Nadine Smith
Associate Professor
219 Hallowell Building
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-8087 / Fax: (814) 863-0490
E-mail: nbs@engr.psu.edu
Personal Website: http://www.bioe.psu.edu/ultrasound/
Education
Ph.D. University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, 1996
Research Interests
The research of Dr. Smith focuses on therapeutic applications of ultrasound and its combination with diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Therapeutic applications include the design and construction of focused ultrasound arrays to non-invasively ablate tissue which has potential for localized treatment of benign or cancerous tumors. This research has also shown for the first time the feasibility of using focused ultrasound for transmyocardial revascularization in vivo. Additionally, ultrasound offers an attractive means of non-invasive localized hyperthermia treatment of tumors in the prostate. Because it is easily accessible via intracavitary (transrectal) applicators, the prostate can be heated with minimal heating of normal tissue. Intracavitary ultrasound arrays allow deep localized heating with fine power control and are capable of generating sufficient power for hyperthermia. Currently, this hyperthermia array is used for treatment of prostate cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. Traditionally, invasive thermometry (thermocouples) has been used to measure temperatures in the target region. Yet thermocouples may bypass the regions of greatest temperature elevation.
MRI offers a means to locate both the desired area for thermal therapy and the location of the applicator relative to the target, as well as potential for non-invasive temperature measurement. Non-invasive MR thermometry results have been obtained using proton resonance frequency shift. This method relies on frequency changes resulting from temperature-dependent variations in the molecular shielding constant of the water molecule. MRI is a promising modality for non-invasive guidance, monitoring, and control of thermal therapies because it provides good spatial localization, temperature sensitivity, and a level of tissue contrast that allows for accurate target identification in ultrasound thermal therapy. Current research utilizes the facilities of the Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Pennsylvania State University Center for Transducer Engineering. Continuing research will use the MR facilities at the Hershey Medical Center.
Selected Publications
Sun L.,. Collins C. M, Schiano, J. and Smith, N.B "Adaptive control for MRI-guided ultrasound hyperthermia treatment for prostate disease: in vivo and ex vivo results" Mag Res Engineering, 2005, in-press.
Saleh, K. and N.B. Smith, "A 63 element 1.75 dimensional ultrasound phased array for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia", BioMedical Engineering OnLine, , 4:39, 2005.
Lee, S, Nayak V, Dodds J, Pisko M and Smith NB, "Ultrasonic Mediated Glucose Measurements in vivo using the Cymbal Array", Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 31(7), pp 971-977, 2005.
Snyder, B., Lee, S, Newnham, R. and Smith, N.B., "Application of the Cymbal Transducer Towards Noninvasive Transdermal Insulin Delivery", Journal of Materials Science -Frontiers of Research in Ferroelectricity - Special Issue 2005, in press.
Lee, S, Snyder, B., Newnham, R. and Smith, N.B.,"Noninvasive Ultrasonic Transdermal Insulin Delivery in Rabbits Using the Light Weight Cymbal Array," Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, Volume 6 / Issue 6, December 2004.
Saleh, K. and N.B. Smith, Design and evaluation of a 3 x 21 element 1.75 dimensional tapered ultrasound phased array for the treatment of prostate disease, Materials Research Innovation, 8, (2) 2004, pp 121-124.
Lee, S, Newnham, R., Smith, N.B., Short Ultrasound Exposure Times for Noninvasive Insulin Delivery in Rats using the Light Weight Cymbal Array, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control, 51 (2), pp 176-180, (2004) .
Al-Bataineh, O.M., D. Markly, R.J. Meyer, R.E. Newnham, and N.B. Smith. Feasibility of miniature high-frequency piezoelectric ceramic hollow spheres for exposimetry and tissue ablation. Materials Research Innovation, 8, (2) 2004, pp 78-83.
N.B. Smith, M.T. Buchanan, and K. Hynynen, Transrectal ultrasound applicator for prostate heating monitored using MRI thermometry, Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol.Phys., 43, pp. 217-225, (1999).
N.B. Smith and K. Hynynen, The feasibility of using focused ultrasound for transmyocardial revascularization, Ultrasound Med.Biol., 24, pp. 1045-1054, (1998).
N.B. Smith, M.T. Buchanan, and K. Hynynen, MRI Compatible Ultrasound Array for Induction of Hyperthermia in Prostate, in "Proc., ISMRM, 7th Annual Meeting, Sydney, NSW, Australia, April 1998", p. 1998.