New imaging method ‘could aid detection of serious cancers’

A new imaging test has been developed by UK researchers that could help doctors to identify dangerous tumours before they spread.

Developed by the University of Manchester and the Institute of Cancer Research in London, the technique uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to map areas of oxygen deprivation within tumours.

Oxygen-enhanced MRI works by monitoring alterations in image intensity caused by changes in the concentration of dissolved oxygen in blood plasma and tissue fluid during inhalation of pure oxygen gas.

Since a lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, is often a sign that a cancer is growing aggressively, this imaging system could facilitate more effective radiotherapy planning, allowing greater X-ray doses to be delivered to dangerous areas within tumours.

It could also lead to new ways of monitoring whether radiotherapy or certain drugs are proving effective in inhibiting cancer growth.

Study co-leader Dr James O'Connor, group leader at the University of Manchester, said: "Ultimately, we hope that oxygen-enhanced MRI will not only to identify the most dangerous tumours, but to assist radiotherapy treatment planning and for monitoring treatment response."