Impedance Tomography Busbar System for Breast Cancer Screening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current impedance tomography methods for breast cancer screening are invasive, uncomfortable, and require ionizing radiation, while also being impractical due to the large number of conductors needed for high-resolution imaging, which limits the ability to closely place electrodes and increases complexity and error.
Innovation Solution
A system using a multi-conductor busbar connected to multiple sensing components, where the controller sequentially activates pairs of sensing components as current sources and sinks, obtaining voltage readings to compute a 3D dataset of impedance values, allowing for high-resolution imaging with fewer conductors and reducing complexity and error.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional impedance tomography methods use multiple conductors for each electrode to achieve high-resolution imaging, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple electrode connections into a single shared conductor. The controller sequentially activates different electrodes as current sources and sinks, allowing a single conductor to serve multiple electrodes at different time points. This merging approach maintains the ability to perform multiple measurements while dramatically reducing the number of physical conductors needed, thus reducing device complexity while preserving measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically reconfigures the electrical connections by sequentially switching which electrodes serve as current sources and which serve as voltage sensing points. This dynamic activation allows the same physical conductor to be used for different measurement configurations at different times, enabling high-resolution imaging capabilities without requiring a proportional increase in the number of conductors.
2Measurement precision
If x-ray mammography is used for breast cancer screening, then detection accuracy is improved, but harmful factors increase due to ionizing radiation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the x-ray imaging mechanism with an electrical impedance-based measurement system. Instead of using ionizing radiation to image breast tissue, the system uses electrical currents and measures impedance variations to detect abnormalities. This substitution eliminates the harmful ionizing radiation while providing an alternative detection method that can identify cancerous tissue through its different electrical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the electrical properties of tissue (impedance, conductivity) into diagnostic information. By measuring how electrical current flows through different tissue types, the system can detect cancerous lesions which have different electrical characteristics than healthy tissue. This approach transforms electrical measurements into a beneficial diagnostic tool that avoids radiation exposure.
3Measurement precision
If ultrasound scanning is used for breast examination, then detection capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring expert physician operation and causing patient discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The impedance-based system is designed to be more self-service oriented and less dependent on expert operator interpretation. The electrical measurements can be automatically acquired and processed by the controller, reducing the need for skilled ultrasound technicians to manually manipulate probes and interpret images in real-time. This makes the examination process more accessible and comfortable for patients while maintaining detection capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables comfortable, low-cost, and radiation-free breast cancer screening with high-resolution 3D impedance mapping, improving detection accuracy and reducing the need for ionizing radiation.
Implementation Method 1
obtain a plurality of surface voltages, by sequentially activating each of the other sensing components as a respective voltage sensor, and obtaining a respective voltage reading while alternating current (AC) is transmitted between the first and second sensing components, wherein the plurality of voltages and current obtained for each pair of first and second sensing component of each iteration are provided for computation of a three dimensional (3D) dataset of 3D impedance values of the body portion
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a system for mixed imaging modalities including impedance based analysis of a body portion of a patient, comprising: multi conductor busbar(s), each connected to a controller and at least two of multiple sensing components, a controller arranged to: iteratively perform: sequentially activate as a current source, a first sensing component previously un-used as the current source in earlier iterations, sequentially activating as a current sink, a second sensing component previously un-used as the current sink in earlier iterations, obtain surface voltages, by sequentially activating each of the other sensing components as a respective voltage sensor, and obtaining a respective voltage reading while alternating current is transmitted between the first and second sensing components, wherein the voltages and current obtained for each pair of first and second sensing component of each iteration are provided for computation of a 3D dataset of 3D impedance values of the body portion.