Advanced MRI Scanner Promises Better Cancer Detection

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen have developed an ultra-low magnetic scanner, which can perform MRI scans without the need for intravenous contrast agents and with unprecedented precision. 

The team from the university’s Biomedical Imaging Centre reported that the technique, known as field-cycling imaging (FCI), could identify previously undetectable cancer spread. Lionel Broche, a senior research fellow in biomedical physics at Aberdeen, said in a press release, “The potential impact of this on patients is extraordinary.” 

Initially, a prototype version of the scanner demonstrated effectiveness in identifying brain damage caused by strokes. In a new study, published in Nature Communications Medicine, the researchers collaborated with National Health Service (NHS) Grampian to test the FCI scanner on nine newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with 10 tumours. 

The scanner was able to distinguish between tumour tissue and healthy tissue more accurately than current MRI methods. Researchers said the technology could “change the course of treatment for millions of people with cancer.”

Reducing the Need for Repeat Surgeries

Currently, around 15% of women require a second operation after a lumpectomy, as the edges of the tumour may remain. The FCI technique could more precisely outline these tumours, potentially reducing the need for repeat surgeries. 

Broche told Medscape News UK that FCI’s unique ability to observe water movement within the body allowed it to provide clinically useful images. “Pathologies such as cancer have a large impact on the motion of water in the organs,” he explained. “From this information, we can infer clinically important information such as the aggressiveness of the tumour, and we may also be able better to delineate certain types of breast tumours.”

Potential for Broader Cancer Applications 

While still in early development, FCI has shown “exceptional potential” in detecting breast cancer, brain gliomas, and colorectal cancer. This could help reduce false positives and false negatives, according to Broche. FCI complements the information provided by other techniques, such as MRI, providing additional diagnostic information.

As FCI examinations are quite easy to perform and provide clear results, there are also “interesting possibilities to speed-up patient management,” Broche noted. A prototype system at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary has demonstrated the scanner’s feasibility in a hospital setting. “We are now working to disseminate FCI to other research hospitals so that this technique can be used in the clinics in the future,” he said.

Co-investigator Dr Gerald Lip, consultant radiologist at NHS Grampian and president of the British Society of Breast Radiology, described the technique as “very promising.” Unlike standard MRIs, which require injected dye to visualise tumours, FCI works without dye, differentiating normal and cancerous tissue using multiple MRI fields.

Lip told Medscape News UK that potential significant benefits include:

• Faster scan times by avoiding the need for contrast dye.
• More accurate tumour mapping, reducing the need for subsequent surgeries.
• Lower contrast agent usage, minimising waste and reaction risks.

The researchers have continued to refine the technology and, since the study, have developed the next generation of the machine. “We are still a few years away, but I remain very positive about the technology,” Lip said.

Early Findings ‘Exciting’

Dr Simon Vincent, director of research at Breast Cancer Now, described the findings as “incredibly exciting.” He emphasised FCI’s potential to improve breast cancer detection, particularly for women with dense breast tissue, who have a higher risk of developing the disease.

“FCI technology can also better predict how invasive a tumour is, which could help people get access to more tailored treatment,” he told Medscape News UK. 

The charity hopes that larger trials being planned will validate the initial results and confirm the scanner’s role in improving cancer diagnosis in clinical settings.

The project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and from the NHS Grampian Endowment Trust. 

The research team declared no competing interests. 

Dr Sheena Meredith is an established medical writer, editor, and consultant in healthcare communications, with extensive experience writing for medical professionals and the general public. She is qualified in medicine and in law and medical ethics.