Current Programs

Breast Tumor Characterization

J&W Medical proposes a new system concept for highly improved early diagnostic ultrasound detection and characterization of breast cancer. To date, there has been little progress in estimating volume, size and shape of breast tumors in a clinical environment, and in relating these identifiers to tissue pathology. The proposed system (based on US patent 6,585,647) will be capable of providing a clinically significant measure of the size, shape, volume and composition of breast tumors down to 1 mm in size. This represents a five-fold improvement over the lowest resolution achievable through current X-Ray mammogram techniques, and a three-fold improvement over current MRI capabilities -- neither of which currently provide lesion volumetric estimates or tissue characterization data.

Bone Quality Assessment (BQA)

Bone quality assessment (BQA) is based on the established technique of Quantitative Ultrasound, which leverages a well-known collection of metrics to extrapolate information about tissue health. J&W Medical proposes a system (based on US patent 6,213,958) that will support the ongoing assessment of bone health against personal baselines, and also serve as an early indicator of metabolic bone disease.  This technology uses nonlinear acoustics to stimulate bone tissue and produce acoustic emissions, and will support the creation of an acoustic fingerprint database of specific pathological bone conditions, such as osteoporosis and bone cancer.

Bone Healing

In recent years, ultrasound has overtaken competing electromagnetic technologies (PEMF, CMF and capacitive coupling) for market share in the bone healing space. The Smith and Nephew Exogen device is rapidly becoming the treatment of choice for delayed union (take longer than 270 days to heal) or non-union (never heal) fractures.  The biochemical basis for radiation pressure-induced bone healing is not perfectly understood, however, and the current Exogen signal is not necessarily optimized for bone healing applications. J&W Medical is in the process of developing a patent for an innovative new signal that early-stage research suggests will significantly enhance the efficacy of ultrasonic bone healing.
 

Spinal Fusion Healing

Spinal fusion is a critical element in many spinal surgical procedures.  Of the more than 350,000 spinal fusion surgical procedures that occur annually in the United States, approximately 40% become delayed union or non-union fractures.  The incidence of delayed and non-unions contributes significantly to the morbidity associated with spinal surgery, particularly of the lumbar and cervical spine.  These are excellent candidates for accelerated healing with therapeutic ultrasound, which has been proven to be more effective than electromagnetic modalities (PEMF, CMF, capacitive coupling) in bone healing applications, and which is currently not used for spinal fusion healing due to technical limitations. J&W Medical is in the process of developing a patent for an innovative new signal that early-stage research suggests will be clinically effective for spinal fusion ultrasonic healing.