HYPMED · Project

Portable PET Add-On Turns Any MRI Scanner Into a Breast Cancer Detector

healthTestedTRL 6

Imagine you have an MRI machine at your hospital — good for seeing body structures, but it can't track how cancer cells behave at the molecular level. PET scanners can do that, but the combined PET/MRI machines are huge, expensive, and still not sharp enough for breast imaging. HYPMED built a compact, plug-in detector that sits right on the breast like a surface coil, turning any standard MRI into a high-resolution hybrid PET/MRI — no need to buy a whole new machine. They tested it on 250 patients to see if it catches breast cancer earlier and guides treatment better than current methods.

By the numbers

250

patients in clinical validation study

consortium partners

countries involved (AT, DE, FR, NL)

industry partners in consortium

SMEs in consortium

40%

industry ratio in consortium

project deliverables completed

The business problem

What needed solving

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in women, and current diagnostic imaging frequently fails at early detection. Existing whole-body PET/MRI systems lack the sensitivity and resolution needed for precise breast cancer characterization, while being prohibitively expensive for most hospitals. Clinicians need better non-invasive tools to detect cancer early, characterize tumors for targeted therapy, and monitor treatment response — without requiring massive capital investment in new scanning equipment.

The solution

What was built

The project built a fully-digital, MRI-transparent PET detector integrated into a multi-channel PET-transparent MRI surface coil — essentially a plug-in breast imaging insert. They also delivered a quantitative reconstruction environment (demonstrated) and conducted clinical validation with 250 patients comparing results against whole-body PET/MRI and PET/CT, with molecular biomarker correlation.

Audience

Who needs this

MRI scanner manufacturers looking to add PET capability as an upgradeHospital radiology departments wanting hybrid imaging without buying new systemsBreast cancer screening centers seeking higher diagnostic accuracyPharmaceutical companies running oncology clinical trials needing precise treatment monitoringMedical device distributors in the European imaging equipment market

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical imaging equipment

enterprise

Target: MRI scanner manufacturers and distributors

If you are an MRI equipment manufacturer looking to expand your product line without developing a full PET/MRI system — this project developed a plug-in PET-RF insert that attaches to existing MRI systems. It converts any standard clinical MRI into a hybrid PET/MRI for breast imaging, opening a new revenue stream from your installed base of MRI customers. The technology was validated in a clinical study with 250 patients across a 10-partner consortium.

Hospital networks and radiology clinics

any

Target: Breast cancer screening centers and radiology departments

If you are a radiology department struggling with the cost of dedicated PET/MRI systems but need better breast cancer diagnostics — this project created a portable PET detector insert that upgrades your existing MRI scanner on demand. Instead of investing in a separate whole-body PET/MRI, you add high-resolution molecular imaging capability only when needed. The system was designed for both cancer detection and guiding targeted biopsies without surgery.

Pharmaceutical and biotech

enterprise

Target: Oncology drug developers running clinical trials

If you are a pharma company developing targeted breast cancer therapies and need precise imaging to monitor treatment response — this project built a combined PET/MRI breast insert that tracks both molecular activity and tissue structure simultaneously. It enables non-invasive monitoring of how tumors respond to your drug, using established and new PET tracers correlated with molecular biomarkers. The clinical validation involved 250 patients comparing results against whole-body PET/MRI and PET/CT.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this technology compared to buying a full PET/MRI system?

The project data does not include specific pricing. However, the core value proposition is that the PET-RF insert upgrades an existing MRI scanner on demand, eliminating the need to purchase a dedicated whole-body PET/MRI system — which typically costs several million euros. Contact the consortium for commercialization pricing.

Can this work at the scale of a busy hospital or screening program?

The system was designed as a plug-in insert for standard clinical MRI systems, meaning it can be deployed across any facility that already has MRI. The clinical study involved 250 patients, demonstrating it can handle real clinical throughput. The insert can be attached and removed on demand, so the MRI remains available for other imaging when not doing breast PET/MRI.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can we license it?

The consortium includes 10 partners across 4 countries (AT, DE, FR, NL) with 4 industry partners and 2 SMEs. IP is likely shared among consortium members. Based on available project data, the coordinator EIBIR (Austria) would be the first point of contact for licensing discussions.

Has this been tested in a real clinical environment?

Yes. The project conducted a clinical study with 250 patients, comparing the hybrid breast PET/MRI results against whole-body PET/MRI and PET/CT. Imaging data was correlated with established and new molecular biomarkers. A demonstration of the quantitative reconstruction environment was delivered.

Can this technology be used beyond breast cancer?

The project objective explicitly states plans to expand to prostate cancer and cardiac hybrid imaging once the breast application is successful. The same PET-RF insert concept could be adapted with different surface coil geometries for other body parts, broadening the commercial opportunity significantly.

What regulatory pathway would this need?

Based on available project data, the device would require CE marking as a medical device in Europe and FDA clearance in the US. The clinical study with 250 patients provides foundational clinical evidence. The consortium includes industry partners positioned to support the commercialization and regulatory pathway.

Consortium

Who built it

The HYPMED consortium is well-balanced for commercialization with 10 partners across 4 countries (Austria, Germany, France, Netherlands), featuring a 40% industry ratio — notably above average for EU research projects. With 4 industry partners including 2 SMEs alongside 4 universities and 2 research organizations, the project was structured to move from lab to market. The coordinator EIBIR is an Austrian non-profit focused on biomedical imaging research, providing a neutral coordination hub. The strong Western European medical technology corridor (AT-DE-FR-NL) aligns well with Europe's leading medical device markets and regulatory infrastructure.

EIBIR GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH ZUR FORDERUNG DER ERFORSCHUNG DER BIOMEDIZINISCHEN BILDGEBUNGCoordinator · AT
MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIENparticipant · AT
UNIVERSITAET MUENSTERparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM AACHENparticipant · DE
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBHparticipant · DE
FUTURA COMPOSITES BVparticipant · NL
PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NEDERLAND BVparticipant · NL
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

EIBIR in Austria coordinated this project. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the right person on the team.

Order a report on this consortium See EIBIR GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH ZUR FORDERUNG DER ERFORSCHUNG DER BIOMEDIZINISCHEN BILDGEBUNG profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing or integration of this breast PET/MRI technology? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the consortium team and provide a detailed technology brief.

Order a report on this topic More in Health & Biomedical