According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “42,000 women and 500 men in the U.S. die each year from breast cancer.” The American Cancer Society says there’s a 99% survival rate for breast cancers caught early enough. To help increase those odds, scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) created a wearable breast cancer detection device.
MIT researcher Canon Dagdeviren, Ph.D., associate professor of media arts and sciences at MIT, was inspired after her aunt was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer at 49 years old.
Designed with flexible 3D-printed patches, the ultrasound scanning device is attached to a special bra.
“Using magnets, this patch can be attached to a bra that has openings that allow the ultrasound scanner to contact the skin. The ultrasound scanner fits inside a small tracker that can be moved to six different positions, allowing the entire breast to be imaged. The scanner can also be rotated to take images from different angles, and does not require any special expertise to operate.” the scientists explained.
“We changed the form factor of the ultrasound technology so that it can be used in your home. It’s portable, easy to use, and provides real-time, user-friendly monitoring of breast tissue,” Dagdeviren told MIT NEWS.
“As a nurse, I have witnessed the negative outcomes of a delayed diagnosis. This technology holds the promise of breaking down the many barriers for early breast cancer detection by providing a more reliable, comfortable, and less intimidating diagnostic,” said Catherine Ricciardi, nurse director at MIT’s Center for Clinical and Translational Research and a co-author of the study.
The device can be worn multiple times, and developers envision the device being used at home by those who are at high risk for breast cancer. The device could also help those who don’t have access to regular screenings.
“My goal is to target the people who are most likely to develop interval cancer,” added Dagdeviren, whose research group specializes in developing wearable electronic devices that conform to the body. “With more frequent screening, our goal is to increase the survival rate to 98 percent.”
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