A breakthrough scanner could revolutionise the way in which cancer is diagnosed.
A breakthrough scanner could revolutionise the way in which cancer is diagnosed.
The device, an X-ray alternative developed by scientists at University College London (UC) has the ability to screen blood vessels which, thanks to its speed, could become a gamechanger for diagnosing and managing diseases like arthritis, diabetes and some cancers.
Professor Paul Beard, a medical physicist at UCL, said: “These technical advances make the system suitable for clinical use for the first time, allowing us to look at aspects of human biology and disease that we haven’t been able to/ This speed avoids motion-induced blurring, providing highly-detailed images of a quality that no other scanner can provide”
A trial of the scanner involving patients with early-stage diabetes revealed new insights about low blood flow to their feet – one of the most painful and hard to treat aspects of the condition
He added: “It also means that rather than taking five minutes or longer, images can be acquired in real time, making it possible to visualise dynamic physiological events.”
Breakthrough scanner and X-ray alternative could revolutionise management of diseases like cancer
