Ultrasound Technologies for use in High-Resolution Imaging and Precision Ablation Applications

本提案描述了一个高度技术性和原创性研究项目的延续和更新，该项目专注于开发用于微创手术的超声技术。微创手术是指对患者健康组织造成最小损害的外科手术。这已经成为许多外科手术的标准护理，因为与开放手术相比，它可以减少出血量，减少并发症，并缩短患者的恢复时间。为了尽量减少对健康组织的损害，同时获得进入病变组织的机会，需要创建小切口和进入途径。这已经彻底改变了大多数脑肿瘤切除的方法，这些方法只在颅骨上钻一个小洞，并使用小型内窥镜工具进行切除，主要是在手术显微镜的指导下进行的。类似的突破性方法最近也被应用于脊柱、腹部、心脏等部位。这些手术通常在光学内窥镜和光学显微镜的指导下进行。

This proposal describes the continuation and renewal of a highly technical and original research program focused on developing ultrasound technologies for use in minimally invasive surgery. Minimally invasive surgery refers to surgical procedures that result in minimal damage to healthy tissue in patients. This has become the standard of care in numerous surgical procedures as it results in less blood loss, fewer complications, and faster recovery times for patients when compared to open surgery. To minimize damage to healthy tissue while gaining access to the diseased tissue, small incisions and access pathways are created. This has revolutionized the approach to the majority of brain tumor resections where only a small hole is drilled into the skull, and the resection is performed using small endoscopic tools, mostly under the guidance of a surgical microscope. Similar ground-breaking approaches have also recently been adapted for the spine, abdomen, heart, etc. These surgeries are typically performed under the guidance of optical endoscopes and optical microscopes. As the overall trend in surgery moves towards minimally invasive approaches, a need has been created for more advanced endoscopic instruments. For example, optical imaging microscopes and endoscopes provide no information beyond the surface of what you are about to cut. Intra operative CT and MRI imaging has been attempted in a few minimally invasive procedures, but these modalities are expensive and often do not provide the required level of resolution for the procedure. Not only is there a need for high resolution depth resolved endoscopic imaging tools, but also for precision therapeutic technology in an endoscopic form factor. This proposal will further advance endoscopic technologies hat have recently been developed in this research program. Specifically, the objectives are to advance the previously developed high-resolution miniature ultrasound imaging endoscope, and high-speed electronic hardware. We have demonstrated that real-time 2D ultrasound imaging and guided tissue ablation can be achieved in a miniature form factor, however, due to space constraints in minimally invasive approaches, there are limitations to capturing only a 2D image. This is in contrast to ultrasound imaging from outside the body where the probe can be moved around freely making 2D images sufficient for most applications. The proposed research program will use advanced microfabrication and newly developed imaging methods to establish an ultrasound endoscope and electronic hardware that is capable of real-time high-resolution 3D imaging. Not only could this technology revolutionize the next generation of surgical methods, it could also majorly contribute to Canada's emerging medical technology sector.