Revolutionary Breast Imaging Technique

If the technique proves successful, this method could be effective for women of all ages.

This modality could have a dramatic effect on the survival rate for women with breast cancer. The test uses a revolutionary radar system and will enable women to be imaged regularly without the fear of overexposure to ionizing radiation, a problem with existing x-ray systems, such as mammography. The new technology has the ability to image through dense breast tissue and thus can reach a much wider segment of women than mammography can.

The technique scans the breast by transmitting a very short impulse to the breast and then evaluates the reflections from within the breast. Algorithms are then utilized to assess the reflections to determine if abnormalities are evident. Dr. Alan Preece, professor of medical physics at the University of Bristol (UK) and one of the lead investigators on the study, stated, "Breast cancer is one of the biggest killers that women currently face. Each year, there are over 41,000 new cases in the UK alone. We are very excited about this new technology and the benefits that might come from its use.”

Women younger than 50 years of age will greatly benefit from this new imaging test, which is much more reliable than x-rays at finding tumors in this age group. The technique is also a much more comfortable procedure than mammography because it does not involve compressing the breast between plates.

This study is a collaboration between the universities of Bristol, Bath, Southampton, and Surrey (all in the UK). The company, SETsquared (Southampton, UK), is also working with the UK universities on the project.





Related Links:
University of Bristol
SETsquared