Clutter elimination for deep clinical optoacoustic imaging using localised vibration tagging (LOVIT)
Michael Jaeger1, Jeffrey C Bamber2, Martin Frenz3
1Institute of Applied Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland ; Joint Department of Physics, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK ; CRUK-EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK.
This study introduces a new method for clutter elimination in deep optoacoustic imaging by using localized tissue vibration tagging. This technique significantly improves imaging contrast and depth by distinguishing signals of interest from interfering clutter.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Acoustic Physics
Background:
- Clutter in optoacoustic imaging limits imaging depth.
- Handheld probes for clinical use face challenges with clutter.
- Optoacoustic transients and scattering obscure deep tissue signals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for clutter elimination in deep optoacoustic imaging.
- To improve contrast and imaging depth in clinical optoacoustic applications.
Main Methods:
- Localized tissue vibration tagging using acoustic radiation force in a focused ultrasonic beam.
- Distinguishing signals of interest from clutter at their origin.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated near-complete clutter elimination in phantom studies.
- Significantly improved contrast for deep tissue imaging.
Conclusions:
- Localized vibration tagging effectively eliminates clutter in optoacoustic imaging.
- The technique shows promise for integration with existing ultrasound systems, particularly those with radiation force elastography.
