kusho uJonigk, umsunguli. umphenyi omkhulu e-German Lung Research Center."Manje singayihlola kanjani into eyinkimbinkimbi njenge-COVID-19 ngaphandle kokucekela phansi izitho zomzimba?"
UJonigk no-Ackermann badinga into engakaze ibonwe ngaphambili: uchungechunge lwama-x-reyi esitho esifanayo azovumela abacwaningi ukuthi bakhulise izingxenye zesitho zibe esikalini seselula.NgoMashi 2020, i-duo yaseJalimane yaxhumana nomhlanganyeli wayo wesikhathi eside u-Peter Lee, usosayensi wezinto ezibonakalayo kanye nosihlalo wobuchwepheshe obusafufusa e-UCL.Okukhethekile kuka-Lee ukufunda ngezinto eziphilayo kusetshenziswa ama-X-ray anamandla, ngakho-ke imicabango yakhe yaphendukela ngokushesha e-French Alps.
I-European Synchrotron Radiation Centre itholakala endaweni engunxantathu engxenyeni esenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeGrenoble, lapho kuhlangana khona imifula emibili.Into iyisisheshisi esiyizinhlayiyana esithumela ama-electron emigudwini eyindilinga ubude bengxenye yemayela cishe ngesivinini sokukhanya.Njengoba la ma-electron ezungeza eyindilinga, ozibuthe abanamandla ku-orbit bazungeza umfudlana wezinhlayiya, okwenza ama-electron akhiphe eminye ye-X ray egqame kakhulu emhlabeni.
Le misebe enamandla ivumela i-ESRF ukuthi inhlolile izinto nge-micrometer noma isikali se-nanometer.Kuvame ukusetshenziselwa ukutadisha izinto ezinjengama-alloys nezinhlanganisela, ukutadisha ukwakheka kwamangqamuzana amaprotheni, ngisho nokwakha kabusha izinsalela zasendulo ngaphandle kokuhlukanisa itshe nethambo.U-Ackermann, u-Jonigk no-Lee babefuna ukusebenzisa ithuluzi elikhulu ukuthatha ama-x-reyi anemininingwane eminingi emhlabeni wezitho zomuntu.
Faka i-Taforo, umsebenzi wayo kwa-ESRF uye weqe imingcele yalokho okungabonwa ukuskena kwe-synchrotron.Amaqhinga ayo ahlaba umxhwele ngaphambili ayevumele ososayensi ukuthi babheke ngaphakathi kwamaqanda e-dinosaur futhi bacishe basika izidumbu ezivulekile, futhi cishe ngokushesha uTaforo waqinisekisa ukuthi ama-synchrotron angakwazi ukuskena kahle wonke ama-lung lobes.Kodwa empeleni, ukuskena zonke izitho zomuntu kuyinselele enkulu.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kunenkinga yokuqhathanisa.Ama-x-reyi ajwayelekile akha izithombe ezisuselwe ekutheni ingakanani imisebe emunca izinto ezihlukene, nezinto ezisindayo ezimunca kakhulu kunalezo ezilula.Izicubu ezithambile ngokuvamile zenziwe ngezinto ezilula—ikhabhoni, i-hydrogen, umoya-mpilo, njll—ngakho azibonakali kahle ku-x-ray yezokwelapha yakudala.
Enye yezinto ezinhle nge-ESRF ukuthi umsebe wayo we-X-ray uhambisana kakhulu: ukukhanya kuhamba ngamagagasi, futhi endabeni ye-ESRF, wonke ama-X-ray ayo aqala ngefrikhwensi efanayo kanye nokuhleleka kwawo, anyakaze njalo, njengemigqa yezinyawo esele. nguReik ngokusebenzisa ingadi yezen.Kodwa njengoba lama-X ray edlula entweni, ukuhluka okucashile kokuminyana kungabangela ukuba i-X-ray ngayinye iphambuke kancane endleleni, futhi umehluko uba lula ukuwubona njengoba ama-X ray eqhela kude nento.Lokhu kuchezuka kungaveza umehluko ocashile wokuminyana phakathi kwento, ngisho noma yenziwe ngezinto zokukhanya.
Kodwa ukuzinza kungenye indaba.Ukuze kuthathwe uchungechunge lwama-x-ray akhulisiwe, isitho kufanele simiswe ngendlela yaso yemvelo ukuze singagobi noma sinyakaze ngaphezu kwenkulungwane yemilimitha.Ngaphezu kwalokho, ama-x-ray alandelanayo wesitho esifanayo ngeke afane.Akudingekile ukusho, noma kunjalo, umzimba ungaguquguquka kakhulu.
