It’s usually used to observe stars millions of miles away, but stargazing technology could soon also be used to detect cancer , according to a new study.
The UK Space Agency has granted £1 million of funding to experts to develop a portable 3D medical X-ray machine, based on stargazing technology.
Researchers hope this machine will give doctors a more in-depth view of areas where tumours are growing, leading to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments.
The portable kit could also allow patients to be scanned in doctors’ surgeries, reducing the need for trips to hospitals .
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Professor Tony Young, NHS England’s national clinical director for innovation, said: “Last year as we celebrated the NHS’s 70th birthday we challenged industry to bring technology designed for outer space into the NHS.
“Using stargazing technology to spot cancer is exactly the type of advanced innovation that could improve care for patients by speeding up diagnosis and helping to deliver our Long Term Plan which will save half a million lives.”
The x-ray machine is the first of four projects receiving funding from the UK Space Agency. The other projects will be announced over the coming weeks.
