Industry Partner: PPS UK (Pressure Profile)
Overview: In recent years, a relatively new modality for cancer diagnostics termed Elasticity Imaging (EI) has emerged. EI allows visualization and semi-quantitative assessment of mechanical properties of soft tissue. Mechanical properties of tissues (i.e. elastic modulus and viscosity) are highly sensitive to tissue structural changes accompanying various physiological and pathological processes. A change in Young’s modulus of tissue during the development of a tumour could reach thousands of percent. Elasticity Imaging is based on generating a stress in the tissue using various static or dynamic means and measuring resulting strain by ultrasound or MRI. Tactile Imaging (TI) is an alternative form of Elastic Imaging that more closely mimics manual palpation. In Tactile imaging, compression is applied by a probe and the resulting stress image measured directly using an array of pressure sensors on the probe’s face (similar to human fingers during clinical examination).
Clinical data on the diagnostic/screening potential of breast TI indicate that it is superior to the clinical breast exam and comparable or superior to mammography. Advantages of TI include inherently low cost, ease-of-use, portability, no ionising radiation, and minimal training requirements. A system developed by the sponsor PPS (www.pressureprofile.com), is currently being commericalised by Bexa (www.mybexa.com).
Tactile imaging is well suited screening for potential lesions, but is limited in differentiating benign cysts and tumours.
Ultrasonic imaging is too targeted to perform a global scan of the breast, but can differentiate between cysts and tumours, reducing the need for biopsy. This PhD will investigate the fusion of stress (tactile) and strain (ultrasonic) to optimise breast cancer screening.
Key Objectives:
· Understand the state of the art in breast imaging using tactile imaging and ultrasonic imaging.
· Develop procedures and algorithms that use a combination of TI to find and ultrasound to diagnose lesions
· Develop a hybrid ultrasonic/tactile imagine sensor module and demonstrate the concept
· Investigate methods/algorithms of combining stress (TI) and strain (ultrasound) at a fundamental level to enhance diagnosis capability
Pre-requisite skills / skills to be learnt during the course of PhD:
Tactile imaging, medical imaging, breast cancer diagnosis, sensing/measurement science, signal processing and machine learning.
How to Apply:
Applications must be submitted through the University of Glasgow online application system with a cover letter, CV, two references and your transcript/degree certificate. When applying to this project, please insert the project name in to the “proposed thesis title” section and add “Prof Sandy Cochran” as the supervisor for the application.
Application deadline: 20th July 2022
For enquiries, please email [Email Address Removed]
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