U-Lee nethimba lakhe e-UCL bahlose ukuklama iziqukathi ezingamelana ne-synchrotron X-ray kuyilapho besadedela amagagasi amaningi ngangokunokwenzeka.U-Lee uphinde waphatha yonke inhlangano yephrojekthi-isibonelo, imininingwane yokuthutha izitho zomuntu phakathi kweJalimane ne-France-futhi waqasha u-Walsh, ogxile kwidatha enkulu ye-biomedical, ukusiza ukuthola indlela yokuhlaziya izikena.Emuva eFrance, umsebenzi kaTaforo wawuhlanganisa nokwenza ngcono inqubo yokuskena kanye nokuthola ukuthi isitho somzimba singasigcina kanjani esitsheni ithimba lika-Lee elalakha.
UTafforo wayazi ukuthi ukuze izitho zingaboli, futhi izithombe zicace ngangokunokwenzeka, kufanele zicutshungulwe ngezingxenye ezimbalwa ze-ethanol enamanzi.Wayazi nokuthi kwakudingeka aqinise isitho ngokuthile okufana ncamashi nokuminyana kwesitho.Isu lakhe kwakuwukubeka izitho ngandlela thize ku-agar ecebile nge-ethanol, into efana nejeli ekhishwe olwandle.
Kodwa-ke, udeveli usemininingwaneni - njengakweningi laseYurophu, iTaforo ibambekile ekhaya futhi ivalelwe.Ngakho-ke uTaforo wathuthela ucwaningo lwakhe elebhu yasekhaya: Wachitha iminyaka ehlobisa ikhishi eliphakathi nendawo elinamaphrinta e-3D, amathuluzi ayisisekelo amakhemikhali namathuluzi asetshenziselwa ukulungisa amathambo ezilwane ukuze enze ucwaningo lwe-anatomical.
UTaforo wasebenzisa imikhiqizo evela esitolo segrosa ukuze athole indlela yokwenza i-agar.Uze aqoqe ngisho namanzi esiphepho ophahleni asanda kulihlanza ukuze enze amanzi ancibilikisiwe amaminerali, isithako esijwayelekile kumafomula e-agar esezingeni elebhu.Ukuze aziqeqeshele ukupakisha izitho ku-agar, wathatha amathumbu engulube esilaheni sendawo.
UTaforo wagunyazwa ukuthi abuyele ku-ESRF maphakathi noMeyi ukuze ayohlolwa okokuqala amaphaphu ezingulube.Kusukela ngoMeyi kuya kuJuni, walungiselela futhi wathwebula i-lobe yesokunxele yendoda eneminyaka engu-54 ubudala eyabulawa yi-COVID-19, u-Ackermann noJonig bayisusa eJalimane baya eGrenoble.
“Ngesikhathi ngibona isithombe sokuqala, bekunencwadi yokuxolisa ku-imeyili yami eya kubo bonke abathintekayo kulo msebenzi: sehlulekile futhi angikwazanga ukuthola isikeni seqophelo eliphezulu,” usho kanje.“Ngisanda kubathumelela izithombe ezimbili ezibi kimina kodwa ezibalungele.”
Ku-Lee waseNyuvesi yaseCalifornia, eLos Angeles, izithombe ziyamangaza: izithombe zesitho somzimba zifana ne-CT scan yezokwelapha ezivamile, kodwa “zifundisa ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyisigidi.”Kunjengokungathi umhloli wamazwe ubelokhu etadisha ihlathi ukuphila kwakhe konke, noma endiza phezu kwehlathi ngendiza enkulukazi, noma ehamba ngale ndlela.Manje sebendiza ngaphezu kombhede njengezinyoni ezimaphiko.
Ithimba lishicilele incazelo yalo yokuqala ephelele yendlela ye-HiP-CT ngoNovemba 2021, futhi abacwaningi baphinde bakhipha imininingwane yokuthi i-COVID-19 izithinta kanjani izinhlobo ezithile zokujikeleza kwegazi emaphashini.
Ukuskena nakho kwaba nenzuzo engalindelekile: kwasiza abacwaningi ukukholisa abangani nomndeni ukuthi bathole umgomo.Ezimweni ezimbi kakhulu ze-COVID-19, imithambo yegazi eminingi emaphashini ibonakala inwetshiwe futhi ivuvukele, futhi ngokwezinga elincane, kungase kwakheke izinyanda ezingavamile zemithambo yegazi emincane.
“Uma ubheka ukwakheka kwephaphu kumuntu obulawe yi-COVID, alibukeki njengephaphu - lingamaphaphu,” kusho uTafolo.
