Personalized Visco-Hyperelastic Model for Accurate Breast Tumor Localization in Surgery
Researchers from the Information Processing and Telecommunications Center (IPTC) at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, in collaboration with Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, have developed a patient-specific visco-hyperelastic mechanical model to improve tumor localization during breast-conserving surgery. This innovative approach addresses one of the main clinical challenges in breast cancer treatment — the large deformation of breast tissue between diagnostic MRI (performed with the patient lying face down) and surgery (performed face up).
The proposed method uses finite element analysis combined with patient-specific mechanical property optimization based solely on surface data, avoiding the need for additional imaging such as supine MRI. The model accurately simulates prone-to-supine breast deformation and achieved a tumor localization error of 8.12 ± 4.15 mm across 15 breast cancer cases, significantly improving upon previous methods. By integrating viscoelastic and hyperelastic properties, it captures both the nonlinear and time-dependent behavior of breast tissue, enabling more realistic and precise modeling of surgical conditions.
This research opens the door to safer and more accurate breast-conserving surgeries, minimizing healthy tissue removal and reducing re-operation rates. Beyond surgical planning, the model can also support the generation of realistic synthetic data for AI-based decision support systems and training deep learning models for intraoperative guidance.
In light of International Breast Cancer Awareness Day (October 19), this work underscores the vital role of interdisciplinary innovation — combining bioengineering, imaging, and computational modeling — in advancing personalized medicine and improving outcomes for breast cancer patients.
Bibliographic reference:
Alfano, F., Navas, P., Latama, P., Ferreres-García, K., Ortuño, J.E., Bueno-Zamora, O., Lizarraga, S., Santos, A., Pascau, J., Goicolea, J.M., & Ledesma-Carbayo, M.J. Patient-specific visco-hyperelastic mechanical model for breast tumor localization in surgical planning. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine, 2025, e70044. https://doi.org/10.1002/btm2.70044
Felicia Alfano: ORCID / LinkedIn
María Jesús Ledesma : GS/ ORCID / LinkedIn
Andrés Santos Lleó: GS / ORCID For more information: www.iptc.upm.es
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iptc-upm/
For more information: www.iptc.upm.es
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