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 Healthcare
Piezoelectric
materials and devices have significant applications in
healthcare.
Piezoelectric
technology enables higher quality echographic images with
improved resolution and penetration depth. It will produce
miniature probes for intracavitary examinations, and improved
Doppler blood flow measurements.
Piezoelectricity
supports new imaging techniques which enable quantitative tissue
characterisation and elasticity mapping. And it has benefits in
therapies including ultrasonic surgery and localised drug
delivery.
Cancer diagnosis
and treatment is expected to benefit from development of
piezoelectric materials and devices. This is already the case
for prostate cancer, where piezoelectric imaging probes are used
to detect, localise and evaluate the extension of tumours.
High power
piezoelectric applicators are used to destroy the pathological
tissues by ultrasonic surgery, and the imaging device monitors
tissue destruction and verifies that the entire tumour has been
treated.
Miniature sensors,
associated with mobile telecommunications, will allow monitoring
of chronic diseases without the need to keep the patient in
hospital.
Cardiovascular
diseases will benefit through miniature disposable probes to
inspect and treat blood vessels and the inside of the heart.
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