A wearable electronic breast cancer detector called the iTBra is currently being tested at Ohio State University.
The wearable bra-like technology uses electronic sensors to detect the levels of heat in the breasts, which fluctuates over time when cancer forms in the breast.
“The concept behind it is basically that when cancer forms in the breast, it changes the circadian rhythm in the breast,” said the project’s principal investigator, Dr. William Farrar. “The whole idea about when to do mammograms, how often you get them; this may help identify what group of patients need to get a mammogram earlier and in the dense population, which ones need to get an MRI or some other testing to detect cancers.”
The project was first launched in 1988, but Farrar claims that the “technology behind it has improved tremendously” since. “It’s the same principle” though, claims Farrar.
“Our iTBra technology was successfully tested with over 200 patients. Cyrcadia Health solution demonstrated an 87% correlation to a verified, clinical diagnosis of breast cancer including with those patients with dense breast tissue,” boasts the technology’s parent company, Cyrcadia Health. “Women with the earliest detection have more treatment options and the best treatment results. Wearing the iTBra for 2 to 12 hours is a comfortable way to have a highly accurate monthly self-breast exam.”
Though the technology is currently being trialed at Ohio State University, Farrar expressed his hope in an interview with 10TV that the technology will one day be as freely available behind counters as DIY pregnancy tests, making breast cancer detection and prevention as easy for everyone as possible.
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