A Stretchable, Wearable Ultrasound Transducer for Wide-Scale Breast Cancer Data Collection

Technology 

The patch is comprised of a flexible elastomeric substrate, in which phased arrays of rigid piezoelectric ultrasound transducers are embedded. It conforms to the skin's surface using Van der Waals forces, ensuring a snug fit on curved areas without the use of gels or adhesives. The phased arrays steer ultrasound beams through wide angles to image large tissue volumes. Since deformation of the flexible substrate alters the positions of the phased arrays, the system performs localization by measuring the time it takes for ultrasound pulses from a ring of transducers to reach each phased array, calculating their 3D positions in real time. Data captured by the phased arrays is processed and combined to generate comprehensive ultrasound images of the target tissue region. These generated images can then be used for diagnosis of pathological conditions such as cancer and other soft tissue diseases. 

Problem Addressed 

Traditional ultrasound devices often struggle with maintaining contact and image quality on curved or complex surfaces and rely on coupling gels or adhesives to maintain contact. The conformable patch resolves these issues by adhering seamlessly to curved surfaces using Van der Waals forces alone. Additionally, the patch's ability to detect the relative 3D positions of the transducers helps to ensure consistent imaging quality, improving the detection of pathological conditions like cancer and soft tissue diseases. 

Advantages 

• Conforms to curved surfaces without the need for gels or adhesives.
• Provides high-resolution imaging of complex anatomical regions. 
• Utilizes sensor localization for 3D imaging of tissue volume.
• Offers a flexible and lightweight design for patient comfort. 
• Reduces the need for specialized equipment for imaging curved areas. 
• 3D images generated by the technology can be utilized to train neural networks on various pathological conditions. 

Publications

Zhang, L., W. Du, J.-H. Kim, C.-C. Yu, and C. Dagdeviren. "An Emerging Era: Conformable Ultrasound Electronics." Advanced Materials 36 (2024): 2307664. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202307664.