Vast Improvements in OesophageaL ImagiNg
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving the outcomes of oesophageal interventions through novel x-ray based imaging methods
IRAS ID
244284
Contact name
Laurence Lovat
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
This project proposes to use a new imaging technique, called X-Ray Phase Contrast Imaging (XPCI), to improve the detection, staging, treatment and follow-up of oesophageal cancer. XPCI enables the achievement of significantly enhanced image contrast compared to standard X-ray imaging techniques, leading to detection of tissue features classically considered “x-ray invisible”. Moreover, research carried out at UCL demonstrated that XPCI is not limited to specialized and expensive research facilities, but that it can be implemented with commercially available X-ray tubes, i.e. it is compatible with a clinical environment.
In particular, this project aims at determining whether real-time, ultra-sensitive imaging can improve the outcomes for all stages of treatment of oesophageal cancer. These have been identified as streams 1-3 depending on the type of treatment, and different samples are involved in each stream: biopsies for stream 1, disk-shaped "endoscopic mucosal resections" (EMRs) for stream 2, and full oesophagus specimens for stream 3. In the various cases, the need is to determine whether our new imaging approach can differentiate between cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions (stream 1), determine tumour margins and penetration into the submucosa (stream 2), determine tumour margins, locate lymphnodes and determine their state of infiltration (stream 3). If successfully demonstrated, these achievements would have a very strong impact on the treatment of oesophageal cancers, potentially leading to more accurate surgical interventions and increased survival.
Following successfull demonstration on oesophagus, proof-of-concept application to other diseases (for instance, colon biopsies) will be carried out towards the end of the project.REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1382
Date of REC Opinion
11 Sep 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion