Theory and analysis of frequency-domain photoacoustic tomography

A new frequency-domain approach to photoacoustic tomography has recently been proposed, promising to overcome some of the shortcomings associated with the pulsed photoacoustic approach. This approach offers many of the benefits of pulsed photoacoustics but requires a different set of equations for modeling of the forward and inverse problems due to the longer time scales involved in the optical input signal. The theory of photoacoustic tomography with an optical input that is not necessarily a short pulse is considered in this paper. The full optical, thermal, and acoustic governing equations are derived. A transfer function approach is taken for the solution and analysis of this problem. The results and implications are compared with those of pulsed photoacoustics and traditional ultrasonic diffraction tomography. A Fourier diffraction theorem is also presented, which could be used as a basis for the development of tomographic imaging algorithms.     

成像深度对光声层析成像的影响

为了研究不同成像深度对光声层析成像质量的影响,利用多元线性阵列探测器在有限方位进行探测成像。由仿真和实验结果表明,吸收体离探测器越近,其成像效果较好,当多元线性阵列探测器的尺寸与成像深度比小于1时,重建图像畸变明显。在这种情况下,采用旋转扫描探测,其成像效果明显提高。该研究结果对光声层析成像扫描轨迹的设计、成像效果评估具有较好的参考价值。     

Downstream Fabry-Perot interferometer for acoustic wave monitoring in photoacoustic tomography

An optical detection setup consisting of a focused laser beam fed into a downstream Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) for demodulation of acoustically generated optical phase variations is investigated for its applicability in photoacoustic tomography. The device measures the time derivative of acoustic signals integrated along the beam. Compared to a setup where the detection beam is part of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, the signal-to-noise ratio of the FPI is lower, but the image quality of the two devices is similar. Using the FPI in a photoacoustic tomograph allows scanning the probe beam around the imaging object without moving the latter.     

有限方位扫描的光声断层成像分辨率研究

通过有限元仿真实验,定量地研究了有限方位扫描对反投影光声断层成像分辨率的影响,并且给出了有限方位扫描角与分辨率之间关系的经验公式.本文的研究结果对光声成像扫描轨迹设计、成像效果评估等具有参考价值. 关键词： 光声成像 有限方位扫描 分辨率 断层成像     

Multiple passive element enriched photoacoustic computed tomography

Recently, we presented a method using laser-induced ultrasound from an external absorber (passive element) to image the ultrasound transmission parameters of an object under photoacoustic tomographic investigation. The method suffers from long measurement times due to the requirement for a large number of views and consequently physical projections around the object. Here we propose and validate an approach that permits a multitude of views to be obtained within a limited projection scenario. The approach uses a plurality of spatially distributed external absorbers in the path of the light, that results in multiple laser-induced ultrasound sources to interrogate the object from a number of angles. This reduces the required number of rotation angles or physical projections around the object, permitting a considerable reduction in imaging time without significant degradation in image quality. The approach brings the concept of hybrid imaging of ultrasound transmission parameters together with photoacoustic imaging, into the realm of practical application.     

Adaptive multi-sample-based photoacoustic tomography with imaging quality optimization

The energy of light exposed on human skin is compulsively limited for safety reasons which affects the power of photoacoustic(PA) signal and its signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) level. Thus, the final reconstructed PA image quality is degraded. This Letter proposes an adaptive multi-sample-based approach to enhance the SNR of PA signals and in addition, detailed information in rebuilt PA images that used to be buried in the noise can be distinguished. Both ex vivo and in vivo experiments are conducted to validate the effectiveness of our proposed method which provides its potential value in clinical trials.     

不同旋转扫描次数对光声层析成像的影响

为了实现单元探测器高质量的快速光声图像重建,提出了不同旋转扫描次数对光声层析成像的影响方案。实验采用的光源为YAG激光器,波长为1 064 nm,重复频率为20 Hz,脉宽为7 ns,探测器为针状的PVDF膜水听器,接收直径为1 mm,得到了26个字母、12根头发丝、树叶骨架和模拟血管的光声重建图像。由仿真和实验结果表明,在不牺牲光声重建图像质量的前提下,单元探测器环形扫描一圈,均匀采集100个位置的信号,图像重建时间为5.903 s。该研究结果对于单元探测器的快速旋转扫描成像和环形阵列探测器阵元数的设计具有一定的指导意义。     

Imaging of small nanoparticle-containing objects by finite-element-based photoacoustic tomography

We present semiquantitative photoacoustic images of small nanoparticle-containing objects having a wide range of contrast levels relative to the background. The images are obtained by a finite-element reconstruction algorithm that is based on the Helmholtz-like photoacoustic wave equation in the frequency domain. Our reconstruction approach is an iterative Newton method coupled with combined Marquardt and Tikhonov regularizations that can extract the spatial distribution of relative optical absorption property in heterogeneous media. We demonstrate experimental images in single- and multiple-object configurations with a circular scanning photoacoustic tomographic system. The results obtained show that millimeter-size nanoparticle-containing objects can be clearly detected in terms of position, size, and relative optical properties.     

