Transforming Interventional Procedures with a New Category of Sensorized Smart Instruments

Monday, April 13, 2026

4:12 PM - 4:21 PM ET

Location: 718B

Presenting Author(s)

Bradford J. Wood, MD, FSIR

Visiting Professor
Univ Milan, United States

Author/Co-author(s)

AA

Alyssa Abo, MD, MBA

VP Clinical Innovation
DeepSight Technology, United States
Diku Mandavia, MD

Chief Medical Officer
Deepsight Technology, United States

Purpose: To evaluate novel sensorized 'smart' instruments that generate real-time imaging, localization, temperature, and pressure data directly at the instrument tip, enabling visualization and tissue characterization across multiple organ systems. By acquiring data from within the target anatomy, these instruments overcome fundamental limitations of conventional ultrasound, which is constrained by air, bone, and acoustic shadowing-particularly in the lung, behind high-impedance structures, and within ablation zones.

Materials and Methods: A 135-micron acousto-optic micro-sensor (DeepSight™ Technology) was embedded in needles, stylets, cannulas, catheters, and bare wire fibers. These sensorized instruments were introduced into multiple organs in both ex-vivo and in-vivo settings. Real-time imaging and localization was provided, as well as measurements of temperature and pressure, acquired at the instrument tip during interventional procedures.

Results: The smart instrument consistently generated high-fidelity ultrasound images from the instrument tip with precise localization [accuracy 0.5mm], overcoming the challenges of attenuation, scattering, and acoustic shadowing that limit conventional ultrasound. The instruments were successfully visualized and localized in environments where standard ultrasound failed, including air-filled lung tissue, gas filled bowel, behind bone, within a metal cannula, and inside ablation clouds. In the swine model, these smart instruments enabled precise access to the liver, kidney, gallbladder, bladder, musculoskeletal/facet joints, spinal canal, major vessels, lung, heart, and brain-while simultaneously reporting temperature and pressure while traversing tissue interface boundaries.

Conclusion:

The sensorized devices enable visualization in clinical environments historically considered ultrasound-blind zones. This novel technology breaks the conventional barriers and provides imaging, localization, and tissue characterization from the instrument tip, creating a new category of interventional ultrasound. Futures studies will focus on increasing safety and efficacy for minimally invasive procedures performed with sensorized 'smart' instruments.