Vision: Overcome current limitations and enable widespread screening in primary care
Fast and convenient for the patient. Multiple scans per year for monitoring
Provide 3D maps of patients over time (4D imaging). → New Paradigm: Screening and Monitoring.
MCED – Multi-Cancer Early Detection
Problem: Need fast, low-radiation imaging
for widespread screening and monitoring
Current hot topic in MCED: Blood assays
Principle: Identify DNA shed by tumors into
Bloodstream – Billions of dollars of investment
Why imaging for MCED?
Blood assays and imaging:
Different windows into the patient
NCI strategy:
Develop novel imaging technology and use in combination with blood assays and other tests.
Solution – Proton imaging
Low radiation dose
Low dose CT scan
Proton Imaging for whole body
Typical dose
1.5 mSv
0.05 mSv
Natural background dose
0.5 years (HIGH additional dose)
5 days (LOW additional dose)
Fast imaging time
MRI for whole body imaging
Proton Imaging for whole body
50 minutes
5 minutes
Simple and efficient method for cancer screening and monitoring
at large scale
MRI
Proton Imaging
Excellent for diagnostics: Rich set of acquisition settings and contrast agents
Excellent for screening: Detect changes and trigger use of other imaging and tests for further diagnosis
