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Goal
Develop an intravascular ultrasonic (IVUS) probe which will be inserted into a core biopsy needle to provide better imaging without artifact during mammographic and MRI guided biopsy procedures.
Team members (left to right): Noelle, Joe, Megan, and Kevin.
Problem Description
Biopsy provides the absolute diagnosis as to whether malignant tissue exists. Core biopsy is a relatively new and popular method by which small sections of suspicious tissue are removed for pathological analysis. Given accurate needle placement, radiologists can verify the presence or absence of cancer. However, inaccurate needle placement can lead to false negatives. In such cases, the radiologist is unsure as to whether a malignant tumor is present but was missed by biopsy, or if the suspicious area was biopsed correctly and is indeed benign.
Proposed Design
An insertable, rotating IVUS probe (30-40 MHz) will provide the necessary side-viewing ultrasound capability for the core biopsy needle.
Testing complete on ultrasound gel, fresh orange, water, and raw turkey breast phantoms. Artifact from the core biopsy needle and its reduction by use of plastic insert prototype was also analyzed. Some images below. Refer to Methods, Materials, and Results.doc file under Presentations and Reports for a full data summary including annotated images.
40 Hz IVUS probe (left). Transducer spins at 1800 rpm, providing ~30 frames/sec. Close-up view of transducer, marked at X (right).
Imaging was conducted at Medical Physics, in Medical Sciences building on campus. A variety of phantoms were used to characterize high frequency ultrasound images of abnormal and normal breast tissues.
Ultrasound machine used for initial testing at Medical Physics. Data was recorded onto VHS, with digital images being captured with a frame grabber.
Preliminary phantoms to test the probe included ultrasonic gel and oranges. Calcifications were then simulated by placing tiny pieces of mineral block inside the orange.
Image of Ultrasonic Gel in a plastic tube. Tubing is on outside characterized by the ring and is about a cm in diameter (left). The same phantom with 28% calcium calcification. Note, it is much easier to see in video@ 16min(right).
Image produced by the probe of an orange without calcifications (left). Possible calcification in orange phantom (right).
A raw turkey breast phantom was then used to test the image produced by the probe in actual tissue. Testing was also performed with the probe inside of the actual biopsy needle to determine the artifact it produced.
We developed a plastic rod to insert into the biopsy needle. This rod guides the placement of the probe and reduces artifact produced by the metal needle. The following pictures are what our prototype looks like.
Plastic Insert Guides the IVUS probe and stabilizes its placement within the core biopsy needle. This will also inhance imaging quality as it reduces the amount of artifact produced by the metal needle.
Final Prototype Our final prototype consists of a core biopsy needle with an IVUS probe and plastic insert piece (shown above).
Raw turkey breast phantom Effect of prototype design: probe in needle (left), versus probe in needle with plastic insert (right). Needle artifact is greatly reduced.
Final Poster Presentation
We presented the work that we performed this semester at the BME poster presentation which took place on Friday April 30.
| Week | Reporting Period Beginning | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 23 | form teams, select project, contact client |
| 2 | January 30 | literature search; meet with client |
| 3 | February 6 | develop understanding of project; develop PDS |
| 4 | February 13 | brainstorm |
| 5 | February 20 | evaluate three possible designs |
| 6 | February 27 | work on presentations |
| 7 | March 5 | PowerPoint slides on website by 10:00 am; website up to date |
| 8 | March 12 | decide on final design; hand in written report including PDS and design notebook |
| 9 | March 19 | Spring Break! |
| 10 | March 26 | work on design |
| 11 | April 2 | work on design |
| 12 | April 9 | work on design |
| 13 | April 16 | work on design |
| 14 | April 23 | FinalPoster Presentations |
| 15 | April 30 | hand in written report and notebook, final meeting with advisor |
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Improving Breast Biopsy Using IVUS Probes (Mar 12 2004, 5332 kb) |
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Midsemester Report (Mar 12 2004, 191 kb) |
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Methods, Materials, and Results (Apr 28 2004, 1437 kb) |
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Design Video, 2min 18sec, 23mb (Apr 28 2004, 23941 kb) |
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Final Poster Presentation (May 4 2004, 73 kb) |
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PDS (May 4 2004, 29 kb) |
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Final Report (May 4 2004, 1737 kb) |
