New scan shows experts which parts of breast cancer are active

A SCAN that involves magnetising molecules can let doctors see in real time which regions of a breast tumour are active, new research suggests.

Scientists say it is the first time they have shown that this scanning technique – called carbon-13 hyperpolarised imaging – can be used to monitor breast cancer.

It was tested on patients from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with various types and grades of breast cancer before they had received any treatment.

Researchers used the scan to measure how fast tumours were metabolising a naturally occurring molecule called pyruvate.

They were able to detect differences in the size, type and grade of tumours – a measure of how fast growing or aggressive the cancer is.

The scan was also able to detect variations in metabolism between different regions of the same tumour.

Professor Kevin Brindle, lead researcher from the Cancer Research

UK Cambridge Institute, said: “This is one of the most detailed pictures of the metabolism of a patient’s breast cancer that we’ve ever been able to achieve. It’s like we can see the tumour breathing.

“Combining this with advances in genetic testing, this scan could in the future allow doctors to better tailor treatments to each individual and detect whether patients are responding to treatments, like chemotherapy, earlier than is currently possible.”

Pyruvate is formed in the body from the breakdown of glucose and other sugars.

Hyperpolarised carbon-13 pyruvate is a slightly heavier isotope-labelled form of the molecule. Scientists hyperpolarised, or magnetised, carbon-13 pyruvate by cooling it to about one degree above absolute zero and exposed it to extremely strong magnetic fields and microwave radiation. It was thawed before patients were injected with it and scanned.