This Government Contract opportunity from Department Of Energy was posted on May 11, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Plane-Wave Ultrasound Tomography for Cancer Imaging
Contract Overview
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Plane-wave ultrasound tomography developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory represents a transformative advancement in medical ultrasound imaging, specifically engineered to enhance tissue characterization for the detection and monitoring of prostate and breast cancer. Unlike conventional ultrasound systems that primarily generate structural images, this technology reconstructs quantitative physical properties of tissue using plane-wave ultrasound data, incorporating both transmission and reflection signals to deliver deeper, more accurate insights into tissue composition. It leverages innovations such as wave-energy-based preconditioning, spatial and edge regularization, and super-resolution TR-MUSIC techniques to significantly improve image resolution, reconstruction stability, and computational efficiency, overcoming key limitations in diagnostic clarity and consistency that plague standard ultrasound methods. The platform is designed for broad clinical utility across screening, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring, offering improved diagnostic confidence and the potential to extend ultrasound’s role beyond imaging into quantitative tissue analysis. Suitable for use in hospitals, imaging centers, and specialized clinics, it targets critical areas in women’s health and urology while remaining adaptable to other diseases. With a Technology Readiness Level of 5, the technology is at an advanced stage of development and is supported by multiple issued U.S. patents. Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking commercial partners through exclusive or non-exclusive licensing agreements to bring this innovation to market, with interested parties encouraged to engage via the provided licensing contact to explore collaboration opportunities that can transform cancer imaging workflows and expand the clinical value of ultrasound technology.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
NM, 87545, USASet-Aside
Documents
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Timeline
Submission Closed
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
Plane-wave ultrasound tomography from Los Alamos National Laboratory is a next-generation imaging platform designed to improve how tissue properties are reconstructed from ultrasound data, with a focus on detecting and characterizing prostate and breast cancer. The related invention disclosures describe a broader ultrasound toolkit that includes ultrasound waveform tomography/inversion, efficiency improvements and super-resolution imaging methods, creating a platform that can deliver more informative imaging while remaining practical for screening, diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
The Challenge
Early cancer detection depends on imaging methods that can reliably distinguish suspicious tissue from healthy tissue, yet the disclosures note that effective imaging for dependable cancer detection and characterization remains limited. Current clinical ultrasound can be useful, but they often limited in their ability to provide sufficient detail about tissue properties, and they can be constrained by image resolution and quality. The inventors addressed a critical clinical need for ultrasound imaging that can perform more than generating an image—they need to help characterize the nature of the tissue itself.
Problems Solved
The plane-wave tomography platform addresses these limitations by reconstructing tissue properties from plane-wave ultrasound data, rather than relying only on conventional image formation. These technologies also describe methods that improve reconstruction speed, stability, and resolution, including wave-energy-based preconditioning, spatial and edge regularization, and super-resolution TR-MUSIC techniques. Together, the technology bundle is intended to produce more accurate, higher-quality, and quantitative imaging that can better support cancer detection and characterization.
The broader problem solved by the Plane-Wave platform is the gap between conventional ultrasound imaging and clinically useful tissue characterization. Prostate and breast cancer detection benefit from imaging that is more sensitive to changes in tissue physical properties and more robust across different scanning conditions. These methods are designed to help imaging systems deliver more consistent results, improve diagnostic confidence, and extend the value of ultrasound into areas where existing methods may not provide sufficient information.
Advantages
- Better tissue characterization than standard ultrasound
- Can use transmission data, reflection data, or both
- Supports prostate cancer and breast cancer applications, in addition to other diseases
- Aims to improve image quality and resolution while providing additional tissue-property information
- Helps with screening, diagnosis and treatment monitoring
- Includes related methods that improve reconstruction stability and efficiency
Market Applications
- Medical and Diagnostic Imaging (ultrasound systems for hospitals and imaging centers, tissue characterization and lesion assessment)
- Cancer Screening (prostate and breast cancer detection programs)
- Treatment Monitoring (tracking response during therapy)
- Women’s Health (breast imaging and follow-up evaluation)
- Urology (prostate imaging and assessment)
TRL 5
S-133625.001
US Patent Nos. 9,955,943; 9,955,944; 10,028,728; 11,344,283; 10,034,656; 10,231,707; 11,284,858
LA-UR-26-23851
LANL Tech Partnerships: Unlock the Innovative Potential
Los Alamos National Laboratory offers a wide range of cutting-edge technologies and capabilities that may provide your company with a competitive edge in the market and unlock the innovative potential that can enhance, refine, and revolutionize your products.
LANL’s licensing program focuses on moving inventions developed by our researchers to commercial innovations. Patented and patent pending inventions and copyrighted software are available to existing and start-up companies through exclusive and non-exclusive licensing agreements. For specific discussions, please contact licensing@lanl.gov.
Note: This is not a call for external services for the development of this technology.
https://www.lanl.gov/engage/collaboration/feynman-center/partner-with-us/licensing-technology
m.lanl.gov/tech-search
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