Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is a hybrid imaging modality, which combines the high optical contrast of pure optical imaging and the high penetration depth of ultrasound imaging. However, photoacoustic image dataset with good quality and large quantity is lacking. In this paper, we mainly talk about how to generate a practical photoacoustic dataset. Firstly, we extracted 389 3D vessel volumes from CT whole-lung scan database, and enhanced the blood vessel structures. Then for each 3D vessel volume, we embedded it into a three-layer cubic phantom to formulate a skin tissue model, which includes epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The vessel volume was placed randomly in dermis layer in 10 different ways. Thus, 3890 3D skin tissue phantoms were generated. Then we assigned optical properties for the four kinds of tissue types. Monte-Carlo optical simulations were deployed to obtain the optical fluence distribution. Then acoustic propagation simulations were deployed to obtain the photoacoustic initial pressure. Universal back-projection algorithm was used to reconstruct the photoacoustic images. This dataset could be used for deep learning-based photoacoustic image reconstruction, classification, registration, quantitative image analysis.
Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a promising approach to realize in vivo transcranial cerebral vascular imaging. However, the strong attenuation and distortion of the photoacoustic wave caused by the thick porous skull greatly affect the imaging quality. In this study, we designed a convolutional neural network (CNN) with a U-Net architecture to extract the effective photoacoustic information hidden in the speckle patterns; obtained vascular network images datasets under porous media through simulation and experiment, and trained the network weights respectively. The results show that the propos…
We present a photoacoustic computed tomography investigation on a healthy human finger, to image blood vessels with a focus on vascularity across the interphalangeal joints. The cross-sectional images were acquired using an imager specifically developed for this purpose. The images show rich detail of the digital blood vessels with diameters between 100 $μ$m and 1.5 mm in various orientations and at various depths. Different vascular layers in the skin including the subpapillary plexus could also be visualized. Acoustic reflections on the finger bone of photoacoustic signals from skin were vis…
Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy has been validated as a high-resolution and high-sensitivity imaging modality for angiographic studies in the past decades. Quantitative vascular analysis reveals critical information of physiological changes, where vessel segmentation is the key step. In this work, we developed a Hessian filter-assisted, adaptive thresholding vessel segmentation algorithm. Its performance is validated by a digital phantom and in vivo images. Its capability of capturing subtle vessel changes is further tested in two longitudinal studies on vascular responses to blood…
Significance: 2D fully convolutional neural networks have been shown capable of producing maps of sO$_2$ from 2D simulated images of simple tissue models. However, their potential to produce accurate estimates in vivo is uncertain as they are limited by the 2D nature of the training data when the problem is inherently 3D, and they have not been tested with realistic images. Aim: To demonstrate the capability of deep neural networks to process whole 3D images and output 3D maps of vascular sO$_2$ from realistic tissue models/images. Approach: Two separate fully convolutional neural networks wer…
Simultaneous 3D co-registered perfusion and oxygenation with ULM, photoacoustic imaging, and a planar matrix array
Sorbonne Université（索邦大学）；CNRS（法国国家科学研究中心）；Inserm（法国国家健康与医学研究院）；Laboratoire d’Imagerie Biomédicale, LIB（生物医学成像实验室）；Université Paris Cité（巴黎西岱大学）；Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers（科尔德洛耶研究中心）；Institut Cochin（科尚研究所）；Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, APHP（皮蒂埃-萨尔佩特里埃医院核医学科）；PARCC（PARCC研究中心）；Service de Radiologie, AP-HP, Hôpital européen Georges Pompidou（乔治·蓬皮杜欧洲医院放射科）
Non-invasive imaging of deep blood vessels for mapping hemodynamics remains an open quest in biomedical optical imaging. Although pure optical imaging techniques offer rich optical contrast of blood and have been reported to measure blood flow, they are generally limited to surface imaging within the optical diffusion limit of about one millimeter. Herein, we present photoacoustic vector tomography (PAVT), breaking through the optical diffusion limit to image deep blood flow with speed and direction quantification. PAVT synergizes the spatial heterogeneity of blood and the photoacoustic contra…
