Triple vision

A 'hybrid' 3D ultrasound system designed to provide data so detailed it could replace CT or MRI scans for certain applications is being developed at

, in collaboration with an industrial partner.

In the case of CT scans, it would give doctors the option of reducing a patient's exposure to ionising radiation, and would be a cheaper alternative to MRI, saving the NHS money.

The resulting system would allow doctors a clear view of any enlargement of a diseased organ such as the liver, and would also allow them to accurately measure the size and shape of tumours during treatment.

It could be used during procedures such as local anaesthesia, when doctors must ensure they avoid certain veins and arteries. 'Research has found that in up to 30 per cent of the population, their arrangement differs from that found in standard anatomy textbooks,' said lead researcher Dr Richard Prager.

The researchers, based in the university's engineering department, said most ultrasound machines in hospitals work in two dimensions, sending high-frequency sound pulses into the body and displaying the echoes that come back as a two-dimensional or 2D picture.