Sara Peeters

Effect of irradiation distance on image contrast in epi-optoacoustic imaging of human volunteers

In combined clinical optoacoustic (OA) and ultrasound (US) imaging, epi-mode irradiation and detection integrated into one single probe offers flexible imaging of the human body. The imaging depth in epi-illumination is, however, strongly affected by clutter. As shown in previous phantom experiments, the location of irradiation plays an important role in clutter generation. We investigated the influence of the irradiation geometry on the local image contrast of clinical images, by varying the separation distance between the irradiated area and the acoustic imaging plane of a linear ultrasound transducer in an automated scanning setup. The results for different volunteers show that the image contrast can be enhanced on average by 25% and locally by more than a factor of two, when the irradiated area is slightly separated from the probe. Our findings have an important impact on the design of future optoacoustic probes for clinical application.

Mechanisms of nanoparticle-mediated photomechanical cell damage

Laser-assisted killing of gold nanoparticle targeted macrophages was investigated. Using pressure transient detection, flash photography and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging, we studied the mechanism of single cell damage by vapor bubble formation around gold nanospheres induced by nanosecond laser pulses. The influence of the number of irradiating laser pulses and of particle size and concentration on the threshold for acute cell damage was determined. While the single pulse damage threshold is independent of the particle size, the threshold decreases with increasing particle size when using trains of pulses. The dependence of the cell damage threshold on the nanoparticle concentration during incubation reveals that particle accumulation and distribution inside the cell plays a key role in tissue imaging or cell damaging.

Computed Ultrasound Tomography in Echo Mode for Imaging Speed of Sound Using Pulse-Echo Sonography: Proof of Principle

The limitations of diagnostic echo ultrasound have motivated research into novel modalities that complement ultrasound in a multimodal device. One promising candidate is speed of sound imaging, which has been found to reveal structural changes in diseased tissue. Transmission ultrasound tomography shows speed of sound spatially resolved, but is limited to the acoustically transparent breast. We present a novel method by which speed-of-sound imaging is possible using classic pulse-echo equipment, facilitating new clinical applications and the combination with state-of-the art diagnostic ultrasound. Pulse-echo images are reconstructed while scanning the tissue under various angles using transmit beam steering. Differences in average sound speed along different transmit directions are reflected in the local echo phase, which allows a 2-D reconstruction of the sound speed. In the present proof-of-principle study, we describe a contrast resolution of 0.6% of average sound speed and a spatial resolution of 1 mm (laterally) × 3 mm (axially), suitable for diagnostic applications.

Vessel orientation-dependent sensitivity of optoacoustic imaging using a linear array transducer

Abstract. For clinical optoacoustic imaging, linear probes are preferably used because they allow versatile imaging of the human body with real-time display and free-hand probe guidance. The two-dimensional (2-D) optoacoustic image obtained with this type of probe is generally interpreted as a 2-D cross-section of the tissue just as is common in echo ultrasound. We demonstrate in three-dimensional simulations, phantom experiments, and in vivo mouse experiments that for vascular imaging this interpretation is often inaccurate. The cylindrical blood vessels emit anisotropic acoustic transients, which can be sensitively detected only if the direction of acoustic radiation coincides with the probe aperture. Our results reveal for this reason that the signal amplitude of different blood vessels may differ even if the vessels have the same diameter and initial pressure distribution but different orientation relative to the imaging plane. This has important implications for the image interpretation, for the probe guidance technique, and especially in cases when a quantitative reconstruction of the optical tissue properties is required.

Real-time clinical clutter reduction in combined epi-optoacoustic and ultrasound imaging

Abstract Flexible imaging of the human body, a requirement for broad clinical application, is obtained by direct integration of optoacoustic (OA) imaging with echo ultrasound (US) in a multimodal epi-illumination system. Up to date, successful deep epi-OA imaging is difficult to achieve owing to clutter. Clutter signals arise from optical absorption in the region of tissue irradiation and strongly reduce contrast and imaging depth. Recently, we developed a displacement-compensated averaging (DCA) technique for clutter reduction based on the clutter decorrelation that occurs when palpating the tissue. To gain first clinical experience on the practical value of DCA, we implemented this technique in a combined clinical OA and US imaging system. Our experience with freehand scanning of human volunteers reveals that real-time feedback on the clutter-reduction outcome is a key factor for achieving superior contrast and imaging depth.

