Ultrasound imaging needle may soon transform heart surgery

Scientists have developed a new optical ultrasound needle that can be used to image heart tissue in real-time during keyhole procedures. The technology has been successfully used for minimally invasive heart surgery in pigs, giving an unprecedented, high-resolution view of soft tissues up to 2.5 centimetres in front of the instrument, inside the body.

Doctors currently rely on external ultrasound probes combined with pre-operative imaging scans to visualise soft tissue and organs during keyhole procedures as the miniature surgical instruments used do not support internal ultrasound imaging. Researchers at University College London (UCL) and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in the UK designed and built the optical ultrasound technology to fit into existing single-use medical devices, such as a needle.

“The optical ultrasound needle is perfect for procedures where there is a small tissue target that is hard to see during keyhole surgery using current methods and missing it could have disastrous consequences,” said Malcolm Finlay from QMUL. “We now have real-time imaging that allows us to differentiate between tissues at a remarkable depth, helping to guide the highest risk moments of these procedures,” said Finlay, who co-led the study published in the journal Light: Science & Applications.

“This will reduce the …read more