News

Coloured arrows at the Gasthuisberg campus make way for modern street plan

26 October 2023

Anyone coming to the UZ Leuven Gasthuisberg campus after Monday 30 October, will no longer be following the iconic coloured arrows. In its place you will find your way via clear and future-proof signage, based on streets and addresses.

More organ-sparing surgery in penile cancer thanks to centralised care

5 October 2023

Penile cancer is an extremely rare and aggressive type of cancer. Thanks to the self-initiated centralisation of medical care for penile cancer in Belgium, more men with the condition can now keep a larger functional part of their penis than before, without more complications.

PET scan can predict complications in vascular disease

3 October 2023

UZ Leuven researchers have shown that a PET scan can be a useful tool to predict the course of the vascular disease giant cell arteritis (GCA). Patients in whom the blood vessels absorb a lot of fluorodeoxy-glucose (FDG) during the scan, seem to have a bigger risk of developing an aortic-aneurysm.

Research team studies possibilities of proton therapy for pregnant women with cancer

28 September 2023

Over the coming years, UZ Leuven, KU Leuven and SCK CEN (study centre for nuclear energy) will be researching whether pregnant women with cancer can be irradiated after all. It has received a 500,000 euro grant from the Stichting tegen Kanker to study this.

First week without IV feed on intensive care results in better blood glucose control

28 September 2023

A large comparative study confirms it is not a good idea to start IV feed too quickly to patients during their first week on intensive care. The need to adjust blood glucose levels with an insuline pump appears less big when patients did not receive IF feed early on.

UZ Leuven expert teams granted renewal ERN-accreditation

19 September 2023

Earlier this year the UZ Leuven expert teams that joined the European Rare Disease Reference Networks (ERNs) in 2017 participated in an evaluation of their accreditation as centres of expertise. Following their evaluation, 18 teams can renew their accreditation for five years.

New drug against Crohn's disease available

1 September 2023

Good new for patients with Crohn's disease: the new, promising drug risankizumab is since recently being reimbursed. Another two drugs will come on the market soon: one for Crohn's disease and another for colitis ulcerosa, that other chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

New study maps which health factors influence male testosterone levels

31 August 2023

Ground-breaking international research that UZ Leuven participated in, provides important insights about the complex relationship between hormones and male health.

New figures on quality of care for breast cancer

30 August 2023

Anyone facing breast cancer, is in good hands in Flemish hospitals, as shown by recent figures from the Vlaams Instituut voor Kwaliteit van Zorg (VIKZ). However, breast cancer experts at UZ Leuven have some important reservations and urge caution when making conclusions and comparisons.

First treatment with reimbursed gene therapy Zolgensma at UZ Leuven

25 August 2023

At the end of 2021 the reimbursement of the gene therapy Zolgensma® for the treatment of the rare nerve disorder SMA was approved in Belgium. Recently, doctors at UZ Leuven were able to treat a first patient with the commercial product. In case of a timely diagnosis Zolgensma® can influence the severity of the disease.

UZ Leuven develops new classification model for congenital kidney disease in children

24 July 2023

Leuven doctors have developed a new model that can predict the growth of kidneys in children with the congenital kidney disease ADPKD based on 3D ultrasound images. By finding out in which children the disease will rapidly become serious, it is better to intervene in an early stage.

New preventive drug against CMV infection after kidney transplant has fewer side effects

11 July 2023

UZ Leuven doctors have collaborated on a large trial into preventive drugs against the cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after a kidney transplant. They discovered that letermovir, a drug with a new operating mechanism, prevents infections just as well as the classic approach, but has less serious adverse effects.