Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHRImaging techniques play a central role in medical diagnostics and therapy. At the same time, established methods such as X‑ray computed tomography are reaching their limits due to the high radiation exposure required and the limited precision in examining soft tissue. The Multi‑Med 3D project therefore aims to develop a multimodal imaging approach that combines radar and X‑ray tomography within a unified reconstruction framework, enabling more focused irradiation than has previously been possible.
The objective of the project is to develop a demonstrator for combined radar–X‑ray imaging in medical applications. The focus lies particularly on the monitoring of radiation therapy for lung cancer and on mammography for breast cancer diagnostics.
Combining Radar and X‑ray Imaging Enables Precise Tumor Position Monitoring
Even minimal movements caused by heartbeat or respiration can lead to significant shifts in tumor position and surrounding tissue. These changes must be accounted for during treatment to avoid long‑term damage to organs such as the heart or lungs. To precisely track tumor location during irradiation, both imaging modalities are combined. This approach provides additional material and contrast information, reduces artifacts, and enables more focused irradiation of the affected regions, thereby lowering the required radiation dose and overall exposure.
High‑resolution CT images serve as a basis for configuring the radar system individually for each patient. Once the parameters are set, the radar can distinguish healthy tissue from tumor tissue. At Fraunhofer FHR, our work concentrates on developing radar‑based imaging for surface extraction and tumor position estimation.
Multimodal Measurement Phantoms for Realistic Medical Evaluation
Another key aspect of the project is the development of multimodal measurement phantoms that enable realistic medical examinations without the need to work with biological tissue.
Project Partners and Funding
The project brings together the expertise of Fraunhofer EMI in computed tomography, Fraunhofer FHR in radar imaging, and Fraunhofer MEVIS in multimodal medical image reconstruction. It is funded internally by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft with the aim of advancing the technology toward market readiness and attracting industrial partners.
Project duration: 01 June 2023 – 31 August 2026.