A mini patch that performs ultrasounds has been developed by researchers from the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego).

According to its developers, the elastic, adhesive patch can measure tissue stiffness up to 4 cm underneath the skin with a reported spatial resolution of 0.5 mm.

Source: UC San Diego

To create the patch, the UC San Diego team “integrated an array of ultrasound elements into a soft elastomer matrix and used wavy serpentine stretchable electrodes to connect these elements,” resulting in a patch that can reportedly perform ultrasounds and medical monitoring remotely.

The developers explained that the patch is comprised of a 16 x 16 array of transducer elements connected together by a seven layer electrode and enveloped by a waterproof and biocompatible silicone elastomer. Meanwhile a backing layer composed of silver epoxy absorbs vibrations, thereby expanding bandwidth and improving resolution. Additionally, the patch captures 3D images underlying tissue.

In addition to capturing ultrasound images, the research team suggests that the patch can be used to monitor the health of the wearer remotely, potentially tracking the progression of cancerous cells, which tend to stiffen as they spread; assessing sports injuries that affect tendons, ligaments and muscles; and analyzing the treatments for liver and cardiovascular diseases, for instance.

The tiny patch is detailed in the article, “Stretchable ultrasonic arrays for the three-dimensional mapping of the modulus of deep tissue,” which appears in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.