Developments in radiography to help in cancer research
Thursday 6th August 2009
A team of scientists have developed smaller and lower costs tubes to power X-ray machines.
To be used in the research and treatment of cancer, the tubes have been created by nanomaterial scientists, medical physicists and cancer biologists at the University of North Carolina.
The new tubes contain sharp-tipped carbon nanotubes to image human breast tissue and cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.
It is thought that they will be able to eradicate cancerous cells with more precision than conventional X-ray tubes and provide quicker and more comfortable treatment, as well as producing clearer images.
Explaining the new technology, Sha Chang, who led the team, said: "Think of each nanotube as a lightning rod on top of a building.
"The high electric field at the tip of the lightning rod draws the electric current from the cloud. Carbon nanotubes emit electrons using a similar principle."
In related news, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary recently received a £1 million CT scanner, representing the most advanced model of such a device in the country.
Written by Martin Lambert
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