Imaging & Image Guided Interventions

For imaging, scientific excellence is demonstrated through the integration of advanced imaging technology with already established cancer treatments. This forms a highly valuable extension of the treatment options for cancer patients. In fact, it mirrors the impact of GPS navigation on mobility.

Joined efforts from our physicists, mathematicians, technicians and clinicians at USP together have developed several IGIs. These include - amongst others - MRI-guided radiotherapy, focused-ultrasound, real-time imaging-guided surgery and combined nuclear diagnostics and treatments. Current research focuses on combining artificial intelligence (AI) with imaging data to establish real-time and automated IGI workflows with data-driven treatment personalization. This will help to develop new indications in pediatric, adult and veterinary patients.

Breakthroughs and impact

For all these IGI modalities, the fusion of imaging & AI leads will lead to a much higher degree of precision & automation than what is currently possible. This will increase the quality of care of patients while reducing the workload for staff. This implementation also requires a gradual shift from human oriented control to human supervision of treatment workflows, ensuring confidence and explainability at all times.

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  MRI-radiotherapy (MR-Linac)

  Radiotherapy under real-time MRI guidance (MR-Linac) leads enables a more precise treatment of tumor, for example for prostate cancer, resulting in improved tumor-control and less side effects. Both contribute to better outcomes and quality of life for patients. The need for surgery is reduced, because this treatment can be done in an outpatient setting. This reduces the need for hospital stay and requires less staff, aiding in reducing health care expenses. Currently, applications in childhood cancer are being investigated.

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  Image-guided surgery and endoscopy

  Real-time image guidance during endoscopy and minimally invasive surgical interventions, including robotic surgery, leads to more precision surgery, less complications and better outcome and quality of life. Surgeons are aided to navigate even more precise and faster by integrating image guiding with AI techniques. This integration helps to automatically identify anatomical structures based on real-time x-ray, echo or optical images, “Google maps navigation” for surgeons.

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  High Intensity Focused Ultrasound

  Prinses Maxima Center and UMC Utrecht collaborate in the development of MR-guided focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU) in combination with microbubbles in the bloodstream to open the blood-brain barrier in a controlled manner, resulting in improved treatment of intra-cranial tumors. Besides, UMC Utrecht coordinates a trial, in which MR-HIFU and radiotherapy are compared for pain palliation in patients with bone metastases (FURTHER) in breast cancer. New trials are planned for drug delivery in pediatric and adult brain tumors as well as veterinary applications.

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  Radionuclide therapeutics

  Theranostics, radioactively labeled medicines, combines diagnosis and therapy. Following confirmation of radionuclide-accumulation in the various tumor-sites in diagnostic exams, a larger amount of a radioactive element is administered for tumor-eradication as actual therapy. Another promising nuclear therapy, known as, radioembolization, uses radioactively labeled spheres (such as Holmium) that are administered via the hepatic artery for local and internal irradiation of human liver cancer or liver metastases as well as for veterinary canine melanoma

Next generation experts

Our responsibility includes educating and training the next generation of researchers to create a dynamic environment in which innovative science will continue contributing to an ever-improving outcome for our patients.

PhD-programmes

Within the Graduate School of Life Sciences we offer the following PhD programme tailored to this goal:

Students can also visit our other PhD programmes or Master's programmes.