How 'imaging skins' could improve surgical precision in oncology settings
Experts are developing a line of “X-ray skins” that could improve radiotherapy and surgical precision in cancer patients.
The novel X-ray detector was designed to be integrated into a custom imaging system that converts radiation into light. Made from silicone elastomer and GOS:Tb (a material composed of gadolinium oxysulfide activated by terbium), the skins were developed to be applied directly to organs to enhance surgical precision by highlighting tumor margins.
Historically, X-ray detectors have been rigid and flat, in part because they are composed of scintillators made from heavy substances. These detectors are limited in their utility due to their lack of flexibility. However, in recent years, researchers have been working to create more flexible detectors that can be deployed during surgery or radiotherapy treatment to give providers greater visualization of tumor margins.
Flexible detectors are one of the many developments that have emerged since scientists have been working to identify new scintillators, particularly those made from organic materials with a high light yield.
“Recent advances in scintillator materials have led to the development of flexible X-ray detectors,” notes Solène Dietsch, with the Center for Interventional and Surgical Sciences at University College London, and colleagues. “Although studies are mainly directed towards the discovery of new scintillators, some research teams have started to develop the concept of flexible or stretchable X-ray detectors.”
The imaging skins can be applied directly to skin or organs and activated by a small X-ray source. They do not contain electronic components and can be stretched to adapt to differing anatomical structures and sizes without compression. Since they are applied directly to tissue, they eliminate excess scatter radiation, thus offering improved image resolution of tumors.
“We envision deploying imaging skins directly onto targeted organs. This approach could reduce the required exposure dose and improve resolution, as X-ray photons would encounter less attenuation from surrounding tissues and reduced dispersion compared to distant detectors,” the group explains.
The team has been working on a series of assessments to test the skins’ imaging capabilities under numerous circumstances. They are evaluating how different fabrication parameters, including sensors of varying size and thickness, and X-ray doses affect image quality, and are optimistic their work will pave the way for the skins to be deployed during surgery in the future.
“This research lays the foundation for the next generation of stretchable X-ray detectors, demonstrating the feasibility of an X-ray imaging detection system,” the group notes. “By enabling direct, organ-conforming imaging, it introduces a new approach for real-time, high-resolution intraoperative imaging, where stretchable detectors could enhance tumor visualization and improve surgical precision in minimally invasive procedures.”
Learn more about their work in Scientific Reports.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.