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In a groundbreaking development, Canadian researchers have pioneered a novel approach to treating liver tumours using magnet-guided microrobots within an MRI device, potentially transforming interventional radiology practices and offering hope for patients battling hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer.
Led by Montreal radiologist Gilles Soulez, the research team has developed a sophisticated algorithm that combines the forces of gravity and magnetic navigation to guide miniature biocompatible robots directly to the arterial branches supplying the tumour. These microrobots, composed of magnetizable iron oxide nanoparticles, hold the promise of providing targeted medical treatment with unparalleled precision.
Dr. Soulez, a researcher at the CHUM Research Centre and director of the radiology, radio-oncology, and nuclear medicine department at Université de Montréal, explained the significance of this breakthrough: “Our magnetic resonance navigation approach can be done using an implantable catheter like those used in chemotherapy. The other advantage is that the tumours are better visualized on MRI than on X-rays.”
Published in Science Robotics, this proof of concept has the potential to revolutionize current treatment methods for liver cancers, which are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide each year. Unlike invasive procedures like transarterial chemoembolization, which rely on X-ray guidance and can be complex and time-consuming, the MRI-guided microrobot approach offers greater accuracy and visualization of tumours.
Through extensive trials on pigs to replicate human anatomical conditions, the researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of their approach, with the microrobots successfully navigating to the targeted tumour sites. Moreover, simulations based on anatomical atlases of human livers showed promising results, with over 95 percent compatibility between the location of the tumour and the navigation algorithm.
Despite these remarkable advancements, the clinical application of this technology is still in its early stages. Dr. Soulez emphasized the need for further optimization using artificial intelligence to enhance real-time navigation of the microrobots and model various parameters such as blood flow and magnetic field direction.
As the research progresses, it holds the potential to transform the landscape of liver cancer treatment, offering patients a more precise, less invasive, and potentially more effective therapeutic option. While there are still hurdles to overcome, the innovative approach developed by Dr. Soulez and his team represents a significant step forward in the fight against liver tumours.
