Tactile Sensation Imaging for Tumor Detection

Diagnosing early formation of tumors or lumps, particularly those caused by cancer, has been a challenging problem. To help physicians detect tumors more efficiently, various imaging techniques with different imaging modalities such as computer tomography, ultrasonic imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and mammography, have been developed. However, each of these techniques has limitations, including exposure to radiation, excessive costs, and complexity of machinery. Tissue elasticity is an important indicator of tissue health, with increased stiffness pointing to an increased risk of cancer. In addition to increased tissue elasticity, geometric parameters such as size of a tissue inclusion are also important factors in assessing the tumor. The combined knowledge of tissue elasticity and its geometry would aid in tumor identification. In this book, we present a tactile sensation imaging system (TSIS) and algorithms which can be used for practical medical diagnostic experiments for measuring stiffness and geometry of tissue inclusion.