Creating a new ultrasound scanner to detect how well breast cancer responds 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-10893424 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
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 | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $456,613 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA273700-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10893424 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who require monitoring of their treatment response.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing chemotherapy or those with non-breast cancer conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing advanced imaging techniques using the QT Ultrasound® tomographic breast scanner to better assess how breast cancer patients respond to chemotherapy. By integrating quantitative analysis of ultrasound backscatter with this new scanner, the goal is to provide more accurate and early evaluations of treatment effectiveness. This approach aims to overcome limitations of traditional methods, which often fail to detect patient responses in a timely manner. The research will involve testing the scanner's ability to produce detailed 3D images that can reveal changes in breast tumors during treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to earlier and more accurate identification of breast cancer patients who are responding to chemotherapy, potentially improving treatment outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using quantitative ultrasound techniques for assessing treatment responses, indicating that this approach may be effective.
Where this research is happening
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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 method to see early breast cancer response to chemotherapy
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.
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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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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.
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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.