Quantum dots could lead to wearable X-ray solution for lung imaging

Research with potential use in more comfortable respiratory scans has received a boost, with a University of Queensland School of Chemical Engineering expert awarded a $1.6 million Investigator grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC.)

According to a statement from the university on Tuesday, the work by Associate Professor Jingwei Hou and PhD scholar Yuelei Chen (pictured left to right) involves “a flexible, glass-based X-ray imaging detector that can be worn in a hoodie or blanket to provide a quick and accurate picture of a child’s lungs”.

It will make use of Hou’s “patented quantum dot hybrid glass technology”, made into thin film strips able to conform to the contour and movement of a child’s body to create a wearable item fitting like “a hoodie or blanket”. 

Quantum dots are semiconductor particles with diameters of only a few nanometres.  

Hou said the concept was inspired by the thought of his own children being distressed by a noisy MRI machine.

“Staying still during a lengthy scan under a big machine isn’t easy for adults, let alone young, overwhelmed children who are already unwell and distressed in an unfamiliar and daunting clinical environment,” said Hou, who is an ARC Future Fellow..

He added that, “My quantum dot technology makes use of a family of materials known for their unparalleled light conversion and emission efficiency

“By assembling these materials into thin, flexible X-ray detectors I can create a wearable X-ray detector that is both comfortable while still providing high-resolution imaging of lung structure.”

His Investigator grant will cover salaries and costs for five years of research and testing, with a plan to have the system ready for clinical trials after that.

Picture: supplied