- Radiotherapy, which is used to treat half of the cancer cases, can now effectively treat patients with precise 3D imaging.
- The research was supported by the National Cancer Institute of Michigan and developed at the University of Michigan.
- 3D imaging radiation will now accurately direct the radiation towards cancerous cells and limit the damage caused to adjacent healthy tissues.
- Previously, the X-ray radiation used to bombard a body area would kill healthy cells surrounding the tumour and increase the risk of developing new cancers.
- The research team member, Xueding Wang, a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology, leads the U-M Optical Imaging Laboratory where the research was conducted.
- U-M’s new ionising radiation acoustic imaging system detects the sound wave, and the signal is amplified into an ultrasound device to reconstruct the image.
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- With real-time 3D imaging, doctors will be able to direct the radiation towards cancerous cells and limit the exposure of X-rays' thermal energy to adjoining cells.
- This new technique is based on the x-ray effect, which creates thermal energy and causes tissues to expand rapidly, creating a sound wave.
- The weaker acoustic wave could not be detected by doctors' current ultrasound technology.
- New technology can deliver personalised radiation treatment to patients that will deliver a safe and intended amount of radiation to the body and can easily be added to current radiation therapy equipment.
- "In the future, we can use the 3D imaging information, which will reduce the inaccuracies arising from positioning, organ motion, and anatomical variation during radiation therapy." Wei Zhang, a biomedical engineering researcher, agrees.
- The University of Michigan is looking forward to patenting the technology and is seeking partners to bring it to market.
Source- News Medical
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