基于超声干涉测量的光声断层成像方法性能优化*

生物组织声学参数的不均匀性是光声断层成像技术面临的棘手问题,基于超声干涉测量的光声断层成像方法已被初步证明可以适用于声参数不均匀情形,但对如何取得最佳成像效果缺少深入研究。针对这一问题,该文将基于超声干涉测量的光声断层成像方法应用于同时含有声速不均匀和随机声散射现象的复杂成像媒质模型,并对如何优化成像效果开展相关研究。该文首先验证了该方法在数值模型中的有效性,随后针对相关测量参数与成像质量之间的关系开展定量研究,提出了优化成像效果的方法。结果表明,设计适合的波形滤波器、合理选择干涉测量过程中超声信号的中心频率均可优化成像效果,该文的相关研究结果可为进一步拓展基于超声干涉测量的光声断层成像的应用范围提供参考。     

Influence of limited-view scanning on depth imaging of photoacoustic tomography

We study the influence of limited-view scanning on the depth imaging of photoacoustic tomography.The situation,in which absorbers are located at different depths with respect to the limited-view scanning trajectory,is called depth imaging and is investigated in this paper.The results show that limited-view scanning causes the reconstructed intensity of deep absorbers to be weaker than that of shallow ones and that deep absorbers will be invisible if the scanning range is too small.The concept of effective scanning angle is proposed to analyse that phenomenon.We find that an effective scanning angle can well predict the relationship between scanning angle and the intensity ratio of absorbers.In addition,limited-view scanning is employed to improve image quality.     

Influence of limited-view scanning on depth imaging of photoacoustic tomography

We study the influence of limited-view scanning on the depth imaging of photoacoustic tomography. The situation, in which absorbers are located at different depths with respect to the limited-view scanning trajectory, is called depth imaging and is investigated in this paper. The results show that limited-view scanning causes the reconstructed intensity of deep absorbers to be weaker than that of shallow ones and that deep absorbers will be invisible if the scanning range is too small. The concept of effective scanning angle is proposed to analyse that phenomenon. We find that an effective scanning angle can well predict the relationship between scanning angle and the intensity ratio of absorbers. In addition, limited-view scanning is employed to improve image quality.     

In vivo three-dimensional photoacoustic tomography of a whole mouse head

An in vivo photoacoustic imaging system was designed and implemented to image the entire small animal head. A special scanning gantry was designed to enable in vivo imaging in coronal cross sections with high contrast and good spatial resolution for the first time to our knowledge. By use of a 2.25 MHz ultrasonic transducer with a 6 mm diameter active element, an in-plane radial resolution of approximately 312 microm was achieved. Deeply seated arterial and venous vessels in the head measuring up to 1.7 cm in diameter were simultaneously imaged in vivo with 804 nm wavelength laser excitation of photoacoustic waves.     

Enhancement of photoacoustic tomography in the tissue with speed-of-sound variance using ultrasound computed tomography

The speed-of-sound variance will decrease the imaging quality of photoacoustic tomography in acoustically inhomogeneous tissue. In this study, ultrasound computed tomography is combined with photoacoustic tomography to enhance the photoacoustic tomography in this situation. The speed-of-sound information is recovered by ultrasound computed tomography. Then, an improved delay-and-sum method is used to reconstruct the image from the photoacoustic signals. The simulation results validate that the proposed method can obtain a better photoacoustic tomography than the conventional method when the speed-of-sound variance is increased. In addition, the influences of the speed-of-sound variance and the fan-angle on the image quality are quantitatively explored to optimize the image scheme. The proposed method has a good performance even when the speed-of-sound variance reaches 14.2%. Furthermore, an optimized fan angle is revealed,which can keep the good image quality with a low cost of hardware. This study has a potential value in extending the biomedical application of photoacoustic tomography.     

生物光声层析成像中不均匀和不稳定照明解决方法

在生物组织光声层析成像(Photoacoustic?Tomography,?PAT)算法中,为了简化问题,通常假设在均匀和稳定照明的理想情况下,重建组织的初始声压分布图、光吸收能量分布图和光学特性参数分布图.但在实际应用中,当光在生物组织中传播时,会出现光衰减和光通量分布不均匀的情况,导致重建精度下降.本文对非理想条件...     

