In Depth: Monkeypox, AI and imaging, International Medical Corps in Ukraine

LOS ANGELES - Segment One: Hal is joined by  UCLA Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Matt Waxman to talk about Monkeypox.   Waxman discusses where the disease originated, and how it’s transmitted.

He says it’s not an STD or a "gay" disease, but is rather transmitted by close "skin to skin" contact.  Waxman says he’s seen a couple of cases in the UCLA Emergency room locally.   He discusses the new method of injecting the Monkeypox vaccine,  under the skin, which allows for about a fifth of the vaccine to be used.  He says he expects it to be as successful in preventing the disease as using the full amount.

Segment Two: Dr Gregory Sorensen, Founder and CEO of DeepHealth Radnet, Inc.  joins Hal to talk about new Artificial Intelligence software that helps doctors read screening images more accurately and identify abnormalities more effectively.   The new technology helps identify breast cancer tumors about two years earlier than previously.

The AI can be used for screening for breast, prostate, and lung screenings.   Dr. Sorensen says he sees a time in the future when interpretation of screenings will be nearly all done by AI.

Segment Three: Todd Bernhardt is Senior Director of Global Communications for International Medical Corps.  The organization sends first responders to areas around the world struck by conflict, disease or disaster.  Bernhardt is back from three weeks in Ukraine,  assisting with medical help, mental health assistance and rebuilding of bombed hospitals.   Bernhardt describes what the situation is like on the ground and describes the various ways International Medical Corps is assisting in that country.  He explains the organization’s history in Ukraine which goes back more than 20 years.   He and Hal also talk about the other countries and assistance efforts that International Medical Corps is working on.   He shares the website   www.internationalmedicalcorps.org  for people who would like to help their mission.

Segment Four: Hal promotes his podcast and we end with visuals from  a video shared by International Medical Corps detailing the ways they’ve made a difference around the world.