Researchers at University College London (UCL) have developed an imaging method that uses MRI to detect signs of glucose uptake that could indicate the presence of cancer, according to a study published online July 7 in Nature Medicine.
Lead researcher Dr. Simon Walker-Samuel and colleagues from the UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging believe the technique could provide a safer and simpler alternative to standard radioactive imaging methods and enable radiologists to image tumors in greater detail.
The researchers call the technique glucose chemical exchange saturation transfer (glucoCEST), and it's based on the fact that tumors consume more glucose than normal tissue to sustain their growth. GlucoCEST uses an injection of sugar equal to what is found in half a standard-sized chocolate bar.
The technique also might allow vulnerable patients, such as pregnant women and young children, to be scanned without the risks associated with radiation.
