Researchers have developed a prototype robot that can perform breast exams and sense lumps that may indicate cancer. Although still in its early stages, they say their robot could improve the likelihood of early detection of breast cancer. A breast exam performed by a doctor -- a clinical breast exam, or CBE -- is key to detecting breast cancer early, thereby improving the chances of a full recovery. While most lumps are discovered through self-examination, a CBE performed by a specialist may reveal suspicious areas that require further testing.
Now, researchers at the University of Bristol in the UK have put this important diagnostic technology into the hands of robots, or rather, into the hands of a 3D-printed robot specifically designed to perform CBE.
George Jenkinson, lead author of the study, said: "There are conflicting views about the role of clinical breast examination (CBE) on population health outcomes. There is general agreement that if done correctly, it can be a very useful, low-risk diagnostic technique."
The researchers used 3D printing to 3D print their device, a "manipulator" they call IRIS, an acronym for Robotic Radial Palpation Mechanism for Breast Examination. They used IRIS to conduct simulation experiments on digital breasts and laboratory experiments on silicone breasts.
"As part of this, the first question we wanted to answer was whether a specialized robotic hand could be demonstrated to have the dexterity required to palpate real breast size and shape," Jenkinson said.
Through simulations, they performed thousands of palpations (the process of examining the body with the hands) and tested many hypothetical situations to calculate the difference between using two, three or four tactile sensors. In the lab, they used silicone breasts to determine whether the simulation was accurate and to test the force used by IRIS during palpation.
The researchers say IRIS can use very specific forces, similar to those used by human medical professionals, and utilize sensor technology to detect lumps, including those deep within breast tissue.
For now, the device is just a prototype. The researchers' ultimate goal is to have the manipulator detect lumps more accurately and more deeply than using human touch alone. They plan to achieve this by using CBE technology used by medical professionals to teach artificial intelligence.
"We hope this study will contribute to and add to the arsenal of techniques for diagnosing breast cancer and generate a wealth of data related to it that may be useful in trying to identify large-scale trends that could aid in the early diagnosis of breast cancer," Jenkinson said.
The researchers envision that, once perfected, IRIS will be placed in easily accessible locations such as pharmacies and health centers to provide women with safe, accurate CBE. It could also be combined with existing diagnostic technologies such as ultrasound, they said.
"We've laid all the groundwork so far. We've now demonstrated that our robotic system has the dexterity needed to perform clinical breast examinations - and we hope that, in the future, this will actually help diagnose cancer earlier," Jenkinson said.
The study is currently unpublished, a PDF version of it can be found here:
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2023/october/new-robot-could-help-diagnose-breast-cancer-early.html