Effects of size and arrangement of virtual transducer on photoacoustic tomography

In this paper, we investigate the effects of the relative size and arrangement of a virtual transducer on the image quality in limited-view photoacoustic tomography. A virtual transducer refers to the acoustic scatterers used to reflect photoacoustic waves and improve the images reconstructed from incomplete PA signal. Size and spatial arrangement determine the performance of the virtual transducer. In this study, the scatterers utilized as virtual transducers are arranged in different manners, such as on a straight line or on an arc line. We find that virtual transducers with a big distributing angle can provide more significant image improvement than with a small distributing angle, which is similar to the true transducers. We also change the size of virtual transducer and study its influence on image quality. It is found that the bigger scatterers provide better images than the smaller ones. Especially, when the size of scatterers is reduced to the wavelength of photoacoustic wave, the image quality observably decreases, owing to the strong diffraction effect. Thus, it is suggested that the size of the acoustical scatterers should be much larger than the photoacoustic wavelength. The simulations are conducted, and the results could be helpful for the application and further study of virtual transducer theory in limited-view photoacoustic tomography.     

Noninvasive photoacoustic tomography of human peripheral joints toward diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis

The feasibility of photoacoustic tomography (PAT) in imaging human peripheral joints in a noninvasive manner was demonstrated through studies of cadaver human fingers. Based on the intrinsic optical contrast, intra- and extra-articular tissue structures in the finger at the levels of the joints were visualized successfully with satisfactory spatial resolution. The imaging depth of PAT in the near-infrared region enables the cross-sectional imaging of a human finger as a whole organ. As a novel technology with unique advantages, PAT holds promise for early diagnosis of inflammatory joint disorders and accurate monitoring of disease progression and response to therapy.     

基于聚焦光声层析技术的甲状腺离体组织成像

对人体甲状腺内的病变组织进行定位和成像对于准确诊断和有效治疗甲状腺疾病是至关重要的. 本文评估了利用光声层析技术对离体甲状腺组织进行成像的可行性, 并利用基于30 MHz超声换能器的聚焦光声成像系统对甲状腺进行扫描成像. 实验中成像系统的横向分辨率和纵向分辨率分别达到了350 μupm和74 μupm. 分别对正常离体甲状腺组织和模拟病变甲状腺组织进行光声成像. 实验结果表明, 本成像系统能够有效区分和鉴别正常甲状腺组织和病变组织. 此项技术有望进一步提高甲状腺疾病诊断的准确率, 以便更为有效地指导疾病的治疗, 具有潜在的临床应用前景.     

光声光谱检测装置中光声池的数值计算及优化

利用光声光谱技术进行痕量气体的检测具有独特的优势,光声池是系统装置中最为重要的核心部件,它决定着整机性能的优劣.以一圆柱形共振型光声池为研究对象,基于声学与吸收光谱学的基本理论,建立了光声池声场激发的数学模型;利用数值模拟方法对光声池空腔结构进行了声学模态仿真,获得了前8阶声学模态值以及声压可视化振型;在考虑热黏性声学损耗的作用下,对光声池进行了热-声耦合多物理场仿真计算;将仿真结果与解析计算和实验结果进行对比,明确了利用数值模拟方法来计算光声池有关指标的可靠性与可行性;针对光声池的优化问题,提出了一种将响应面代理模型与遗传算法相结合的优化算法,在将原光声池中的谐振腔两端形貌更改为喇叭口形的情况下,通过优化算法获得了以光声池品质因数Q及池常数C_(cell)为最大值寻优的Pareto最优解集;选取一组解进行考察,结果表明,代理模型预测值与数值模拟值指标最大误差仅为1.3%,优化后的新型光声池Q较之前增长了48.9%, C_(cell)增长了34.4%.研究方法可为光声光谱中光声池的优化设计提供参考借鉴.     

Monte Carlo light transport-based blood vessel quantification using linear array photoacoustic tomography

Photoacoustic tomography is a noninvasive and nonionized biomedical imaging modality but it cannot reveal the inner structure and sideward boundary information of blood vessels in the linear array detection mode.In contrast,Monte Carlo(MC) light transport could provide the optical fluence distribution around the entire vascular area.This research explores the combination of linear array transducer-based photoacoustic tomography and MC light transport in the blood vessel quantification.Simulation,phantom,and in vivo experiments are in good correlation with the ultrasound imaging,validating this approach can clearly visualize the internal region of blood vessels from background tissue.     

Three-dimensional laser-induced photoacoustic tomography of mouse brain with the skin and skull intact

Three-dimensional laser-induced photoacoustic tomography, also referred to as optoacoustic tomography, is developed to image animal brain structures noninvasively with the skin and skull intact. This imaging modality combines the advantages of optical contrast and ultrasonic resolution. The distribution of optical absorption in a mouse brain is imaged successfully. The intrinsic optical contrast reveals not only blood vessels but also other detailed brain structures, such as the cerebellum, hippocampus, and ventriculi lateralis. The spatial resolution is primarily diffraction limited by the received photoacoustic waves. Imaged structures of the brain at different depths match the corresponding histological pictures well.