Computed Ultrasound Tomography in Echo mode (CUTE) of speed of sound for diagnosis and for aberration correction in pulse-echo sonography

Sound speed as a diagnostic marker for various diseases of human tissue has been of interest for a while. Up to now, mostly transmission ultrasound computed tomography (UCT) was able to detect spatially resolved sound speed, and its promise as a diagnostic tool has been demonstrated. However, UCT is limited to acoustically transparent samples such as the breast. We present a novel technique where spatially resolved detection of sound speed can be achieved using conventional pulse-echo equipment in reflection mode. For this purpose, pulse-echo images are acquired under various transmit beam directions and a two-dimensional map of the sound speed is reconstructed from the changing phase of local echoes using a direct reconstruction method. Phantom results demonstrate that a high spatial resolution (1 mm) and contrast (0.5 % of average sound speed) can be achieved suitable for diagnostic purposes. In comparison to previous reflection-mode based methods, CUTE works also in a situation with only diffuse echoes, and its direct reconstruction algorithm enables real-time application. This makes it suitable as an addition to conventional clinical ultrasound where it has the potential to benefit diagnosis in a multimodal approach. In addition, knowledge of the spatial distribution of sound speed allows full aberration correction and thus improved spatial resolution and contrast of conventional B-mode ultrasound.

Real-time clutter reduction in epi-optoacoustic imaging of human volunteers

Optoacoustic (OA) imaging in combination with diagnostic pulse-echo ultrasound is most flexibly implemented with irradiation optics and acoustic probe integrated in epi-style in a combined probe. Unfortunately, clinical epi-OA imaging depth is typically limited to one centimetre owing to clutter signals that originates from the site of tissue irradiation. In past years we have developed displacement-compensated averaging (DCA) for clutter reduction, based on the clutter decorrelation that occurs when palpating the tissue using the ultrasound probe. This method has now been implemented on a research ultrasound system for real time scanning with freehand guidance of the linear probe. Volunteer results confirm that clutter is significant in clinical OA imaging, and that DCA significantly improves image contrast as compared to conventional averaging. Clutter reduction is therefore a basic requirement for a successful combination of OA imaging with pulse-echo ultrasound.

Increase of penetration depth in real-time clinical epi-optoacoustic imaging: clutter reduction and aberration correction

Optoacoustic (OA) imaging will experience broadest clinical application if implemented in epi-style with the irradiation optics and the acoustic probe integrated in a single probe. This will allow most flexible imaging of the human body in a combined system together with echo ultrasound (US). In such a multimodal combination, the OA signal could provide functional information within the anatomical context shown in the US image, similar to what is already done with colour flow imaging. Up to date, successful deep epi-OA imaging was difficult to achieve, owing to clutter and acoustic aberrations. Clutter signals arise from strong optical absorption in the region of tissue irradiation and strongly reduce contrast and imaging depth. Acoustic aberrations are caused by the inhomogeneous speed of sound and degrade the spatial resolution of deep tissue structures, further reducing contrast and thus imaging depth. In past years we have developed displacement-compensated averaging (DCA) for clutter reduction based on the clutter decorrelation that occurs when palpating the tissue using the ultrasound probe. We have now implemented real-time DCA on a research ultrasound system to evaluate its clutter reduction performance in freehand scanning of human volunteers. Our results confirm that DCA significantly improves image contrast and imaging depth, making clutter reduction a basic requirement for a clinically successful combination of epi-OA and US imaging. In addition we propose a novel technique which allows automatic full aberration correction of OA images, based on measuring the effect of aberration spatially resolved using echo US. Phantom results demonstrate that this technique allows spatially invariant diffraction-limited resolution in presence of a strong aberrator.

Influence of illumination position on image contrast in epi-optoacoustic imaging of human volunteers

In a multi-modal combination of optoacoustic (OA) and pulse-echo ultrasound (US) imaging, epi-mode irradiation with the irradiation optics integrated with the acoustic probe has the advantage of flexible clinical application on any part of the body that is already accessible to US. In epi-mode strong clutter limits the OA imaging depth to often around one centimetre. We investigated clutter in automated scanning of volunteer forearms using a real-time combined OA and US system. The results agree well with our theory that clutter arises from strong optical absorption at the location of tissue illumination. As a consequence, we show that an intermediate separation distance between imaging plane and irradiation region leads to superior OA image contrast compared to an irradiation close to the imaging plane.