Groundbreaking New Scanner Sees 'Previously Undetectable' Cancer Spread

Currently, approximately 15% of women require a second surgery after a lumpectomy because the edges of the tumor may still contain cancerous cells. Medical imaging plays a crucial role in assisting physicians with the management, diagnosis, follow-up, screening, and therapeutic decision-making for breast cancer patients. Each imaging technique serves a specific purpose, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is particularly beneficial due to its ability to penetrate tissues with radiofrequency (RF) waves without compromising the integrity of cells or biomolecules. This allows for non-invasive visualization of the entire organ. Now, a groundbreaking new MRI technology, Field-Cycling Imaging (FCI), could revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, potentially reducing the need for repeat surgeries and providing more personalized treatment plans.

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen (Aberdeen, Scotland) utilized a prototype of the FCI scanner to analyze the breast tissue of patients recently diagnosed with cancer. Their study, published in Nature Communications Medicine, demonstrated that the FCI scanner was able to differentiate tumor tissue from healthy tissue with greater accuracy than current MRI methods. This innovation has the potential to significantly alter breast cancer treatment, reducing the need for multiple surgeries. The promising results with breast tissue follow earlier successes where the prototype effectively identified brain damage caused by a stroke.

Image: Side by side image of same breast tissue in MRI and FCI (Photo courtesy of University of Aberdeen)

The FCI scanner builds upon the legacy of the full-body MRI scanner, which was also developed at the University of Aberdeen about 50 years ago and has since saved millions of lives globally. While FCI is derived from MRI technology, it operates at ultra-low magnetic fields, allowing it to detect how diseases affect organs in ways that were previously not possible. Although it shares similarities with MRI—using strong magnetic fields and radio waves to generate detailed internal images without physical contact—the FCI scanner can adjust the magnetic field strength during a patient’s scan. This unique capability allows the FCI to function like multiple scanners, providing a range of information about tissue. Another major advantage of this technology is that it can detect tumors without the need for contrast dyes, which can sometimes cause kidney damage or allergic reactions in patients.

“We found that images generated from FCI can characterize breast tumors more accurately,” said Dr. Lionel Broche, Senior Research Fellow in Biomedical Physics and lead researcher in the study. “This means it could improve the treatment plan for the patients by improving the accuracy of biopsy procedures by better detecting the type and location of tumors, and by reducing repeated surgery so really, the potential impact of this on patients is extraordinary.”