Michigan doctor sentenced for Medicare fraud scheme; this AI tool can detect 9 types of dementia in a single scan; Caltech’s new smart capsule profiles gut health from the inside out – Morning Medical Update

Morning Medical Update © everythingpossible - stock.adobe.com

Michigan doctor sentenced for $6.3 million Medicare fraud scheme

Sophia Toya, M.D., of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for prescribing over 7,900 unnecessary orthotic braces to more than 2,600 Medicare patients as part of a $6.3 million fraud scheme. Prosecutors said Toya had little to no contact with patients, some of whom were wheelchair-bound, yet falsely certified braces as medically necessary. The scheme was linked to deceptive TV ads and fake telehealth companies. Toya was also ordered to pay over $3.6 million in restitution. The case was part of Operation Rubber Stamp, a national crackdown on telehealth fraud.

Mayo Clinic AI tool can detect 9 types of dementia — with just one scan

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed an AI tool that identifies nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, using a single FDG-PET brain scan. The tool, called StateViewer, correctly identified the dementia type in 88% of cases and doubled diagnostic speed with up to three times greater accuracy. Published in Neurology, the study shows the tool’s potential to bring advanced diagnostic insights to clinics lacking neurology specialists — and to enable earlier, more precise treatment as dementia cases rise worldwide.

Caltech’s new smart capsule profiles gut health from the inside out

Caltech engineers have unveiled “PillTreck,” a tiny ingestible capsule that can measure pH, temperature, neurotransmitters and other biomarkers inside the gastrointestinal tract. The wireless device, detailed in Nature Electronics, is smaller than traditional capsule endoscopes yet performs advanced electrochemical analysis. It was successfully tested in animals to monitor glucose and serotonin levels. Researchers say the technology could transform diagnosis and disease monitoring in the gut, replacing invasive biopsies and offering real-time insight into metabolic, inflammatory and neurological health.