The researchers at Cambridge University discovered that an ingredient used in ‘baking soda’ could be used to identify cancer through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

The study published in the latest issue of ‘Nature’ magazine told that cancer tissues, which become more acidulous as compared to their surrounding tissues them, can be identified in the body at early stage by using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

By boosting MRI sensitivity more than 20,000 times, with the help of a special scanning technique developed, it is now possible to detect the molecules used by tumors to make energy and growth, the researchers said.

Almost all types of cancers have a lower pH (a measure of acidity) as compared to the surrounding tissue.

Normally, the human body has a balanced pH by annihilating more acidic and alkaline contents. But, in cancer, this balancing system is disturbed, and the tissue becomes more acidic.

Currently, there is no means to carefully measure differences in pH in patients, but distinguishing these areas of acidity could be used to find cancers when they are very small, the study said.

Working with mice, the team discovered a new technique to assess pH levels using this very sensitive MRI technique with a tagged form of bicarbonate.