From bedside to portable and wearable: development of a conformable ultrasound patch for deep breast tissue imaging

Abstract

A breakthrough study from Du et al. has developed a wearable, ultrasound imaging patch for standardized and reproducible breast tissue imaging. The technology utilizes a honeycomb patch design to facilitate guided movement of the ultrasound array, enabling comprehensive, multiangle breast imaging. The system was validated in vitro and in vivo with a single human subject and has the potential for early‐stage breast cancer detection. This study addressed the current limitations of wearable ultrasound technologies, including imaging over large, curvilinear organs and integration of superior piezoelectric materials for high‐performance ultrasound arrays. The transition of ultrasound from the bedside to portable and wearable devices will pave the way for integration with big data collection, such as artificial intelligence (AI)‐based diagnosis and personalized ultrasonographic profile generation, for rapid and objective measurements. This advancement is especially important in the context of breast cancer, where early diagnosis and assessment of medical therapy responses are paramount to patient care.

Evaluating the Role of Breast Ultrasound in Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Comprehensive Narrative Review

“…Recent research highlights the importance of using it to assess dense breast tissue, offering supplementary information that enhances mammographic findings. Ultrasound is a dependable and supplementary diagnostic tool that enhances the overall sensitivity of the diagnostic process in situations where mammography may produce false negatives or encounter difficulties in visualizing particular lesions [ 61 , 62 , 63 ].…”