MSGID: 1:317/3 6451e363   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Wearable ultrasound patch provide non-invasive deep tissue monitoring   
    More effectively measuring tissue stiffness could help treat cancer,   
   sports injuries and more    
      
     Date:   
         May 2, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of California - San Diego   
     Summary:   
         Engineers have developed a stretchable ultrasonic array capable   
         of serial, non-invasive, three-dimensional imaging of tissues as   
         deep as four centimeters below the surface of human skin, at a   
         spatial resolution of 0.5 millimeters. This new method provides   
         a non-invasive, longer-term alternative to current methods, with   
         improved penetration depth.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
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   A team of engineers at the University of California San Diego has   
   developed a stretchable ultrasonic array capable of serial, non-invasive,   
   three-dimensional imaging of tissues as deep as four centimeters below the   
   surface of human skin, at a spatial resolution of 0.5 millimeters. This   
   new method provides a non- invasive, longer-term alternative to current   
   methods, with improved penetration depth.   
      
   The research emerges from the lab of Sheng Xu, a professor of   
   nanoengineering at UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and   
   corresponding author of the study. The paper, "Stretchable ultrasonic   
   arrays for the three-dimensional mapping of the modulus of deep tissue,"   
   is published in the May 1, 2023 issue of Nature Biomedical Engineering.   
      
   "We invented a wearable device that can frequently evaluate the stiffness   
   of human tissue," said Hongjie Hu, a postdoctoral researcher in the   
   Xu group and study coauthor. "In particular, we integrated an array of   
   ultrasound elements into a soft elastomer matrix and used wavy serpentine   
   stretchable electrodes to connect these elements, enabling the device   
   to conform to human skin for serial assessment of tissue stiffness."   
   The elastography monitoring system can provide serial, non-invasive and   
   three- dimensional mapping of mechanical properties for deep tissues. This   
   has several key applications:   
       * In medical research, serial data on pathological tissues can provide   
         crucial information on the progression of diseases such as cancer,   
         which normally causes cells to stiffen.   
      
       * Monitoring muscles, tendons and ligaments can help diagnose   
       and treat   
         sports injuries.   
      
       * Current treatments for liver and cardiovascular illnesses,   
       along with   
         some chemotherapy agents, may affect tissue stiffness. Continuous   
         elastography could help assess the efficacy and delivery of these   
         medications. This might aid in creating novel treatments.   
      
   In addition to monitoring cancerous tissues, this technology can also   
   be applied in other scenarios:   
       * Monitoring of fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. By using this   
         technology to evaluate the severity of liver fibrosis, medical   
         professionals can accurately track the progression of the disease   
         and determine the most appropriate course of treatment.   
      
       * Assessing musculoskeletal disorders such as tendonitis, tennis   
       elbow and   
         carpal tunnel syndrome. By monitoring changes in tissue stiffness,   
         this technology can provide valuable insight into the progression   
         of these conditions, allowing doctors to develop individualized   
         treatment plans for their patients.   
      
       * Diagnosis and monitoring for myocardial ischemia. By monitoring   
       arterial   
         wall elasticity, doctors can identify early signs of the condition   
         and make timely interventions to prevent further damage.   
      
   Wearable ultrasound patches accomplish the detection function of   
   traditional ultrasound and also break through the limitations of   
   traditional ultrasound technology, such as one-time testing, testing   
   only within hospitals and the need for staff operation.   
      
   "This allows patients to continuously monitor their health status anytime,   
   anywhere," said Hu.   
      
   This could help reduce misdiagnoses and fatalities, as well as   
   significantly cutting costs by providing a non-invasive and low-cost   
   alternative to traditional diagnostic procedures.   
      
   "This new wave of wearable ultrasound technology is driving a   
   transformation in the healthcare monitoring field, improving patient   
   outcomes, reducing healthcare costs and promoting the widespread adoption   
   of point-of-care diagnosis," said Yuxiang Ma, a visiting student in the   
   Xu group and study coauthor. "As this technology continues to develop,   
   it is likely that we will see even more significant advances in the   
   field of medical imaging and healthcare monitoring."  The array conforms   
   to human skin and acoustically couples with it, allowing for accurate   
   elastographic imaging validated with magnetic resonance elastography.   
      
   In testing, the device was used to map three-dimensional distributions of   
   the Young's modulus of tissues ex vivo, to detect microstructural damage   
   in the muscles of volunteers prior to the onset of soreness and monitor   
   the dynamic recovery process of muscle injuries during physiotherapy.   
      
   The device consists of a 16 by 16 array. Each element is composed of a 1-   
   3 composite element and a backing layer made from a silver-epoxy composite   
   designed to absorb excessive vibration, broadening the bandwidth and   
   improving axial resolution.   
      
   Professor Xu is now commercializing this technology via Softsonics LLC.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Health_&_Medicine   
                   # Medical_Devices # Medical_Imaging # Today's_Healthcare   
                   # Diseases_and_Conditions   
             o Matter_&_Energy   
                   # Medical_Technology # Wearable_Technology # Ultrasound   
                   # Technology   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Minimally_invasive_procedure o Conflict_resolution o   
             Scanning_electron_microscope o Magnetic_resonance_imaging o   
             CAT_scan o Alternative_medicine o Interventional_radiology   
             o Underwater_explosion   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   University_of_California_-_San_Diego. Original written by Emerson   
   Dameron. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Related Multimedia:   
       * The_Patch   
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Hongjie Hu, Yuxiang Ma, Xiaoxiang Gao, Dawei Song, Mohan Li,   
      Hao Huang,   
         Xuejun Qian, Ray Wu, Keren Shi, Hong Ding, Muyang Lin, Xiangjun   
         Chen, Wenbo Zhao, Baiyan Qi, Sai Zhou, Ruimin Chen, Yue Gu,   
         Yimu Chen, Yusheng Lei, Chonghe Wang, Chunfeng Wang, Yitian   
         Tong, Haotian Cui, Abdulhameed Abdal, Yangzhi Zhu, Xinyu Tian,   
         Zhaoxin Chen, Chengchangfeng Lu, Xinyi Yang, Jing Mu, Zhiyuan Lou,   
         Mohammad Eghtedari, Qifa Zhou, Assad Oberai, Sheng Xu. Stretchable   
         ultrasonic arrays for the three-dimensional mapping of the   
         modulus of deep tissue. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2023; DOI:   
         10.1038/s41551-023-01038-w   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230502201346.htm   
      
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