AI enabled fibre-optic probe aims to improve stroke treatment

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Yihao Zheng, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and a team of researchers are developing the fibre-optic probe that will use light and advanced calculations to determine in real-time whether a blood clot in the brain is soft, stiff, sturdy, or weak. This will give doctors information to guide decisions about how best to remove the blockages during clot removal procedures.

“Physicians typically treat blockages in the brain by inserting a long, flexible tube into a patient’s leg, guiding it through arteries to the site of a clot, and then using suction or mesh tools to capture and remove the clot,” Zheng said in a statement. “Too often, these procedures, known as thrombectomies, fail on the first attempt and may even cause complications if clots shatter and send pieces further into the brain. Our research suggests that better information about clots and how they react to mechanical forces would provide critical insights to doctors and streamline these procedures.”