Ultrasound breakthrough in cancer detection

A new ultrasound technique which has been developed at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh is being hailed as the biggest breakthrough in the technology for over 60 years.

The new method, which uses existing scanning equipment, produces images which are ten times better than current scans, and researchers believe the ability to precisely locate tumours may one day replace biopsies in investigating suspected cancer cases.

Clinicians have for many years used microbubbles, tiny capsules of hydrocarbon gas in a lipid shell a fraction of a millimetre across, to increase the contrast of ultrasound images. The bubbles are injected into a patient’s bloodstream to diagnose liver and other diseases.

The research team observed individual microbubbles during their studies and once the physics had been established, they used computing power and statistics to show what ultrasound scans had not been able to reveal before.

Human trials are expected to start at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh before the end of this year. First to be tested will be prostate patients. As glands are usually removed completely during surgery, the accuracy of the super-resolution images can be compared with the real thing.

Professor Alan McNeill, consultant urological surgeon, said “A method that maps the blood flow of the tumour accurately could well provide new information about the disease state that allows us to better identify those men who need urgent treatment and those who don’t.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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