Mechanical Engineering contributes to the diagnosis of breat cancer

Associate Professor Lorenzo Smith, a member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering who is currently serving as the Associate Dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science, has a long track record of using his expertise in support of the auto industry. However, recently Smith has expanded his interests into biomedical research. His paper A Numerical Investigation of Breast Compression: A Computer-Aided Design Approach for Prescribing Boundary Conditions was published in the October issue of the IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (Volume 58, Pages 2876-2884). The lead author on this study was MacArthur Lamar Stewart, a graduate student in the Mechanical Engineering PhD Program who obtained his doctorate this year. This research was supported by an Oakland University-Beaumont Multidisciplinary Research Award, and Stewart presented their results at the OU-Beaumont Biomedical Research Symposium in February, 2011. Part of the introduction to their paper (with citations removed) is presented below:

”Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women in the Western world. According to the National Cancer Institute, the 5-year survival rate is 98% when the cancer is in situ and found in its early stages. When the cancer is found in its later stages, the 5-year survival rate drops to 26%. The National Cancer Institute estimated that 207,090 women were diagnosed with breast cancer with 39,840 associated deaths in 2010 . Mortality rates have decreased over the past several years due to improved cancer treatments and early detection.

A diagnostic breast MRI exam is an additional imaging test when cancer is suspected. Typically, the goal of this exam is to clarify an inconclusive mammogram or ultrasound exam. If a suspect lesion is identified that cannot be felt from a palpation exam, an MRI-guided breast biopsy is typically performed. During the diagnostic breast MRI exam, the patient is positioned in the prone position with the breast hanging under the force of gravity. However, the breast is compressed between rigid plates to stabilize the breast and prevent movement of suspect lesions, during the biopsy….

The objective of this paper was to investigate the efficacy of constructing surfaces corresponding to the biopsy MR [magnetic resonance] volume and using them to deform the FE [finite element] breast mesh. We developed our FE model from patient-specific breast diagnostic and biopsy MR volumes….”