Improvement of Methods for Detection of Breast Cancer
Published: Thursday, Jul 20th 2023, 12:40
Mise à jour le : Vendredi, 13 octobre 2023, 14:12
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Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen/Würenlingen AG and the ETH Zurich have developed a procedure to detect breast cancer earlier and more reliably. Clinical trials are planned to start in 2024 at the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) and the Kantonsspital Baden (KSB). Women and doctors can hope for a significant improvement in breast cancer screening. The team of researchers from the PSI and ETH Zurich have managed to further develop the X-ray imaging procedure for early detection of tumors to provide more reliable results and be less uncomfortable for the patient. The researchers have improved the resolution of the images while maintaining the same radiation dose. This could increase the survival chances of affected women. The experts hope that the procedure based on X-ray phase contrast can be quickly implemented in clinical practice. In 2020, breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide with over two million cases. In women, it accounted for 24.5% of cancer cases and 15.5% of cancer-related deaths. Many industrial countries use mammography screening programs as a preventive measure. The researchers use additional signals from X-rays in the X-ray phase contrast. In grating interferometry (GI), three gratings with a line spacing of a few micrometers are used to make additional information visible. The workgroup of Stampanoni has published several images in the journal Optica to demonstrate the advantages of GI computed tomography. The goal is to reduce the dose by a factor of two to three while maintaining the same resolution, or to increase the resolution by 18 to 45 percent compared to conventional X-rays. With the approval of Swissmedic, clinical trials can soon start with the partners USZ and KSB. By the end of 2024, a prototype of the necessary device should be ready for use. This offers more comfort to patients, as they can lie on a flat surface with recesses in the breast area. The tomograph will then rotate around the breasts to create a three-dimensional image.
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