AMPHORA · Project

Real-Time Radiation Dose Monitoring Inside Tumors Using Ultrasound

healthPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

When doctors use radiation to treat cancer, they currently can't see exactly how much radiation actually hits the tumor versus the healthy tissue around it. Imagine trying to water just one plant in a garden while blindfolded — you know roughly where to aim, but you can't tell how much water each plant actually got. AMPHORA developed tiny injectable bubbles that change their sound signature when hit by radiation. Doctors can then use a regular ultrasound scanner to "listen" to these bubbles and create a map showing exactly where the radiation went and how much was delivered.

By the numbers

50%

of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy

EUR 3,932,775

EU research investment in this technology

research partners across 4 countries

project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Radiation therapy treats 50% of all cancer patients, but doctors currently cannot measure the actual radiation dose delivered inside and around the tumor during treatment. This means treatment plans rely on estimates rather than real measurements, limiting the ability to optimize therapy and potentially exposing healthy tissue to unnecessary radiation.

The solution

What was built

The team developed modified ultrasound contrast agents (tiny injectable bubbles) that change their acoustic response when exposed to radiation, plus signal processing algorithms to read those changes. An in vitro proof-of-concept was demonstrated showing the first ultrasound-based approach for radiation dose readout in homogeneous dilutions, with 15 deliverables produced in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Radiation therapy equipment manufacturers (Varian, Elekta, Accuray)Ultrasound imaging companies expanding into oncology (GE Healthcare, Philips, Siemens Healthineers)Pharmaceutical companies producing ultrasound contrast agents (Bracco, Lantheus)Radiation oncology clinics and hospital networks seeking better dose verificationMedical physics departments needing real-time quality assurance tools

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Radiation Therapy Equipment

enterprise

Target: Manufacturers of radiotherapy planning and delivery systems

If you are a radiation therapy equipment manufacturer dealing with the limitation that your systems cannot verify actual dose delivery inside the patient in real time — this project developed ultrasound-readable injectable contrast agents that translate radiation dose into acoustic signals, enabling 2D or 3D dose distribution maps. Approximately 50% of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy, representing a massive market where better dose verification directly improves treatment outcomes and differentiates your product.

Medical Ultrasound Devices

enterprise

Target: Ultrasound imaging companies looking to expand into oncology applications

If you are an ultrasound device manufacturer looking to enter the growing oncology market — this project developed tailored ultrasound imaging and advanced signal processing algorithms specifically designed to extract dose information from modified contrast agents. With 50% of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, adding dose-monitoring capability to your ultrasound platform opens an entirely new clinical application beyond traditional imaging.

Pharmaceutical Contrast Agents

mid-size

Target: Companies producing ultrasound contrast agents or injectable theranostic products

If you are a contrast agent manufacturer seeking to expand your product line into theranostics — this project upgraded standard ultrasound contrast agents into dose-sensitive, tumor-targeted injectable devices. The proof-of-concept was demonstrated in vitro with homogeneous dilutions, showing that existing contrast agent manufacturing could be adapted to produce radiation-sensing versions for a market serving 50% of all cancer patients.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or integrate this technology?

Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the coordinator, KU Leuven. The project received EUR 3,932,775 in EU funding across 6 partners, indicating substantial R&D investment. As a FET-Open project, expect early-stage licensing terms typical of university IP — likely requiring further co-development investment.

Can this scale to industrial manufacturing?

The current proof-of-concept was demonstrated in vitro with homogeneous ultrasound contrast agent dilutions. Scaling to clinical-grade manufacturing would require additional development to move from lab conditions to reproducible, injectable-quality production under pharmaceutical regulations. Based on available project data, this is still pre-clinical.

What is the IP situation and who owns the results?

The project was coordinated by KU Leuven (Belgium) with 6 consortium partners across 4 countries. IP ownership typically follows Horizon 2020 rules where each partner owns results they generate. Contact KU Leuven's technology transfer office for licensing discussions.

Does this meet medical device regulatory requirements?

Based on available project data, the technology is at the in vitro proof-of-concept stage. It would need to go through the full medical device and pharmaceutical approval pathway (CE marking, potentially FDA clearance) before clinical use. This is a multi-year regulatory process involving clinical trials.

How soon could this reach the market?

The project ran from 2017 to 2022 and achieved in vitro proof-of-concept. FET-Open projects are explicitly early-stage and high-risk research. Based on available project data, reaching market would require pre-clinical validation, clinical trials, and regulatory approval — realistically several more years of development.

Can this integrate with existing radiotherapy and ultrasound equipment?

The project developed tailored ultrasound imaging and signal processing algorithms to extract dose information from backscatter data. Based on the project objective, the system is designed to work with ultrasound interrogation, suggesting potential compatibility with existing ultrasound platforms, though integration would require customized signal processing.

Consortium

Who built it

The AMPHORA consortium brings together 6 partners from 4 countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands), with a strong academic core of 3 universities and 2 research organizations. The 17% industry ratio (1 partner, including 1 SME) means this is a research-heavy consortium — typical for FET-Open projects exploring breakthrough concepts. KU Leuven coordinates with EUR 3,932,775 in EU funding. For a business looking to adopt this technology, the academic-heavy consortium means you would likely be the commercialization partner bringing manufacturing and market access to the table.

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENCoordinator · BE
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATAparticipant · IT
INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUMparticipant · BE
ERASMUS UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM ROTTERDAMparticipant · NL
DOSEVUEparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

KU Leuven technology transfer office (LRD) handles IP licensing for this Belgian university — search for 'KU Leuven LRD AMPHORA' to find the right contact.

Order a report on this consortium See KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the AMPHORA research team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people and prepare a technology briefing tailored to your specific application.

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