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Ultrasound-Equipped Bra Monitors for Breast Cancer

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Conn Hastings, PhD

medgadget.com

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Researchers at MIT have developed a wearable ultrasound system that is intended to allow women at high risk of breast cancer to perform an ultrasound scan on themselves at home, and may also let patients with early-stage malignancy or suspicious lesions to monitor how they are progressing. The technology can help patients to avoid having to attend a clinic, and may also help them to identify tumors that arise between routine breast checks at a clinic.

The system consists of a piezoelectric ultrasound scanning module that fits into a rig that can be affixed to a bra. The rig includes openings into which the ultrasound module can be affixed, with six different orientations of scanning available, and ensures that the entire breast can be scanned.

Early detection is crucial in cancer. For breast cancer, there is a nearly 100% survival rate for tumors that are found in their very early stages. However, for later stage tumors, the survival rate plummets to 25%. This statistic is behind the routine breast scanning that many women undergo. However, what happens if a tumor arises between routine scans? These are known as interval cancers, and account for approximately 30% of all breast cancers, and they can be more aggressive than tumors discovered during routine scanning.

Moreover, some patients are highly predisposed to breast cancer, with a significant level of personal risk of developing a tumor, typically because of inherited genetic mutations. Such patients often undergo a preemptive mastectomy to reduce their risk, but more expansive breast monitoring technologies may provide an alternative, and at least delay the need for a mastectomy.

"We changed the form factor of the ultrasound technology so that it can be used in your home. It's portable and easy to use, and provides real-time, user-friendly monitoring of breast tissue," says Canan Dagdeviren, a researcher involved in the study. "My goal is to target the people who are most likely to develop interval cancer. With more frequent screening, our goal to increase the survival rate to up to 98 percent."

The piezoelectric ultrasound patch sits within a rig that allows the user to scan in several key locations, covering the whole breast. In tests so far, the technology could distinguish breast cysts at 0.3 centimeters in diameter, which is comparable to early-stage breast tumors.

See a video from MIT about the technology:

Study in journal Science Advances: Conformable ultrasound breast patch for deep tissue scanning and imaging

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Ultrasound-Equipped Bra Monitors for Breast Cancer |

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Researchers at MIT have developed a wearable ultrasound system that is intended to allow women at high risk of breast cancer to perform an ultrasound scan

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The overview of the design of the cUSBr-Patch.

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This ultrasound bra is designed to allow women with a high risk of breast cancer to do self-administered ultrasound scans at home. Additionally, it may provide the ability for patients with early-stage cancer or suspicious lesions to track their progress.

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Du, W., Zhang, L., Suh, E., Lin, D., Marcus, C., Ozkan, L., Ahuja, A., Fernandez, S., Shuvo, I. I., Sadat, D., Liu, W., Li, F., Chandrakasan, A. P., Ozmen, T., & Dagdeviren, C. (2023). Conformable ultrasound breast patch for deep tissue scanning and imaging. In Science Advances 9(30). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adh5325

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1. Achiever : You are a mover. The power supply that causes you to set the pace and define the levels of productivity for your work group

2. Responsibility : You to take psychological ownership for anything you commit to

3. Futuristic : You are a dreamer who sees visions of what could be

4. Strategic : You to sort through the clutter and find the best route

5. Learner : You will always be drawn to the process of learning

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Chelsea – Command : Is a leader; takes charge. Feels comfortable with imposing views on others. Compelled to present the facts and takes risks.

Daisy – Developer : Helps and encourages. The goal is to help others experience success.

Fernando – Focus : Prioritizes, then acts. Takes a direction, follows through, and makes the corrections necessary to stay on track.

Pablo – Positivity: Has a contagious enthusiasm. Is upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

Isaac – Ideation : Revels in taking the world we all know and turning it around so we can view it from a strange but strangely enlightening angle.

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The collaboration of a team with diverse expertise and abilities, amplifies the collective strength, which leads to exceptional accomplishments and remarkable results.

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Early Detection: The bra could detect cancer at an earlier stage, when it's more treatable, and could potentially improve survival rates.

Ease/Comfort: This could be more convenient and comfortable than mammograms, which also require scheduling appointments.

Peace of mind: For women at high risk of breast cancer, the bra could provide peace of mind by allowing them to monitor their health more frequently.

Reduced anxiety: Early detection could potentially reduce anxiety associated with other screening methods.

Non-invasive: Unlike mammograms, the bra would use non-invasive ultrasound, reducing radiation exposure.

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Cost and Accessibility: If and when the bra becomes available, affordability and accessibility could be a concern, especially for lower-income individuals.

Not Enough Research: There is currently limited evidence on the effectiveness and accuracy of these bras in detecting cancer. More research is needed before widespread use.

False Positives/Negatives: Results have the possibility to lead to false positives, causing unnecessary anxiety and unnecessary invasive procedures. There would also be a possibility of the bra missing something that would be seen otherwise.

Psychological Effects: Constant monitoring could lead to anxiety for some women, even if the results are normal.

PHI: The bra would collect personal data, which raises a privacy/security risk. Extreme measures would be needed to ensure the safe storage and transmission of this data.

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While ultrasound-equipped bras have the potential to improve breast cancer screening, more research needs to be done to ensure effectiveness and identify possible issues. This device is not meant to replace current screening methods, but rather to be an adjunct tool for women, especially those who are at high risk of developing breast cancer or are limited to other screening methods. I feel like in the future we will see a lot of these devices in all areas of healthcare as people want more control over their health and outcomes and with the growth in computer technology, why not?