A group of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras on January 18 announced developing an ultrasound-based temperature tracking for monitoring treatment.
Unlike other imaging modalities, ultrasound combines several advantages such as safety (non-ionizing), real-time capability and portability. The technology developed by IIT researchers will be ultrasound-based instead of MRI thus making it accessible and affordable.
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"Having multi-parametric image feedback allows for accurate real-time monitoring for a wide range of thermal therapies. These techniques can be incorporated as a software in existing scanners by the manufacturers and thus do not require any special electronics hardware," IIT Madras's Department of Applied Mechanics Prof Arun K Thittai said.
The solution involves obtaining diagnostic ultrasound signals from the tissue, where heating is applied non-invasively from outside either through microwave applicator or high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). HIFU, the researcher said. The signals are processed specifically, using prior knowledge from the physics of wave interaction with the tissue medium.
The thermal therapy using HIFU is already in use for treating solid tumours (both cancerous and benign).
The team was also awarded the ‘SITARE - Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Appreciation 2020’ for the project.
The practical benefits of this technology in the healthcare field include:
a) Non-invasive treatment and real-time monitoring of the process.d) Feedback can be readily integrated with low-intensity ultrasound heat therapy devices that are commonly used in most physiotherapy centers.
The results from these studies have been presented and published in various international conferences over the past year.