Medical Imaging – Pioneering cancer imaging
Medical imaging is key in the clinical identification and evaluation of cancer, grouping patients for treatment and providing a basis for planning surgery. The ICR’s Cancer Imaging Centre allows basic cancer research to be integrated with leading diagnostic imaging technologies, and hence provides important advances in clinical practice.
However, due to a lack of funding we are unable to buy essential equipment that is required to continue our leading-edge research. Currently available techniques to detect tumours can often be inadequate and unreliable particularly when looking at specific parts of the body such as lymph nodes or breast tissue and after radiation treatment.
New imaging centre
In July 2009 the ICR launched a new £13 million Medical Imaging Centre. The first major stage of this initiative is a state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner. Clinical trials utilising the MRI scanner are already in progress or planned for patients at the ICR / Royal Marsden site in Sutton with prostate, brain, cervical and breast cancers.
The new facility will ultimately comprise a range of new equipment including a magnetic resonance tissue scanner and a specialised ultrasound scanner. Investment in this facility will ensure the ICR maintains its position as a world-leader in cancer imaging research, and that patients will immediately benefit from new advances through the unique partnership with The Royal Marsden.
