We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




Wearable Ultrasound Patch Marks Breakthrough in Deep Tissue Monitoring

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 04 May 2023
Print article
Image: The wearable ultrasound patch measures tissue stiffness more effectively (Photo courtesy of UC San Diego)
Image: The wearable ultrasound patch measures tissue stiffness more effectively (Photo courtesy of UC San Diego)

Ultrasound examination of tissues' biomechanical properties can assist in detecting and managing pathophysiological conditions, tracking lesion development, and evaluating rehabilitation progress. Engineers have now developed a stretchable ultrasonic array that enables non-invasive, serial, three-dimensional imaging of tissues up to four centimeters beneath the human skin's surface, with a spatial resolution of 0.5 millimeters. This novel method offers a non-invasive, long-term alternative to current approaches, boasting improved penetration depth.

The elastography monitoring system developed by engineers at the University of California San Diego (La Jolla, CA, USA) enables serial, non-invasive, and three-dimensional mapping of deep tissue mechanical properties, with several crucial applications. In medical research, serial data on pathological tissues can offer vital information on disease progression, such as cancer, which typically causes cells to stiffen. Wearable ultrasound patches not only perform the detection function of conventional ultrasound but also overcome its limitations, such as one-time testing, hospital-based testing, and the need for staff operation. This could help decrease misdiagnoses and fatalities while significantly reducing costs by offering a non-invasive and affordable alternative to traditional diagnostic procedures.

The device features a 16 by 16 array, with each element consisting of a 1-3 composite element and a silver-epoxy composite backing layer designed to absorb excessive vibration, thereby expanding the bandwidth and enhancing axial resolution. The array conforms to human skin and acoustically couples with it, allowing for accurate elastographic imaging validated through magnetic resonance elastography. The researchers aim to further improve the device by incorporating an elastomer layer with a known modulus, a so-called calibration layer, to obtain quantitative, absolute values of tissues' moduli. This enhancement would provide more comprehensive information about tissues' mechanical properties, thereby further refining the ultrasonic devices' diagnostic capabilities.

Besides monitoring cancerous tissues, this technology can help medical professionals accurately track liver fibrosis and cirrhosis progression and determine the most suitable treatment course. Moreover, by monitoring changes in tissue stiffness, the technology can offer valuable insights into musculoskeletal disorders' progression, such as tendonitis, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome, allowing doctors to develop personalized treatment plans. Additionally, by monitoring arterial wall elasticity, doctors can detect early signs of myocardial ischemia and make timely interventions to prevent further damage.

“This new wave of wearable ultrasound technology is driving a transformation in the healthcare monitoring field, improving patient outcomes, reducing healthcare costs and promoting the widespread adoption of point-of-care diagnosis,” said Yuxiang Ma, a visiting student in the Xu group and study coauthor. “As this technology continues to develop, it is likely that we will see even more significant advances in the field of medical imaging and healthcare monitoring.”

Related Links:
University of California San Diego 

Gold Member
Solid State Kv/Dose Multi-Sensor
AGMS-DM+
Dose Area Product Meter
VacuDAP
New
Breast Imaging Workstation
SecurView
New
Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner
Aquilion Serve SP

Print article

Channels

Radiography

view channel
:	Image: The AI model could be a valuable adjunct to human radiologists in breast cancer diagnoses and risk prediction (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

AI Model Predicts 5-Year Breast Cancer Risk from Mammograms

Approximately 13% of U.S. women, or one in every eight, are predicted to develop invasive breast cancer over their lifetime, with 1 in 39 women (3%) succumbing to the illness, according to the American... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The AI system uses scintigraphy imaging for early diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

AI System Automatically and Reliably Detects Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Scintigraphy Imaging

Cardiac amyloidosis, a condition characterized by the buildup of abnormal protein deposits (amyloids) in the heart muscle, severely affects heart function and can lead to heart failure or death without... Read more

General/Advanced Imaging

view channel
Image: The CIARTIC Move self-driving mobile C-arm has received FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Siemens)

Self-Driving Mobile C-Arm Reduces Imaging Time during Surgery

Intraoperative imaging faces significant challenges due to staff shortages and the high demands placed on surgical teams in the operating room (OR). A common challenge during many OR procedures is the... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more

Industry News

view channel
Image: Samsung Medison CEO Mr. Yongkwan Kim and Bracco Imaging CEO Dr. Fulvio Renoldi Bracco endorsed a MoU agreement (Photo courtesy of Bracco Group)

Samsung and Bracco Enter Into New Diagnostic Ultrasound Technology Agreement

Samsung Medison (Seoul, South Korea) and Bracco Imaging (Milan, Italy) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement to pioneer a new area for diagnostic ultrasound devices and contrast agents.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.