Conformable Sparse-Array Ultrasound Patch for Wearable 3D Breast Imaging

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $500,000 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States, yet many individuals face barriers to routine screening due to limited access, high costs, and discomfort. While mammography is the clinical standard, it is radiative and less effective for younger women and those with dense breast tissue. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration now requires that patients be notified about their breast density and advised that additional imaging methods may improve cancer detection. Some aggressive tumors—known as interval cancers—can develop between mammograms and progress rapidly, making early detection especially important. Ultrasound is a safe, noninvasive, and accessible tool for breast cancer screening. However, current handheld ultrasound (HHUS) imaging is highly operator dependent, requires significant training, and typically offers only two-dimensional (2D) imaging, making it easy to miss anomalies unless the imaging plane intersects them precisely. Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) systems provide standardized three-dimensional (3D) imaging with reduced operator variability but are expensive, clinic-bound, and reliant on uncomfortable compression and mechanical scanning. To overcome these limitations, this project introduces a wearable, real-time 3D ultrasound system that is low-power, and optimized for wide-angle, high-resolution volumetric imaging. The system is intended as an adjunct to routine mammography, designed to improve access

Key facts

NSF award ID
2524831
Awardee
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
SAM.gov UEI
E2NYLCDML6V1
PI
Canan Dagdeviren
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Sensor Technology
Estimated total
$500,000
Funds obligated
$500,000
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
10/01/2025 → 09/30/2028