A wearable ultrasound scanner could detect breast cancer at early stages: Study by MIT Researchers

MIT researchers have created a wearable ultrasound gadget that could help individuals detect breast cancer and tumours in their early stages. In between routine mammograms, it is an appropriate piece of portable equipment for people at high risk of developing breast cancer.The device is a flexible patch that attaches to a bra and allows the wearer to move an ultrasound tracker along the patch to picture the breast tissue from various angles. The researchers demonstrated in the latest study that they could obtain ultrasound images with resolution comparable to that of ultrasound probes used in medical imaging centres.
"We modified the ultrasound technology's form factor so that it can be used in your home. It's portable and simple to use, and it provides real-time, user-friendly monitoring of breast tissue," says Canan Dagdeviren, senior author of the paper and an associate professor in MIT's Media Lab.
To observe the ultrasound images, the MIT researchers claim they need to link the patch to a larger machine, similar to those used in medical imaging centres. Simultaneously, they are working on constructing a smartphone-sized gadget that can generate high-quality photos so that the user may bring it with them at all times without the need to link it to specific machinery.
The patch can also be reused, so it does not have to be discarded after one use. The wearable ultrasonography could be especially beneficial for patients who are at high risk of breast cancer because it could be used for frequent screening at home. It might also be used to diagnose cancer in those who do not have frequent access to medical screening centres, making wearable ultrasound available to the general public.
The researchers intend to create a system in which, after data is collected from a subject, artificial intelligence can be used to analyse how images evolve over time, perhaps providing more accurate diagnostics than depending on a radiologist's judgement of photos taken years apart. They also intend to investigate using ultrasonic technology to scan other regions of the body.