World-first quantum photon imaging technology could help doctors see tumours more clearly during treatment
A promising cancer imaging technology developed by researchers from the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Centre for Medical Radiation Physics (CMRP) has moved a step closer to clinical trials after securing $1.26 million in funding through the Australian Government’s Critical Technologies Challenge Program and signing a partnership with global radiotherapy manufacturer Elekta.
The project builds on earlier research demonstrating the feasibility of Lantern, a new imaging system that uses quantum photon-counting detectors to dramatically improve the clarity of images used during radiotherapy treatment.
The funding will support the next phase of development, led by Associate Professor Saree Alnaghy, Professor Susanna Guatelli and Dr Matthew Newall, in partnership with clinicians at the Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre (NCCC) at Prince of Wales Hospital and Elekta.
Dr Alnaghy said these partnerships have enabled rare access to a dedicated research linear accelerator (linac) radiotherapy machine in Australia, reducing the time to patient trials.
“Having a dedicated research linac means we can rapidly test and modify the technology in ways that just aren’t possible on machines that are also used for patient treatment,” Dr Alnaghy said. “This is the first technology of its kind on a linac, and that puts us about four or five years ahead of other research groups and closer to real-world clinical testing.”
Radiotherapy relies on imaging to locate tumours before treatment, but current systems can have limitations in clearly distinguishing some soft-tissue structures in certain clinical contexts. Lantern is being developed to overcome this by using photon-counting technology to measure the energy of each X-ray passing through the body, providing far more anatomical detail.
“Because our detector is more efficient, we can deliver less imaging dose and avoid additional radiation, which is particularly beneficial for paediatric patients” Dr Alnaghy explained. “This will also be valuable for cancers that are harder to visualise, like pancreatic, liver and prostate tumours, and small metastatic tumours in the brain.”
Head of External Research at Elekta, Wayne Lomax, said the company’s partnership with UOW will help bridge the gap between promising research and technologies being used in clinical practice. “As radiotherapy moves toward highly personalised and adaptive treatment, innovations like this have the potential to significantly enhance precision and support the next generation of techniques,” he said.
Director of Radiation Oncology at NCCC and UOW Honorary Professorial Fellow, Dr Michael Jackson, said the hospital’s role in providing space to commence trials will help the research move towards routine patient care.
“A crucial benefit of this technology is that designed to work and fit onto existing, standard radiotherapy linacs so hospitals won’t have to buy a whole new machine,” Dr Jackson said. “In time, it will be used by many centres and potentially provide an additional imaging approach for radiotherapy centres.”
“Within the next few years, this is going to make a huge impact on practical cancer treatment.”
