Detecting Cancer Early With Whole-Body MRIs

Early detection of cancer is critical to improving the odds of survival for patients. A SickKids team is evaluating how whole-body MRIs (called wbMRI), an imaging technology, can be used to detect early-onset cancers in children using machine learning.

wbMRIs are currently only used in adults in clinical practice, and unique challenges of paediatric patients – like changing bone density and difficulty scanning young children – make it hard to obtain clear images. SickKids is working with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to use machine learning to improve cancer screening programs in early childhood. The team is testing how machine learning can help clinicians detect and discover cancer early to reduce the impact of aggressive treatments.

This work is done with the generous help of the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research.