Conformable ultrasound breast patch for deep tissue scanning and imaging.

Du, Wenya; Zhang, Lin; Suh, Emma; Lin, Dabin; Marcus, Colin; Ozkan, Lara; Ahuja, Avani; Fernandez, Sara et al. · Sci Adv · 2023

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Ultrasound is widely used for tissue imaging such as breast cancer diagnosis; however, fundamental challenges limit its integration with wearable technologies, namely, imaging over large-area curvilinear organs. We introduced a wearable, conformable ultrasound breast patch (cUSBr-Patch) that enables standardized and reproducible image acquisition over the entire breast with less reliance on operator training and applied transducer compression. A nature-inspired honeycomb-shaped patch combined with a phased array is guided by an easy-to-operate tracker that provides for large-area, deep scanning, and multiangle breast imaging capability. The in vitro studies and clinical trials reveal that the array using a piezoelectric crystal [Yb/Bi-Pb(In<sub>1</sub><sub>/2</sub>Nb<sub>1/2</sub>)O<sub>3</sub>-Pb(Mg<sub>1/</sub><sub>3</sub>Nb<sub>2/3</sub>)O<sub>3</sub>-PbTiO<sub>3</sub>] (Yb/Bi-PIN-PMN-PT) exhibits a sufficient contrast resolution (~3 dB) and axial/lateral resolutions of 0.25/1.0 mm at 30 mm depth, allowing the observation of small cysts (~0.3 cm) in the breast. This research develops a first-of-its-kind ultrasound technology for breast tissue scanning and imaging that offers a noninvasive method for tracking real-time dynamic changes of soft tissue.

Medical subject headings