EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/S10513/01
Title: Quantitative Acoustic Poroelastic Medical Imaging
Principal Investigator: Bamber, Professor JC
Other Investigators:
Yarnold, Professor J Mortimer, Dr P Miller, Dr N
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Boston University
Department: Physics
Organisation: Institute of Cancer Research
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 April 2003 Ends: 30 September 2006 Value (£): 262,225
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Lasers & Optics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
We seek support to develop an advanced model-based poroelastic medical imaging method. Aggressively growing malignant tumours stimulate angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels) and tend to have abnormal microvascular characteristics. By treating the tissue as a porous medium where the microvasculature is a continuum level quantity below the limit of resolution, and by using ultrasound techniques already developed for elasticity imaging to measure the time evolution of the strain field, we hope to be able to image measures of new quantities such as mobile fluid volume, permeability, porosity and intravascular/interstitial pressure and flow resistance. The limits of our ability to reconstruct images of these quantities, a as quantitative measures of tissue elasticity, non-linearity and anisotropy, will be studied using computer simulation, tissue phantoms, in vitro perfu tissues and in vivo model systems. Those methods found to be successful in these studies will be evaluated clinically for their applicability to provi much-needed clinical assessment tools for lymphoedema and tissue fibrosis, two side-effects of breast cancer treatment. The potential longer-terrr impact, however, is substantial if resistance to interstitial fluid flow could be assessed: we may have a tool (possibly the first ever) for the non-invasive study of some mechanisms for anticancer drug resistance. This proposal combines a high degree of adventure on the one hand, in aiming to image poroelastic quantities, with more assured outcomes on the other, of quantitative, 3D, microscopic, and anisotropic, elastography.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.icr.ac.uk