Wengeze ngokuthi ngisho nasezithweni ezinempilo, ama-scans aveza izici ezicashile ze-anatomical ezingakaze ziqoshwe ngoba asikho isitho somuntu esake sahlolwa imininingwane enjalo.Ngoxhaso olungaphezu kuka-$1 million oluvela ku-Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (inhlangano engenzi nzuzo eyasungulwa yi-CEO ye-Facebook u-Mark Zuckerberg kanye nonkosikazi kaZuckerberg, udokotela uPriscilla Chan), ithimba le-HiP-CT okwamanje lakha lokho okubizwa ngokuthi i-atlas yezitho zomuntu.
Kuze kube manje, ithimba selikhiphe izikena zezitho ezinhlanu - inhliziyo, ubuchopho, izinso, amaphaphu kanye nobende - ngokususelwa ezithweni ezinikelwe ngu-Ackermann noJonigk ngesikhathi sokuhlolwa kwesidumbu se-COVID-19 eJalimane kanye nesitho “sokulawula” sezempilo i-LADAF.Ilabhorethri ye-Anatomical yaseGrenoble.Ithimba likhiqize idatha, kanye namafilimu ezindiza, ngokusekelwe kudatha etholakala mahhala ku-inthanethi.I-Atlas of Human Organs ikhula ngokushesha: ezinye izitho ezingu-30 ziskenwe, kanti ezinye ezingu-80 zisezigabeni ezihlukahlukene zokulungiselela.Cishe amaqembu ocwaningo ahlukene angama-40 athinte ithimba ukuze afunde kabanzi ngale ndlela, kusho uLi.
Udokotela wenhliziyo we-UCL u-Cook ubona amandla amakhulu ekusebenziseni i-HiP-CT ukuze aqonde i-anatomy eyisisekelo.Isazi se-radiologist sase-UCL uJoe Jacob, onguchwepheshe bezifo zamaphaphu, uthe i-HiP-CT izoba “wusizo olukhulu ekuqondeni izifo,” ikakhulukazi ezakhiweni ezinezinhlangothi ezintathu njengemithambo yegazi.
Ngisho nabaculi bangene kulo mbango.U-Barney Steele we-London-based experiential art collection i-Marshmallow Laser Feast uthi uphenya ngenkuthalo ukuthi idatha ye-HiP-CT ingahlolisiswa kanjani kungokoqobo okugxilile okubonakalayo."Eqinisweni, sakha uhambo ngomzimba womuntu," esho.
Kodwa naphezu kwazo zonke izithembiso ze-HiP-CT, kunezinkinga ezinkulu.Okokuqala, kusho u-Walsh, i-HiP-CT scan ikhiqiza “inani elimangalisayo ledatha,” kalula i-terabyte ngesitho ngasinye.Ukuvumela odokotela ukuthi basebenzise lezi zikena emhlabeni wangempela, abacwaningi banethemba lokuthuthukisa isixhumi esibonakalayo esisekelwe efwini sokuzulazula kuzo, njenge-Google Maps yomzimba womuntu.
Futhi babedinga ukwenza kube lula ukuguqula izikena zibe amamodeli asebenzisekayo e-3D.Njengazo zonke izindlela ze-CT scan, i-HiP-CT isebenza ngokuthatha izingcezu eziningi ze-2D zento enikeziwe bese izifaka ndawonye.Ngisho nanamuhla, ingxenye enkulu yale nqubo yenziwa ngesandla, ikakhulukazi lapho kuthwetshulwa izicubu ezingavamile noma ezinesifo.U-Lee no-Walsh bathi okubalulekile kwethimba le-HiP-CT ukuthuthukisa izindlela zokufunda zomshini ezingenza lo msebenzi ube lula.
Lezi zinselele zizokhula njengoba i-atlas yezitho zomuntu ikhula futhi nabacwaningi beba nesifiso sokuvelela.Ithimba le-HiP-CT lisebenzisa umshini wakamuva we-ESRF, obizwa ngokuthi i-BM18, ukuqhubeka nokuskena izitho zale phrojekthi.I-BM18 ikhiqiza i-X-ray enkulu, okusho ukuthi ukuskena kuthatha isikhathi esincane, futhi umtshina we-BM18 X-ray ungabekwa amafidi angu-125 (38 metres) kude nento eskenwayo, okuyenza icace kakhudlwana.Imiphumela ye-BM18 isivele mihle kakhulu, kusho uTaforo, oseke kabusha amanye amasampula okuqala e-Human Organ Atlas ohlelweni olusha.
I-BM18 ingakwazi futhi ukuskena izinto ezinkulu kakhulu.Ngesikhungo esisha, ithimba lihlela ukuskena wonke umzimba womuntu ngokuzumayo okukodwa ekupheleni kuka-2023.
Ehlola amandla amakhulu obuchwepheshe, uTaforo uthe, "Empeleni sisekuqaleni nje."
© 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC.Wonke Amalungelo Agodliwe.