STTR Phase I: Directional minimally invasive microwave antenna for precise spatial control of thermal ablation

该小企业技术转让（STTR）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力包括开发商业概念验证经皮定向微波消融（MWA）施源器，该施源器可为医疗从业者提供治疗癌症的新方法。在临床使用中，定向MWA施源器将有助于MWA治疗的程序和技术简化，节省医院的时间和关键资源，并最终提高广泛患者的癌症治疗质量和可及性。本项目中提出的研究和开发将提高对能够以定向模式辐射的小型化MWA天线的科学和技术理解。具体而言，将在本项目期间研究减少所需天线尺寸和提高效率的特殊材料以及最大化定向消融区尺寸的先进天线设计。拟议技术进步的商业开发可以扩大其在其他医疗条件的治疗或在无线通信等其他行业的应用中的用途。该STTR第一阶段项目将有助于在堪萨斯创造技术工作岗位，该地区几乎没有医疗或技术公司。该STTR第一阶段项目提出开发商业概念验证定向微波消融（MWA）施加器。MWA手术为局部肿瘤和其他疾病提供了具有成本效益的微创治疗选择。这些治疗对于大量的癌症患者尤其重要，这些患者不适合手术或其他对身体要求很高的治疗。然而，目前可用的MWA系统采用具有全向辐射图案的施加器，如果不精确放置，则可能损伤关键的健康组织或导致疾病复发。定向MWA施加器可以促进技术和程序简化，以减轻这些当前的挑战。我们将调查：（1）收缩天线横截面的替代材料和（2）最大化定向微波消融区域尺寸的新型天线几何形状。我们将采用一种方法，将多物理场计算模型、离体组织台式实验和体内动物模型实验整合在一起，以设计、优化和验证我们的设备。我们预期的技术成果是开发一种微波消融器，该微波消融器可提供对辐射模式的定向控制，消融深度大于30 mm，消融体积可与当前临床非定向设备相媲美。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project include development of a commercial proof-of-concept percutaneous directional microwave ablation (MWA) applicator which may provide medical practitioners a new approach for treating cancer. In clinical use, a directional MWA applicator will facilitate both procedural and technical simplification of MWA treatments, saving time and critical resources in hospitals, and ultimately improve quality of, and access to, cancer treatment for a broad range of patients. The research and development proposed in this project will enhance scientific and technological understanding of miniaturized MWA antennas capable of radiating with directional patterns. Specifically, special materials to reduce required antenna dimension and increase efficiency, and advanced antenna designs to maximize the size of directional ablation zones will be studied during this project. Commercial development of the proposed technical advances could expand their use for the treatment of other medical conditions or for applications in other industries such as wireless communications. This STTR Phase I project will contribute to the creation of technology jobs in Kansas, a region where there are few medical or technology companies.This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop a commercial proof-of-concept directional microwave ablation (MWA) applicator. MWA procedures offer cost-effective, minimally-invasive treatment options for localized tumors and other disease. These treatments are especially important to the large population of cancer patients who are poor candidates for surgery or other physically demanding therapies. However, currently available MWA systems employ applicators with omni-directional radiation patterns, which if not placed precisely may damage critical healthy tissues or result in disease recurrence. A directional MWA applicator can facilitate technical and procedural simplifications which to alleviate these current challenges. We will investigate: (1) alternative materials to shrink antenna cross-section and (2) novel antenna geometries to maximize the size of directional microwave ablation zones. We will employ an approach integrating multiphysics computational models, benchtop experimentation in ex vivo tissue, and experiments in animal models in vivo to design, optimize, and validate our device. Our anticipated technical results are the development of a MWA applicator that provides directional control of radiation pattern that can ablate to depths of greater than 30 mm, creating an ablation volume comparable to current clinical non-directional devices.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.