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Title: Imaging Sound and Light: A Novel Photoacoustic Volume Imaging System for the Assessment of Suspicious Skin Lesions
Abstract:
Skin cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in the United States, emphasizing the need for noninvasive and real-time clinical imaging for lesion evaluation and response to non-surgical therapies, particularly for lesions with deeper dermal components. Current optical imaging modalities however are limited in their ability to differentiate between healthy tissue and various types of skin cancers deep within the tissue, including basal and squamous cell carcinomas and aggressive melanomas. Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) has emerged as a promising modality for addressing this challenge, as it provides specificity in tissue structure and composition related to functional data at depths up to one centimeter. Traditional PAT systems using standard linear arrays, however, only offer 2D cross-sectional images, making multispectral 3D volume imaging highly desirable. In this dissertation, a cost-effective, mobile clinical hybrid pulse-echo (PE) + PAT 3D imaging system that converts a conventional linear ultrasound array is presented that is capable of performing 3D volume PE and PAT scans for in-vivo assessment and monitoring of common cutaneous skin lesions in dermatology clinical use. This system provides high-resolution images of both tissue structure and material composition to guide clinicians in treatment and therapy.
During this presentation, the many optoacoustic design considerations that led to the novel methods of integrating light and sound for both traditional ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging will be discussed. Innovative ways of coupling the device to tissue will be highlighted, which enable repeatable, hands-free assessment during imaging sessions. The system's capabilities as a clinical imaging system will also be demonstrated by presenting the results of the in-vivo clinical trial data. This data will show the variations in mechanical and optical properties found between common cutaneous lesions and will assess their material composition measured from the system's spectroscopic capabilities. The system's potential for clinical use will be demonstrated, with the aim of enabling clinicians to examine, monitor, and characterize suspicious skin lesions with high resolution and accuracy. In addition to improving diagnostic accuracy, the novel system can be used to reduce the need for invasive biopsies, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.