For individuals at high risk of breast cancer, frequent screenings are critical for early detection, but traditional ultrasound machines are bulky, expensive, and require trained technicians. Now, researchers at MIT have developed a miniaturized ultrasound system designed to make frequent breast scans more accessible—both at home and in clinical settings.
The new device combines a compact ultrasound probe with a data acquisition and processing module slightly larger than a smartphone. When connected to a laptop, the system can reconstruct wide-angle, 3D images of breast tissue in real-time, potentially enabling earlier detection of tumors and improving treatment outcomes.
“Everything is more compact, and that can make it easier to be used in rural areas or for people who may have barriers to this kind of technology,” said Canan Dagdeviren, MIT associate professor of media arts and sciences and senior author of the study.
Addressing the Limitations of Traditional Screening
While mammograms remain the standard for routine breast cancer screening, tumors can develop between annual scans. Known as interval cancers, these tumors account for 20 to 30 percent of cases and are often more aggressive. Detecting them early is vital: the survival rate for early-stage breast cancer approaches 100 percent, but drops to around 25 percent for later-stage diagnoses.
Currently, ultrasound is typically used only as a follow-up when a mammogram shows potential abnormalities. Traditional ultrasound systems are large, costly, and require skilled technicians—barriers that limit access in rural areas and developing countries.
“By creating ultrasound systems that are portable and easier to use, we hope to make frequent scanning accessible to many more people,” said Shrihari Viswanath, a co-author of the study.
A Portable Solution for Comprehensive Imaging
The MIT team previously developed a flexible patch with embedded ultrasound transducers that could generate 3D breast images. However, gaps in coverage and the need for a large, costly processing machine limited its practicality.
In their latest study, published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, the researchers introduced a chirped data acquisition system (cDAQ). The system includes a deck-of-cards–sized ultrasound probe with an array arranged in a square shape, enabling 3D imaging of underlying tissue from just two or three placements. The motherboard processes the data, is about the size of a smartphone, and costs roughly $300 to produce using commercially available components.
“Traditional 3D ultrasound systems require expensive and bulky electronics, limiting their use to high-end hospitals,” said MIT Provost Anantha Chandrakasan. “By redesigning the system to be ultra-sparse and energy-efficient, this powerful diagnostic tool can move into a wearable form factor that is accessible for patients everywhere.”
The device also uses significantly less power than conventional ultrasound machines and can run on a 5V DC supply, such as a battery or small adapter.
Successful Early Testing and Future Plans
In initial testing on a 71-year-old woman with a history of breast cysts, the device successfully created 3D images without gaps, accurately depicting cyst locations and sizes. It can image as deep as 15 centimeters into breast tissue, and unlike standard probes, does not distort tissue by pressing against it.
The team is now conducting a larger clinical trial at the MIT Center for Clinical and Translational Research and Massachusetts General Hospital. They are also developing an even smaller version of the processing system, roughly the size of a fingernail, which could be paired with a smartphone app using AI to guide probe placement.
While the current device could be adapted for clinical use, future iterations may become wearable, enabling at-home screening for high-risk individuals. Dagdeviren is working on commercializing the technology with support from MIT HEALS, the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, and the MIT Media Lab WHx Women’s Health Innovation Fund.
Lead authors of the study include Colin Marcus (PhD ’25) and former MIT postdoc Md Osman Goni Nayeem, alongside MIT graduate students Aastha Shah, Jason Hou, Shrihari Viswanath, MIT Media Lab Research Specialist David Sadat, MIT Provost Anantha Chandrakasan, and MGH breast surgeon Tolga Ozmen.
