A discovery by scientists at England's University of Sheffield may revolutionize the treatment of cancer. Researchers found that MRI scanners can guide tumor-destroying therapies to specific sites in the body.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners use a combination of a magnetic field and radio waves to take detailed images of organs and tissues inside the body. The images help doctors to diagnose diseases and keep tabs on how far they have spread.

The Sheffield research team "magnetize" cell-based cancer treatments by infusing them with tiny super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIOs ). The strong magnets in the MRI are then used to direct cells to precisely target both primary and secondary tumor sites within the body, and to reach tumors difficult or impossible to reach by surgery.

In mice which were injected with immune cells carrying SPIOs and a treatment which kills cancer cells, the results were dramatic — an increase in effectiveness of 800 percent.

"Our results suggest that it is possible to use a standard MRI scanner to naturally deliver cell-based therapies to both primary and secondary tumors which would normally be impossible to reach by injection," said Dr. Munitta Muthana.

"This not only increases the therapeutic efficacy but also decreases the risk of unwanted side effects.

"The beauty of using the MRI scanner to administer the therapy is that you can also use it for its original purpose providing a real-time image-guide to ensure the treatment has gone where it is needed," Muthana said.

The study is published in Nature Communications.