Thursday 1 May 2003
A revolutionary new whole body cancer scanner is to be officially launched at the British Nuclear Medicine Society’s annual spring meeting running from 29 April to 1 May.
The scanner, known as PETRRA, is the result of a ten-year collaboration between scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories. The prototype has been developed, and it is hoped that once a collaborative partner is found to produce the commercial product, it will eventually be used in hospitals worldwide.
PETRRA allows doctors to detect the early onset of cancer and determine the spread and the rate of tumour growth using Positron Emission Tomography (PET), a more sensitive detector of many cancers than conventional methods such as x-rays.
PETRRA monitors the tissue function and ‘converts’ the findings into an image. Because there can be significant changes to the function of the tissue before any change to anatomy is visible, the new scanner will be able to detect cancer and other diseases at an earlier stage.
Bob Ott, Professor of Radiation Physics at The Institute of Cancer Research, and leader of the project says: “The importance of PET scanning is already recognised, but many hospitals still rely on conventional gamma camera imaging, as the cost of a PET system has been prohibitive. However PETRRA has been developed to be affordable to NHS hospitals - each machine should cost no more to purchase than a double-headed gamma camera.”
PETRRA is ideal for detecting and monitoring the progress of treatment for patients with widespread disease because scans can be done much more quickly, meaning that more patients can be seen in a shorter period of time.
Most conventional PET imaging cameras are designed around an expensive system of multiple scintillation counters and amplifiers to detect gamma rays. The new PETRRA system is made up of crystals mounted in a vacuum chamber, containing wire grids and a light-sensitive gas.
PETRRA works by detecting the gamma-rays emitted by minute quantities of radioactive tracers, known as radio-pharmaceuticals, which are administered to patients. The distribution of the tracers within the body is mapped by the scanner, allowing the clinician to monitor tissue function.
The process helps doctors to determine which tumours are benign or slow growing and which are malignant and developing quickly. For example, rapidly growing cancers use glucose for energy far more avidly than healthy tissues. By administering a tracer which mimics glucose, doctors can measure the rate of growth of the tumour according to the rate at which the substance is metabolised by the cancer.
The new scanner has been designed to minimise discomfort for patients. Ample space inside the machine means it should prove less intimidating for those who experience anxiety when undergoing traditional scans.
Professor Peter Rigby, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research says: “This collaboration has produced pioneering technology. We hope that the establishment of PETRRA Ltd will make this technology available to hospitals worldwide at an affordable cost, benefiting patients and the clinicians who treat them.”
- ends -
For further information, or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Marie MacLeanThe PETRRA sca
Press Officer
Institute of Cancer Research
Tel: 0207153 5359
Email: [email protected]
Notes to editors
- The PETRRA scanner is the result of 10 years basic research and applied engineering, carried out by leading engineers and physicists at the CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Department of Physics at The Institute of Cancer Research. In addition, UMIST Ventures Ltd, BTG plc and Cancer Research Campaign Technology Ltd have further supported the development of PETRRA.
- PETRRA Ltd is now seeking a collaboration partner(s) with whom to develop the prototype into a commercial product. This may be via licensing the technology and know-how to a partner (s) or through a joint development programme, funded by venture capital.
Please note:
Unfortunately the press office are unable to answer queries from the general public. For general cancer information please refer to The Institute's cancer information page.