Early detection of breast cancer significantly improves survival rates, making it crucial to develop innovative technologies for timely diagnosis. Researchers at MIT have designed a groundbreaking wearable ultrasound device that allows individuals to detect breast tumors in their early stages, especially valuable for high-risk patients between routine mammograms. This portable and user-friendly patch, attached to a bra, offers real-time imaging capabilities, potentially increasing the overall survival rate for breast cancer patients.
The wearable diagnostic: A hopeful solution
Inspired by a personal loss, MIT’s Canan Dagdeviren envisioned a diagnostic device incorporated into a bra, enabling more frequent screening for high-risk breast cancer patients. Interval cancers, tumors detected between mammograms, are more aggressive and account for a significant portion of breast cancer cases. The goal of this innovative ultrasound scanner is to target those most likely to develop interval cancer, aiming to raise the survival rate to an impressive 98%.
How the device works
The miniaturized ultrasound scanner, based on medical imaging technology, incorporates a novel piezoelectric material to ensure its portability. The flexible, 3D-printed patch with honeycomb-like openings can be attached to a bra, allowing easy contact with the skin. Users can move the small tracker to six different positions, obtaining complete breast imaging. The scanner’s rotation enables imaging from various angles, and its simple operation requires no specialized expertise.
Early detection and future potential
In a test on a human subject, the wearable ultrasound device successfully detected breast cysts as small as 0.3 centimeters in diameter—comparable to early-stage tumors. With resolution akin to traditional ultrasound, tissue can be imaged up to 8 centimeters in depth. The current version requires connection to a standard ultrasound machine to view images, but researchers are working on a miniaturized version the size of a smartphone for more convenient use.
Conclusion
The wearable ultrasound scanner shows great promise in revolutionizing breast cancer detection. Offering a non-invasive, comfortable, and reliable alternative, this device can be used at home by high-risk patients and those with limited access to screening. With continued advancements, such as AI analysis and exploration of scanning other body parts, this innovation could have far-reaching implications in healthcare and early cancer detection. The future is bright for this wearable technology, potentially saving countless lives by diagnosing breast cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages.
