Combined Pulse-Echo Ultrasound and Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography With a Multi-Segment Detector Array

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Photonics

Background:

• Ultrasonography and optoacoustic tomography offer complementary imaging capabilities.
• Developing a single transducer for both modalities presents challenges due to differing physical contrasts and image formation.
• Existing technologies struggle to optimally acquire data for both ultrasound and optoacoustic imaging simultaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel multi-segment detector array designed for simultaneous optoacoustic and ultrasound image acquisition.
• To optimize image acquisition and rendering strategies for hybrid imaging systems.
• To demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the new approach in phantom experiments and in vivo imaging.

Main Methods:

• Development of a multi-segment detector array with combined linear and concave geometries.
• Optimization of image rendering strategies through numerical simulations.
• Validation using calibrated tissue-mimicking phantom experiments.
• Real-time hybrid optoacoustic ultrasound imaging in a healthy volunteer.

Main Results:

• The proposed detector array effectively supports both ultrasound and optoacoustic image acquisition.
• Numerical simulations and phantom experiments confirmed the optimized image rendering strategies.
• Successful demonstration of real-time hybrid imaging in a human subject.
• High-quality anatomical data from both modalities were acquired.

Conclusions:

• The multi-segment detector array represents a significant advancement for hybrid optoacoustic ultrasound imaging.
• This technology enables acquisition of complementary anatomical and functional information, including blood oxygenation status.
• The approach overcomes previous limitations, paving the way for improved diagnostic capabilities.