OncoNavigator

Reference: NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000059

Date: 2021-present

Budget: 588.112,91€

OncoNavigator – Intelligent System for Personalized Navigation and Mapping of Oncological Interventions

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer worldwide and one of the most dreadful diseases that affect women. Each year, 2.1M women have breast cancer and in 2018, 15% of all deaths from cancer in women were caused by breast cancer, corresponding to 627,000 deaths. Moreover, the prevalence of breast cancer is expected to increase during the next years.

In this project, named OncoNavigator, we propose a novel navigation framework that combines for the first time the information from real-time medical imaging (US) and magnetic breast lesion tracker with a collaborative medical robotic to improve the precision of current breast cancer interventions, while guaranteeing a safe, faster and easier treatment.

Overall, the proposed framework is expected to increase the efficiency of the traditional breast oncological procedures by adding the required precision due to the robot-guided solution, by increasing the intra-interventional information with the enhanced lesion visualization, and by using a robust magnetic targeting system. Finally, the framework is expected to reduce the influence of physician expertise, minimize human errors, and improve the procedure outcomes for the patients.

Results:

Poster Presentations at International Conferences:

M. R. Ferreira et al., “Comparative Analysis of Current Deep Learning Networks for Breast Lesion Segmentation in Ultrasound Images”, in IEEE EMBC 2022 (Glasgow, Scotland). [Full Paper].
A. Real et al., “A sensorized needle guide for ultrasound assisted breast biopsy”, in EMBC 2022 (Glasgow, Scotland). [Full Paper].
J. N. Costa, et al. “Ultrasound training simulator using augmented reality glasses: an accuracy and precision assessment study”. in EMBC 2022 (Glasgow, Scotland). [Full Paper]

Oral Presentations at International Conferences:

R. Ribeiro et al., “Deep learning methods for lesion detection on mammography images: a comparative analysis”, in EMBC 2022 (Glasgow, Scotland). [Full Paper].

National Dissemination

Recently the project OncoNavigator was presented in a tv show “Ensino: O Desafio do Superior em Portugal”, in RTP1 channel.

Link: https://www.rtp.pt/play/p10505/e631016/ensino-o-desafio-do-superior-em-portugal

Team:

  • João L. Vilaça (PI)
  • Pedro Morais
  • Vítor Carvalho
  • António Moreira
  • Estela Vilhena
  • Luís Ferreira
  • Demétrio Matos
  • Miguel Terroso
  • Agostinha Gomes
  • Sónia Monteiro
  • Bruno Oliveira
  • Helena Torres
  • Fernando Veloso

Research fellows:

  • Ana Margarida Ferreira
  • Andreia Caldas
  • António Real
  • Beatriz Pinto
  • José Nuno Costa
  • Raúl Ribeiro
  • Rolands Strozs

Acknowledgments: