New imager could be a ‘game-changer’ for cancer care in a UK first for Trust

Revolutionary technology that could significantly improve cancer care for patients is being piloted at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.

The Trust has become the first in the UK to use the AURA 10 mobile PET-CT imager for cancer patients undergoing surgery for the removal of tumours.

In just 10 minutes during an operation, surgeons can use the device to scan a specimen and tell from high-resolution, submillimetre images whether all of a tumour has been removed. If not, they can resume the procedure and remove any remaining cancerous tissue.

Using this precise new technology prevents the need for specimens to be taken to radiology or pathology laboratories for examination, significantly improving surgical outcomes for patients.

The AURA 10, made by Belgian company XEOS, has been used at University Hospital, Coventry, during operations for patients with head and neck cancer and prostate cancer.

Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive Officer at UHCW NHS Trust, said: “The technology we are testing has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for our patients who opt for surgery as part of their cancer treatment.

“AURA 10 provides rapid imaging of tumour specimen at the point of surgery, which we believe will better inform clinical decision making in the theatre environment. As a UK first, we are delighted to be able to pilot this emerging technology for our patients.”

The AURA 10 trial is being supported by the Trust’s Research and Development Department as part of the ‘eXcision’ study to demonstrate the effectiveness of the device. The study is being led by the Nuclear Medicine Team.

Oludolapo Adesanya, Consultant Radiologist, Clinical Lead for Nuclear Medicine and the trial Principal Investigator states: “The AURA 10 offers unparalleled clarity and precision, empowering surgeons and radiologists to make faster and accurate decisions regarding tumour margin resection while the patient in still in the operating theatre.

“Our ongoing multidisciplinary research has drawn together specialists from nuclear medicine, medical physics, maxillofacial surgery, urology and histopathology to explore further ways of improving patient care.”

Lisa Rowley, Consultant Clinical Scientist and Head of Nuclear Medicine, said: “It’s incredibly exciting that the Trust is an early adopter of this innovative device. The imaging results are stunning and the potential of the AURA 10 to deliver improved outcomes for our patients will be a real game changer. There has been a lot of work involved in the set-up, which has been a huge team effort, and it’s been fantastic working with such a mix of enthusiastic and dedicated colleagues across different disciplines.”

The AURA 10 was first used at the hospital in October during an operation for a patient with a carcinoma of the jaw. MaxilloFacial Consultant Gary Walton, who also Assistant Medical Director for Cancer at the Trust, said: “It takes 10 minutes to put a specimen into the machine and we can scan it during the normal break in a procedure.

“It’s much quicker than the usual margin resection and it means that patients don’t need to have adjuvant treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy), which they would otherwise need. This device has the potential to be used by a lot of different departments.”

And Donald MacDonald, Consultant Urologist, who used the AURA 10 during prostatectomy procedures, said: “We are hoping that the AURA 10 will allow us to perform the minimum amount of surgery, examine the specimen whilst we’re in theatre - whilst the patient is asleep - to see if what we’ve done has been sufficient to cure the cancer. If it has, that’s brilliant, we can leave all of the adjacent structures intact. Whereas, if the imaging tells us that there is still likely to be residual disease, then we can go on and remove it.

“The AURA 10 has the potential to make this transformative technique available cheaply and routinely to radical prostatectomy patients, providing an undisputedly world-class service, unmatched in the UK.”

NHS Trusts across the country are eagerly awaiting the results of the eXcision study at UHCW NHS Trust in anticipation that they may also consider adopting the new technology for their patients.