IMAGE-GUIDED HIGH INTENSITY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND FOR MISSION CRITICAL CARE

摘要

Recent funding restrictions, events, and developments have forced NASA to eliminate the capability of a medically equipped rapid transit patient vehicle; accordingly, in medical emergencies, there has been a shift in ISS medical operations from a "stabilize and transport" approach to the current "stand and fight" mode of operations. In addition, plans for extended missions outside of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) must also follow this new "stand and fight" paradigm. The principal, long-term objective of our current research effort is to develop a Smart Medical Device that would be lightweight, portable, FDA-approved, (some components or derivatives) under commercial development, and capable of utilizing diagnostic ultrasound imaging technology to detect a site of internal bleeding, and the technology of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to rapidly elevate the local temperature to the point of cauterization, thus inducing (transcutaneous) hemostasis. In addition, utilizing a similar mode of operation, this device would be able to target a benign or malignant tumor, and apply HIFU to the tumor to induce coagulative necrosis, thus performing bloodless ablation of the tumor without fear of metastasis. Furthermore, because the formation of renal calculi is a likely result in extended space flight, a relatively straightforward modification of the proposed device would be capable of detecting and comminuting a kidney stone sufficiently for it to pass without obstruction through the urinary system.