The compact system generates high-resolution 3D breast images and uses computer vision to guide probe positioning, potentially supporting more frequent breast tissue monitoring.
A research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed a portable ultrasound detector capable of generating high-resolution, 3D images of breast tissue. The system is designed to be operated by individuals without ultrasonography expertise, potentially allowing for more frequent screenings and long-term monitoring at home or in a clinical office.
The technology aims to address interval cancers, which develop between annual mammograms and account for 20% to 30% of all breast cancer cases. These cancers are often aggressive and can be difficult to detect in patients with dense breast tissue. While traditional ultrasound is a common follow-up tool, it typically requires large equipment and a trained operator.
In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers detailed several technical advances that improve image quality. One key update is the addition of a backing layer to the ultrasound transducer, which helps focus sound waves and reduces acoustical and electrical noise.
“With the backing layer, the device produces more accurate and sharper images, with a wider operating range of frequencies,” says Md Osman Goni Nayeem, a former MIT postdoc and lead author of the study, in a release.
Improving Resolution Through Algorithms
To further enhance image quality, the team designed an algorithm that performs adaptive beamforming. This allows the system to adjust for the different speeds at which sound waves travel through various tissue types, such as skin and fat.
“What we are trying to do is predict the speed of sound properties of the tissue you’re imaging, and then use that to reconstruct the image more accurately. We see up to a 10% improvement in the resolution just by applying this technique,” says Shrihari Viswanath, a graduate student at MIT and lead author of the study, in a release.
The system also features a computer-vision interface that guides users to position the probe correctly. During trials with 10 volunteers who were not experts in ultrasound technology, participants successfully located targets within a gel-like material engineered to mimic human tissue more effectively than when using traditional probes.
“Conventionally, you need an operator to move the probe around the breast, but we made a computer-vision interface for users to do it by themselves. This is very user-friendly, and it shows live images on the screen,” says Hyeokjun Yoon, a graduate student at MIT and lead author of the study, in a release.
Applications for Long-Term Monitoring
The researchers suggest the device could be used for the longitudinal monitoring of tissue, such as tracking the progression of fibroadenomas, cysts, and microcalcifications, or monitoring the effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy.
“At each time interval, the computer interface guides you to position the device in exactly the same location, which is important for the longitudinal monitoring of a given tissue. It’s very intuitive and quite easy to use,” says Canan Dagdeviren, an associate professor of media arts and sciences at MIT and the senior author of the study, in a release.
The research team plans to form a company to commercialize the technology. While the initial focus is breast cancer, they believe the system could be adapted for other applications, including fetal monitoring and imaging for ovarian cancer or endometriosis.
“The technology is so versatile that it can be used for any soft tissue imaging, from ovarian cancer to measuring endometriosis progression, or fetal monitoring,” says Dagdeviren in a release.
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