Research findings relating to a method for diagnosing breast cancer developed by Professor Masami Ando of the DDS Center, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science were announced in Mainichi Newspaper in Japan.
In addition to the Tokyo University of Science, this technology was the result of joint research with the Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Tsukuba University, Yamagata University, and the National Hospital Organization Nagoya Medical Center, and represents a new X-ray testing technique where cancer tissues can be detected easier than as compared to a conventional mammography for breast cancer testing. Compared to the mammography used in medical examinations for breast cancer, this new testing technique can suppress the amount of radiation exposure to 1/1,000. X-ray photography based on mammography, CT, etc., consists of X-irradiating a portion of a person's body and imaging the contrasts that are based on differences in the absorption rate of radiation for each anatomical part. However, there is the disadvantage that a higher contrast results in an increase in radiation exposure. The new method utilizes extremely precise X-irradiation by using an accelerator, applies the properties that are subtly refracted on the edge of tissues, etc., by X-irradiation with high parallelism, and photographs the tissue from various directions to obtain a clear image. It is expected for this method to take at least 5 years before it can be put to practical use, since an accelerator is necessary and the equipment is costly. However, in the same article, Professor Ando is quoted as saying that "in the future, he wants to develop equipment that produces highly-precise radiation to replace the accelerator."
