Real-time 3D thermoacoustic imaging and thermometry using a self-calibration technique

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Therapeutic Monitoring

Background:

• Thermoacoustic (TA) imaging utilizes pulsed microwaves to generate ultrasound waves correlated with tissue temperature.
• Accurate temperature monitoring is crucial for effective thermal ablation therapies, such as those for breast cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the accuracy of 3D real-time thermoacoustic thermometry using a self-calibration approach.
• To evaluate the performance of the self-calibration method in porcine tissue during localized heating.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a self-calibration algorithm for 3D real-time TA thermometry.
• In-vivo experimentation on porcine tissue with localized heating and embedded thermocouples for validation.

Main Results:

• The self-calibration method achieved accurate temperature estimations, with a normalized root-mean-square error of 3.25±2.08% at eight thermocouple locations.
• Demonstrated suitability for real-time thermal monitoring and feedback control.

Conclusions:

• The developed self-calibration method significantly improves the accuracy and resolution of TA thermometry.
• This technique shows promise for precise feedback control in image-guided thermal ablation therapies, including breast cancer treatment.