3D ultrasound method to see early breast cancer response to chemotherapy
Official title: Developing a quantitative ultrasound breast scanner for identifying early response of breast cancer to chemotherapy
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11411181 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new 3D ultrasound imaging method is being tested to quickly tell if breast cancer is responding to chemotherapy, using a FDA-cleared scanner at an affordable cost.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $309,664 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA273700-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11411181 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women with breast cancer who are starting chemotherapy and are undergoing standard imaging evaluations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer does not fit the imaging approach or who cannot undergo serial ultrasound may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will add new image modes to a 3D QT Ultrasound breast scanner and test whether these images can accurately indicate how a patient's breast cancer is responding to chemotherapy. The goal is to provide an inexpensive, early signal of treatment effectiveness, potentially guiding decisions about continuing or changing therapy. The study builds on prior work showing ultrasound-derived quantitative signals can reflect treatment response within the first week of therapy. By addressing issues like transmission and attenuation, researchers hope to improve volumetric accuracy and reliability of the response readout. The work is conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a focus on translating this imaging approach into clinical practice.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get an inexpensive, early-readout of whether chemotherapy is working, allowing faster treatment adjustments.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work using quantitative ultrasound signals has shown promise for early treatment response, with this project aiming to improve accuracy and 3D assessment.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oelze, Michael L. — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Oelze, Michael L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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A 3D ultrasound scanner to see early chemotherapy response in breast cancer
A new 3D ultrasound imaging method will be tested to see if it can quickly show whether breast cancer is responding to chemotherapy.
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3D ultrasound to detect early breast tumor response to chemotherapy
A 3D quantitative ultrasound scanner will be used to detect early changes in breast tumors during chemotherapy for people with breast cancer.
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3D ultrasound to detect early chemotherapy response in breast cancer
A 3D ultrasound scanner will be used to find whether a patient's breast cancer is responding to chemotherapy soon after treatment starts.
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Creating a new ultrasound scanner to detect how well breast cancer responds to chemotherapy
This study is testing a new type of ultrasound scanner that creates detailed 3D images of breast tumors to help doctors see how well chemotherapy is working for breast cancer patients, aiming to catch changes earlier than traditional methods.
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Magnetic resonance fingerprinting to gauge chemotherapy response in breast cancer
A patient-facing look at using a special MRI method (MRF) to see early whether breast cancer is responding to preliminary chemotherapy.
-
Understanding how chemotherapy affects breast cancer spread and liver immunity
A research project looks at how standard breast cancer chemotherapy may change the immune system and cancer spread, especially to the liver, in people with aggressive breast cancer.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.