| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/C00633X/1 |
| Title: |
Computer aided assistance in delivery of HIFU treatment |
| Principal Investigator: |
Probert Smith, Dr P |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Engineering Science |
| Organisation: |
University of Oxford |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
03 May 2005 |
Ends: |
02 October 2008 |
Value (£): |
324,201
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Image & Vision Computing |
Med.Instrument.Device& Equip. |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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High Intensity Focussed Ultrasound (HIFU) is a relatively new technique for ablating tumours. HIFU offers a non-invasive treatment which can be used selectively on cancerous tissue with few side effects, unlike current treatment methods such as chemotherapy which often affect the general health of the patient adversely. Potentially it can be used to treat many types of tumour, such as liver, renal and prostate tumours. It is therefore a promising technology which has aroused considerable interest. Trials in China on over one thousand patients have shown significant benefits from the treatment. The therapy unit consists of a high power, highly focussed beam which thermally destroys the tissue at the focus (a cigar shaped region a few mm long). The focal position is moved during treatment to treat different regions of the cancer. The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals (ORH) NHS Trust is the first in the Western world to run clinical trials in an experimental HIFU treatment facility. This facility is based on the Haifu machine from China, and is funded by UTL (Ultrasound Therapies Ltd). Clinical trials on HIFU on patients with liver and kidney tumours are currently being undertaken and CE mark certification is likely to follow soon. However a major clinical drawback of the technique in practice is that there is no reliable method of monitoring the treatment as it is performed. Although an ultrasound image is provided from a con-focal ultrasound head, therapeutic response can be hard to interpret. In addition, the quality of the ultrasound images can be adversely affected by multiple reflections from the therapeutic transducer and as a result there is a need for (qualitative) pre-planning of treatment. This involves reference to previously obtained ultrasound and MR images. This clearly limits the treatment's application, especially in cancers near vital regions such as the spinal chord, where very accurate knowledge of actual position and dose is needed. In this proposal we are working with the clincians involved in the clinical trials (Messrs James Kennedy, Rowland Illing) aim to develop methods for real time feedback through analysis of images and r.f. data taken during treatment. This is a first step towards image-guided treatment planning and an important step towards automatic control of HIFU delivery (we plan to link up with other Oxford groups in subsequent work on real time control). It is an important step too towards quantitative QA of HIFU in providing information to monitor and assess treatment, and Dr Fares Mayia from Medical Physics in the Churchill is acting as consultant in this area. In addition the work addresses generic issues related to using ultrasound for image-guided targeted therapy (delivering heat and possibly in the future drugs). .
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ox.ac.uk |