Three-dimensional interventional photoacoustic imaging for biopsy needle guidance with a linear array transducer

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering
• Photoacoustics

Background:

• Accurate needle placement is critical for clinical interventions like biopsies and anesthesia.
• Current 2D photoacoustic imaging limits visualization to the probe's imaging plane, demanding precise alignment.
• A need exists for advanced imaging techniques that offer 3D visualization of needles and targets during interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a 3D interventional photoacoustic imaging technique.
• To overcome the limitations of 2D photoacoustic imaging for guiding interventions.
• To provide enhanced spatial visualization of needles and target tissues in a volumetric manner.

Main Methods:

• Developed a 3D photoacoustic imaging system by rapidly scanning a linear array ultrasound probe.
• Stitched acquired 2D image slices to reconstruct a 3D volume.
• Validated the technique using in vivo sentinel lymph node biopsy and perfusion experiments.

Main Results:

• The 3D technique precisely located needles and sentinel lymph nodes in a tissue volume.
• Demonstrated visualization of the 3D distribution of injected methylene blue dye under the skin.
• Achieved high temporal and spatial resolution in the reconstructed 3D images.

Conclusions:

• The developed 3D interventional photoacoustic imaging technique offers a practical solution for image-guided procedures.
• This advancement enhances the precision and ease of performing interventions requiring accurate needle placement.
• The technique shows significant potential for improving outcomes in various clinical applications.