A new scanner developed by scientists at the University of Aberdeen could change the way breast cancer is diagnosed and treated, meaning patients might receive fewer surgeries and more tailored treatments.

Researchers from the University, in collaboration with NHS Grampian, used a prototype version of the Field Cycling Imager scanner to examine the breast tissue of patients newly diagnosed with cancer. 

They found that the new FCI scanner could distinguish tumour material from healthy tissue with more accuracy than current MRI methods, an innovation Aberdeen University claims could change the course of treatment for people with cancer across the UK.

The FCI scanner follows in the footsteps of the full-body MRI scanner, also invented at the University of Aberdeen around 50 years ago, which has gone on to save millions of lives around the world. 

Similar to MRI, in that the technology uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images, the Field Cycling Imager can work at ultra-low magnetic fields, meaning it is capable of seeing how organs are affected by diseases in ways that were previously not possible.  

The new scanner can vary the strength of magnetic fields during a patient’s scan, essentially acting like multiple scanners in one to extract various types of information about the tissue, as well as being able to detect tumours without having to inject dye into the body, which has been associated with kidney damage and allergic reactions in some patients.

“We found that images generated from FCI can characterise breast tumours more accurately,” said Dr Lionel Broche, the 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 tumours, and by reducing repeated surgery so really, the potential impact of this on patients is extraordinary. 

“This is a truly exciting innovation and as we keep improving the technology for FCI, the potential for clinical applications is limitless.”

Currently, around 15% of women need a second surgery after a lumpectomy as the edges of cancerous tumours may still be involved. Under this new technique, doctors could more accurately outline these tumours and reduce the need for repeat operations. 

Between 400 and 500 women are treated for breast cancer in NHS Grampian every year, meaning that this technology has huge potential to reduce the need for extra surgery for women in the region.

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This latest study adds to the growing weight of research recently undertaken by Scottish academics into cancer treatment.

Last week, academics from Aberdeen celebrated after receiving the ‘Data Driven Innovation Award’ at this year’s Digital Health and Care Awards for their GEMINI AI breast cancer screening project. 

Yet another project from Aberdeen focused on the development of an AI-enabled smartphone app to allow people to examine their skin for melanoma, while at the University of Glasgow, researchers have helped develop a computer system harnessing AI to learn the ‘language of cancer’, capable of spotting minute signs of the disease in biological samples. 

Earlier this year, a team from Edinburgh University devised a screening method combining laser analysis with AI to identify patients in the earliest stages of breast cancer, and a Heriot-Watt University spinout developed a new imaging approach for prostate cancer, reporting ‘extremely encouraging’ results in early-stage clinical trials at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.