Une nouvelle méthode de détection.

Une autre nouvelle méthode pour détecter le cancer du sein :

Nov. 12, 2008 — The world's first radar breast imaging system developed at Bristol University that could revolutionise the way women are scanned for breast cancer, is being trialled at North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT).

Le premier radar pour le cancer du :sein :a été imaginé à l'université de Bristol.


Professor Alan Preece and Dr Ian Craddock from the University of Bristol have been working for a number of years to develop a breast-imaging device which uses radio waves and therefore has no radiation risk unlike conventional mammograms.

L'invention utilise les ondes radios et n'a pas de risques ce radations contrairement aux mamographies traditionnelles.

The team began developing and researching a prototype around five years ago and have received funding from organisations including the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the trustees of the United Bristol Hospitals and the University of Bristol spin-out company, Micrima Ltd.

Dr Ian Craddock from the University's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, said: "This new imaging technique works by transmitting radio waves of a very low energy and detecting reflected signals, it then uses these signals to make a 3D image of the breast. This is basically the same as any radar system, such as the radars used for air traffic control at our airports."

C'est à la base la même chose qu'un radar utilisé pour le traffic aérien.

Mike Shere, Associate Specialist Breast Clinician at NBT, added: "Currently women are diagnosed in three ways: firstly by a clinician then by using imaging such as mammography and ultrasound and lastly by a needle biopsy.

"The radar breast imaging system came to Frenchay in September this year and so far around 60 women have been examined using it.

On l'utilisé pour tester 60 femmes.

"It takes less time to operate than a mammogram approximately six minutes for both breasts compared with 30-45 minutes for an MRI, and like an MRI it provides a very detailed 3D digital image.

Cela prend 6 minutes pour faire une image des deux seins alors que cela prend 35-40 minutes avec la technologie conventionelle.

"Women love it as they compare it to a mammogram and find the whole experience much more comfortable."

The radar breast imaging system is built using transmitters and receivers arranged around a ceramic cup, which the breast sits in. These transmitters view the breast from several different angles.

In the initial stages of the study the team used mammogram images to compare similar abnormalities in the new 3D image produced from the radio breast imaging system.

Professor Preece from the University's Medical Physics, said: "I started off looking at breast tumour imaging in 1990 using a hand held scanner similar to ultrasound however it did not have enough sensitivity and that's when I got to know some people in engineering and together we approached the EPSRC to help.

"Using this engineering knowledge we built the machine using ground penetrating radar, a similar technique to land mine detection to take four hundred quarter of a second pictures of the breast to form a 3D image.

"Women do not feel any sensation and it equates to the same type of radiation exposure as speaking into a mobile phone at arms length which makes it much safer.

"We are extremely grateful for North Bristol NHS Trust help in getting the project underway with so much enthusiasm.

"We are constantly learning and adapting and it has been particularly easy to work with NBT, we have seen some very promising results so far."

In the coming months the team plan on "testing blind", this means looking at images taken by both machines and examining each independently to check whether the radio breast imaging system's 3D image picks up the same abnormalities as a mammogram would and if anything else is identified in the new image.

They hope that if the results continue, further trials will be scheduled for the next 12 months. These trials will focus specifically on young women as these can prove the most challenging. They also hope that two new prototypes will be made for further trials in other hospitals around the country.

"This technology will ultimately only benefit the patient if it can be successfully commercialised", said Roy Johnson, CEO of Micrima Ltd, "this new invention could provide a safe, more comfortable experience for women as well as giving clinicians a better image of the breast allowing them to pick up abnormalities at an earlier stage. We particularly hope that it may work well in younger women who can pose a problem to conventional mammography."

La technologie va bénificier aux patients si elle peut être commercialisée.

In this stage of the process the system provides an additional picture of the breast to complement the other imaging devices available, and also has the potential to be made cheaply en-mass.

Ça marche non pas aux rayons X mais à l'électricité. C'est en forme de fleur et ça envoie une petite charge électrique, c'est sans douleur et sans compression.








“Normal breast tissue is very dense, especially in younger women, and can hide tumors,” Dr. Craft says. “While we’ve known for a while that water flows more freely through cancerous cells, we also know that electrical current flows easier through cancerous and tumor tissue.”

The Z-Tech scan works by placing a flower-shaped grouping of electrodes over each breast and sending a small, painless amount of electricity through them. Unlike traditional mammography, the scan does not involve breast compression or radiation.

“It’s like doing an EKG of the breast,” Dr. Craft says.

A computer immediately calculates and presents a report based on the electrical signature of the breast tissue. Rather than waiting on breast image from a traditional mammogram, the computer immediately notes whether the scan is positive or negative for cancer.

However, for study purposes, neither Dr. Craft nor the patient will know the results. Patients must undergo a mammogram within 90 days, which Dr. Craft interprets. Z-Tech compares those results to the electrical study.

The hope is that the new test – called HEDA for Homologous Electrical Difference Analysis – will provide an alternative to mammograms. While Dr. Craft believes that having this test should help find more cancers, he doesn’t think it will replace traditional mammography.

“This method doesn’t use radiation, is portable and there is no pain associated with the squeezing that mammograms require,” he says. “I can see it being used as an additional test. I don’t think it will replace mammography, but it could increase our chances of catching breast cancer.”

The second phase of the Z-Tech trial is open to women age 40-50 having routine mammograms as well as those who have a suspicious lump scheduled for biopsy.