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£1m medical scanner will aid early detection |
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Monday, 25 September 2006 |
Phoenix Inspection Systems is applying its skills to the medical sector to help develop a new ultrasound scanner for the early detection of skin cancer and other conditions.
Phoenix is taking part in a £1.1 million research and development project, led by the medical technology company Longport in conjunction with the University of Manchester. The project is part-funded by the Department of Trade & Industry-led Technology Programme.
Longport is known worldwide for its high resolution imaging systems and it claims the new scanner – which will use phased array technology in place of a single mechanical transducer – will surpass all current commercially available systems. Phoenix’s role will be the development of the piezo-polymer transducers.
Chris Gregory, head of the transducer development team at Phoenix, said: “Polymer PVdF transducers used in existing scanners can provide good quality images but are mechanically operated. The use of a phased array transducer, which allows the beam to be manipulated electronically, will ensure a more thorough examination and faster screen updates. The transducer will be connected to integrated circuits within the head of the scanner, which will result in a huge improvement in signal quality.
“One of the problems we have to overcome is the miniaturisation of components. As this is a laptop-based system and all the key functions are within the head of the scanner, there are a lot of components to fit into a very small space.
“The new scanner will be the most powerful of its type on the market, offering early diagnosis and monitoring of cancers, pressure sores and other serious skin conditions. The system will also be affordable to specialists in developing countries and GPs working in the community. The technology could also have applications within the NDT industry.”
The project team also includes Newbury Electronics which is responsible for the manufacture and assembly of printed circuit boards.
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