Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women around the world. The best way to fight it is by catching it early. But not everyone has easy access to hospitals or imaging centers. That’s why a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) created something that could help many women everywhere: a small, wearable ultrasound patch that fits inside a bra.
It might sound like science fiction but this real, working device could make early breast cancer detection easier, faster, and more comfortable.
A Patch That Sees Inside the Body
The device, called the conformable ultrasound breast patch (cUSBr-Patch), is a flexible piece of equipment made using 3D printing. It fits neatly inside a regular bra and it’s not bulky or uncomfortable. The patch has six openings where a tiny scanner can be placed and moved around. This helps it take clear pictures of the breast tissue from different angle.
The scanner can rotate and move through a honeycomb path on the patch. This design helps doctors get images from many spots not just one area. As MIT News reports, this system allows “standardized and reproducible ultrasound imaging,” giving results similar to the machines used in hospitals.
Dr. Tolga Ozmen, a breast cancer surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital who worked on the project said, “This conformable ultrasound patch is a highly promising technology as it eliminates the need for women to travel to an imaging center.”
It Passed the First Test
To see if the patch really works, the team tested it on a 71-year-old woman who had breast cysts. The patch was able to find cysts as small as 0.3 centimeters—almost the same size as early-stage tumors. These images were later checked by an ultrasound expert who confirmed the patch’s accuracy.
Even more impressive, the scanner found the same cyst multiple times over a 30-minute session, checking every 15 minutes. That repeat performance is important for monitoring changes in breast tissue.
“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, in an article from Study Finds.
Built With Smart and Strong Materials
The patch is made from two different layers. The first is thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is soft and bends easily to fit the shape of the breast. The second is polylactic acid (PLA) which helps it stay strong and keep its shape.
Inside the device there are powerful piezoelectric materials—these are special parts that help turn sound waves into images. The tiny scanner can rotate 360 degrees and move through up to 15 different spots, which allows it to scan nearly the entire breast area.
MIT’s School of Engineering Dean, Anantha Chandrakasan, called this a big step forward: “This work will significantly advance ultrasound research and medical device designs.” He also pointed out that the project used “new materials, low-power circuits, and AI algorithms” to bring it to life.
Solving a Dangerous Problem
One of the big challenges in breast cancer detection is interval cancers—these are tumors that grow in between regular check-ups. According to Healthcare In Europe these types make up 20 to 30 percent of all breast cancer cases. They’re often more dangerous because they’re found later.
This new patch could be a solution. It allows women to do screenings more often—right at home—without needing to go to a clinic.
Dr. Canan Dagdeviren, the scientist who led the team and designed the mini scanner, said, “We changed the form factor of the ultrasound technology so that it can be used in your home. It’s portable and easy to use and provides real-time, user-friendly monitoring of breast tissue.”
What Comes Next?
Right now, the patch needs to be connected to regular ultrasound machines. But the team is working on a smaller version—one that’s about the size of a smartphone. That would make it even easier to use at home, anytime.
They’re also planning to add artificial intelligence (AI) to the device. With AI the patch could track small changes in breast tissue over time. This might help doctors catch cancer even earlier by noticing patterns or signals that humans might miss.
And it doesn’t stop with breast cancer. The researchers are thinking about ways to use this technology on other parts of the body too which could lead to more ways of spotting health problems early.
A Personal Mission to Help Others
For Dr. Dagdeviren, this invention is deeply personal. Her aunt passed away just six months after being diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer, even though she had regular check-ups.
“My goal is to target the people who are most likely to develop interval cancer,” she said. “With more frequent screening, our goal is to increase the survival rate up to 98 percent.”
That goal may be closer than ever. According to Tech Target if breast cancer is found early, the survival rate is close to 100 percent. But when it’s found late, that number drops to around 25 percent.
This patch could help women all over the world—especially those who live far from hospitals or have trouble getting to regular screenings. By making testing easier and more frequent the team at MIT hopes to save lives and make breast cancer less frightening for millions.
