A revolutionary ultrasound patch can assess how full a person’s bladder is.
Scientists say that in future it can also be used for early detection of cancer.
Researchers in the United States have developed a wearable monitor to help people suffering from bladder and kidney diseases.
The intelligent patch is able to image internal organs in the body without the need for an ultrasound operator or applying gel.
It is also hoped that the innovative new piece of kit developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) could be adapted in the future to monitor other organs and promote early detection of cancer.
The intelligent patch is able to image internal organs in the body without the need for an ultrasound operator or applying gel. Photo by Sora Shimazakai/Pexels
Dr. Canon DeDeviren, an associate professor in MIT’s Media Lab and senior author of the study, was partly inspired to invent the wearable patch when her own younger brother was diagnosed with kidney cancer a few years ago.
After one of his kidneys was removed, he was having difficulty emptying his bladder completely.
Dr. Diedeviren’s study, published in the journal Nature Electronics, initially focused the patch on bladder monitoring.
Dr. Dağ’s laboratory specializes in designing flexible, wearable electronic devices.
The lab recently developed an ultrasound monitor that will be incorporated into bras and used to screen for breast cancer.
In their new study, Dr. DeDeviren’s team applied a similar approach to develop a wearable device that could take ultrasound images of internal organs, helping patients like his brother who have bladder or kidney problems — or other types of bladder problems — People with – will help in monitoring completeness. Of their bladder.
The intelligent patch is able to image internal organs in the body without the need for an ultrasound operator or applying gel. Photo by Sora Shimazakai/Pexels
Currently, the only method of measuring bladder volume involves the use of traditional, bulky ultrasound probes, which requires the patient to attend a medical facility.
So, to develop a wearable device for at-home use, researchers created a flexible patch of silicone rubber embedded with five ultrasound arrays made from a new ‘piezoelectric’ material, which generate an electrical charge in response to applied mechanical stress. Can do.
These arrays are placed in the shape of a cross, which allows the patch to image the entire bladder, which is approximately 12 by eight centimeters when full.
The polymer making up the patch is naturally sticky and can be easily attached and detached from the skin, and held in place with underwear or leggings.
In a study conducted with colleagues in the Center for Ultrasound Research and Translation and the Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), researchers showed that the new patch could capture images comparable to those taken with traditional ultrasound probes, And these images can be used to track changes in bladder volume.
The researchers recruited 20 patients with varying body mass indexes who were imaged first with a full bladder, then a partially empty bladder, and finally an empty bladder.
Images obtained using the new patch were found to be similar in quality to images taken with conventional ultrasound equipment, and the array was seen to work on all subjects regardless of their individual body mass index.
Additionally, unlike regular ultrasound examinations, no gel and no pressure is required to be applied to the patch, as the field of view is large enough to cover the entire bladder.
To view the images, the researchers simply connected their arrays to ultrasound machines at medical imaging centers.
However, the MIT team is now working on a portable device – around the size of a smartphone – that would allow wearers to view the images.
“This technique is versatile and can be used not only on the bladder but on any deep tissue in the body,” Dr. Dağdeviren explained.
“This is a unique platform that can identify and characterize many diseases present in our body.
“Millions of people suffer from bladder dysfunction and related diseases, and not surprisingly, monitoring bladder volume is an effective way to assess the health and well-being of your kidneys.
Dr. Diedeviren said his team also hopes to develop similar wearable devices that could be used to image other organs, such as the liver, pancreas or ovaries, and check for signs of cancer.
“For whatever organ we need to visualize, we go back to the first step, select the right materials, come up with the right device design and test the device and conduct clinical trials before Let’s make everything accordingly,” said Dr. Dedeviren.
Dr. Ananth Chandrakasan, dean of MIT’s School of Engineering and another author of the paper, said: “This work could develop into a central area of focus in ultrasound research, providing a new approach to future medical device designs.” Can inspire, and prepare the basis for this.” “Many more fruitful collaborations between materials scientists, electrical engineers, and biomedical researchers.”
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Source: www.zenger.news
