Left: Tom Murdoch and his wife, Ann at Nova Scotia’s iconic Peggy’s Cove. Right: The QEII’s Ethos with Hypersight imaging technology.
Two years ago, Tom Murdoch heard two words that would forever change his life: prostate cancer. Back then, he also became the QEII Health Sciences Centre’s first patient to be treated with Ethos with HyperSight imaging technology.
“It’s been two years since I watched in tandem with my doctors as my prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels escalated to 7.65. Normal levels are somewhere under four. And two years since I was patient number one on new treatment technology at the QEII.”
“I’ve been told I was not just the first patient at the QEII treated with Ethos with HyperSight but the first patient in Canada. And maybe one of the first, globally,” says Tom.
Powered by artificial intelligence and real-time imaging, Ethos with HyperSight imaging technology can enable high-quality images of a patient’s tumour, organs, and surrounding tissue.
This incredible level of imaging can allow care teams to provide adaptive radiotherapy, tailoring certain patients’ treatment plans in the moment, sometimes resulting in shorter, more precise, and more effective cancer care.
Thanks to nearly 13,000 donors who joined together to provide $8.5 million in funding, the QEII Cancer Centre became the first site in the world to use Ethos HyperSight imaging on patients in 2023 as part of a clinical trial. Tom was treated in January 2024.
“[It’s been] two years since donor support saved my life,” he recalls.
Since then, this advanced technology has continued to transform care for QEII patients. Certain scan times have been reduced from up to one minute to as little as six seconds, a meaningful difference for patients who may be asked to hold their breath during imaging.
In just a few short years, Ethos with HyperSight has led to new clinical trials, inspired government support for an additional unit, advanced groundbreaking research, and earned international recognition. Today at the QEII, it’s being used to treat prostate, lung, breast, abdominal, and head and neck cancers, with that list continuing to grow. In July 2025, the QEII’s first bladder cancer patient was treated using Ethos with HyperSight.
“Last time I had my PSA levels checked, they were at 0.16. My healthcare team is quite fascinated by how low – and how good – my levels are. It just shows how effective Ethos with HyperSight has been for me,” Tom says.
He’s also incredibly thankful for the donors who made his treatment with Ethos possible, and for the medical professionals that delivered excellent care.
“The words that come to mind when I think about the donors who gave and the QEII medical team connected to my care are intensity, dedication, and commitment.”
“The medical team were exemplary on every occasion. Attuned to my comfort, engaged in dialogue with me on how things were progressing, and using the technology to augment my treatment and adjust protocols in real time for the most effective results,” he says.
Most of all, Tom is thankful for the gift of time: “While it’s fun to be first, all that matters to me is time with my wife and champion, Ann, our children, and beautiful grandchildren.”
Tom also believes in the power of positivity – something we’ve seen in our surrounding community as they rallied to fund this life-changing technology. “Maintaining enthusiasm and a positive attitude carries us all forward, further,” says Tom.
As we look forward to the future of QEII cancer care, we’re propelled further than ever before by the implementation of Ethos with HyperSight here at home in Nova Scotia, and by the generosity and collaboration of QEII Foundation donors and our partners who helped make it possible.
