Flexible Nanocomposite Polymer Based Sensors for Breast Cancer Diagnostics

According to the data published by WHO, it is estimated that 226,870 women in United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 39,510 women will die of breast cancer in 2012. On average, 110 american women will die of breast cancer every day. Mammography, the current standard in screening breast cancer, is uncomfortable, requires specialized facilities and exposes the breast to a small but significant amount of radiation. It is known that exposing the breast to mammography radiation can lead to breast cancer later in life, and is not recommended for women below the age of 39. Over last decade, with hightened awareness, survival rate for women with breast cancer is increased dramatically when diagnosed at an early stage and has resulted an increase in survival rates.

In order to slove the isssues with mamography, we are developing an Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) system. We have developed a high density flexible sensor array on a silicone polymer sheets, to deliver small electrical impulses to the breast and measure the resistance of the underlying tissue. These measurements allow us to generate a 3-D map of the breast, with abnormalities indicated as areas of higher resistance/impedance. This radiation-less technique, termed Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT), aims to solve the problems associated with mammography while enhancing early detection capabilities.