Estimation of blood oxygenation with spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging is a promising tool for several biomedical applications. For this method to be quantitative, it relies on an accurate method of the light fluence in the tissue. This is difficult deep in heterogeneous tissue, where different wavelengths of light can experience significantly different attenuation. In this work, we developed a new deep neural network to simultaneously estimate the oxygen saturation in blood vessels and segment the vessels from the surrounding background tissue. The network was trained on estimated initial p…
Fully three-dimensional sound speed-corrected multi-wavelength photoacoustic breast tomography
University of Twente（特温特大学）；Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica（数学与计算机科学中心）；University College London（伦敦大学学院）；Medisch Spectrum Twente Hospital（特温特医学频谱医院）；P.A. Imaging R&D B.V.；Brno University of Technology（布尔诺理工大学）；Imasonic SAS；Ekspla UAB；Leiden University Medical Center（莱顿大学医学中心）；Center for Physical Science and Technology（物理科学与技术中心）；Ziekenhuisgroep Twente（特温特医院集团）
Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) combines the advantages of the spectroscopic optical absorption contrast and acoustic resolution with deep penetration, and becomes an important novel biomedical imaging technology for scientific research and clinical diagnosis. In this paper, an imaging size-adjustable PAT system is proposed for clinical applications, which can adapt for different size imaging targets. Comparing with the conventional PAT system setup which with a fixed radius ring shape ultrasound transducer (UT) array, the proposed system, which is based on sectorial ultrasound transducer array…
A new approach for continuous and non-invasive monitoring of the glucose concentration in human epidermis has been suggested recently. This method is based on photoacoustic (PA) analysis of human interstitial fluid. The measurement can be performed in vitro and in vivo and, therefore, may form the basis for a non-invasive monitoring of the blood sugar level for diabetes patients. It requires a windowless PA cell with an additional opening that is pressed onto the human skin. Since signals are weak, advantage is taken of acoustic resonances of the cell. Recently, a numerical approach based on t…
Video plethysmographic (vPPG) signals arise from subtle color modulations in reflected light. vPPG signals can be used to monitor vital signs remotely in a noninvasive manner. We have used optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging to find whether vPPG signals may result from skin optical properties being modulated by arterial transmural pressure propagation. Our results confirm this hypothesis and show that the attenuation coefficient of even the most external, non-vascularized skin, changes at the same frequency as the arterial pulsation.
Histological visualizations are critical to clinical disease management and are fundamental to biological understanding. However, current approaches that rely on bright-field microscopy require extensive tissue preparation prior to imaging. These processes are labor intensive and contribute to delays in clinical feedback that can extend to two to three weeks for standard paraffin-embedded tissue preparation and interpretation. Here, we present a label-free reflection-mode imaging modality that reveals cellular-scale morphology by detecting intrinsic endogenous contrast. We accomplish this with…
Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a precise oncological technique where layers of tissue are resected and examined with intraoperative histopathology to minimize the removal of normal tissue while completely excising the cancer. To achieve intraoperative pathology, the tissue is frozen, sectioned and stained over a 20- to 60-minute period, then analyzed by the MMS surgeon. Surgery is continued one layer at a time until no cancerous cells remain, meaning MMS can take several hours to complete. Ideally, it would be desirable to circumvent or augment frozen sectioning methods and directly visual…
Significance: Histopathological analysis of tissues is an essential tool for grading, staging, diagnosing and resecting cancers and other malignancies. Current histopathological techniques require substantial sample processing prior to staining with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) dyes, to highlight nuclear and cellular morphology. Sample preparation and staining is resource-intensive and introduces potential for variability during sample preparation. Aim: We present a novel method for direct label-free histopathological assessment of formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks and thin tissue …
Histopathological visualizations are a pillar of modern medicine and biological research. Surgical oncology relies exclusively on post-operative histology to determine definitive surgical success and guide adjuvant treatments. The current histology workflow is based on bright-field microscopic assessment of histochemical stained tissues and has some major limitations. For example, the preparation of stained specimens for brightfield assessment requires lengthy sample processing, delaying interventions for days or even weeks. Hence, there is a pressing need for improved histopathology methods. …
