Handheld scanner promises real-time 3D imaging for early disease diagnosis
A new hand-held scanner could soon revolutionise diagnostic imaging, generating high-resolution 3D photoacoustic images in seconds.
It opens up new possibilities for earlier and more accurate diagnoses of complex conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.
The innovation has been developed by researchers at University College London (UCL) and successfully tested in clinical trials at University College London Hospitals (UCLH).
A study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering demonstrates that the scanner, based on photoacoustic tomography (PAT), can capture intricate images of blood vessels in real time.
PAT combines laser-generated ultrasound waves to visualise minute changes in blood vessels as small as sub-millimetre-scale. It can penetrate tissues up to 15mm deep.
Historically, PAT imaging has been too slow and insufficient for clinical use.
Previous scanners took over five minutes to capture a single image, compromising image clarity and patient comfort.
Now, this early marker detection of vascular changes can be critical for timely interventions.
However, the UCL team’s new model can produce high-quality images in seconds, enhancing suitability for frail or critically ill patients and enabling real-time visualisation of dynamic physiological changes.
In initial trials, the device was tested on 10 UCLH patients with conditions such as type- diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer – as well as seven healthy volunteers.
The scanner’s efficacy was benchmarked against traditional clinical imaging. Larger-scale trials now underway.
For example, in patients with type 2 diabetes, the scanner revealed detailed 3D images of foot microvasculature, detecting deformities and vessel structure changes that may lead to tissue damage. It also visualised skin inflammation associated with breast cancer.
Dr Andrew Plumb, UCLH consultant radiologist and senior author, expressed optimism about the scanner’s potential.
He said: ‘Photoacoustic imaging could provide detailed insights for early diagnosis and help track disease progression.’
Dr Plumb, who also serves as Associate Professor of Medical Imaging at UCL, noted the technology’s promise in assessing vascular complications often seen in diabetes patients, where reduced blood flow in extremities can lead to severe complications.
Professor Paul Beard, UCL Professor of Biomedical Photoacoustics and corresponding author, highlighted the significance of the faster imaging process.
He said: ‘This breakthrough – between 100 and 1,000 times faster than previous models – allows for real-time imaging without motion-induced blurring, producing images of unmatched quality.’
He believes it has the potential to impact conditions such as inflammatory arthritis by enabling rapid scanning of all finger joints – a process that previously coud take close to an hour.
The research, funded by Cancer Research UK, the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council, Wellcome, the European Research Council and the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, brings the scanner closer to clinical implementation.
Further studies with larger patient groups are planned to validate these promising results.
