Transcranial Photoacoustic Imaging Research Articles

Ultrasound-assisted aberration correction of transcranial photoacoustic imaging based on angular spectrum theory

To correct the refraction aberration induced by the skull in photoacoustic imaging, a method for phase distortion compensation is proposed based on the angular spectrum theory with the aid of ultrasonic signals. This method first updates the speed of sound distribution by iteratively performing aberration correction in the ultrasonic reconstruction. Then the speed of sound distribution obtained with ultrasound-assisted serves as prior knowledge to address phase distortion compensation by adjusting the phase shift factor of the wavefront in different media. Finally, the aberration-corrected ultrasonic-photoacoustic dual-modality image can be obtained. Numerical simulations and phantom experiments confirm the effectiveness of this method. Specifically, in simulations, the position error of the proposed method is reduced from −13.61% to 1.27% in depth compared to the method based on the reconstruction with constant speed. Moreover, a real ex-vivo rabbit skull experiment illustrates the potential biological application of the proposed method in transcranial photoacoustic imaging.

Removing Artifacts in Transcranial Photoacoustic Imaging With Polarized Self-Attention Dense-UNet

ObjectivePhotoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a promising transcranial imaging technique. However, the distortion of photoacoustic signals induced by the skull significantly influences its imaging quality. We aimed to use deep learning for removing artifacts in PAI. MethodsIn this study, we propose a polarized self-attention dense U-Net, termed PSAD-UNet, to correct the distortion and accurately recover imaged objects beneath bone plates. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, a series of experiments was performed using a custom-built PAI system. ResultsThe experimental results showed that the proposed PSAD-UNet method could effectively implement transcranial PAI through a one- or two-layer bone plate. Compared with the conventional delay-and-sum and classical U-Net methods, PSAD-UNet can diminish the influence of bone plates and provide high-quality PAI results in terms of structural similarity and peak signal-to-noise ratio. The 3-D experimental results further confirm the feasibility of PSAD-UNet in 3-D transcranial imaging. ConclusionPSAD-UNet paves the way for implementing transcranial PAI with high imaging accuracy, which reveals broad application prospects in preclinical and clinical fields.

A frequency-domain model-based reconstruction method for transcranial photoacoustic imaging: A 2D numerical investigation

Phase aberration caused by the skull is a major barrier to achieving high quality photoacoustic images of human and non-human primates’ brains. To address this issue, time-reversal methods have been used but they are computationally demanding and slow due to relying on solving the full-wave equation. The proposed approach is based on model-based image reconstruction in the frequency-domain to achieve near real-time image reconstruction. The relationship between an imaging region and transducer array elements can be mathematically described as a model matrix and the image reconstruction can be performed by pseudo-inverse of the model matrix. The model matrix is numerically calculated due to the lack of analytical solutions for transcranial ultrasound. However, this calculation only needs to be performed once for a given experimental setup and the same acoustic medium, and is an offline process not affecting the actual image reconstruction time. This non-iterative mode-based method demonstrates a substantial improvement in image reconstruction time, being approximately 18 times faster than the time-reversal method, all while maintaining comparable image quality.

A model-based image reconstruction algorithm for near real-time transcranial photoacoustic imaging

Photoacoustic imaging is a promising hybrid imaging modality that can visualize both microscopic and macroscopic structures and oxygenation changes in brain function. Phase aberration caused by the skull is a major barrier for high-quality photoacoustic imaging of the brain. Time-reversal methods have been used to address this issue, though they rely on solving the full-wave equation, and is therefore computationally heavy and slow. Herein, a near real-time model-based image reconstruction algorithm is proposed. The acoustic forward model is mathematically described as a model matrix and image reconstructions are performed by employing the pseudoinverse of the model matrix and calculating the initial pressure distribution. The pseudoinverse matrix only needs to be computed once for the same experimental setup and acoustic medium and is obtained offline prior to imaging. The proposed algorithm shows equivalent image quality but considerably faster reconstruction time (>40 times faster), compared to the time-reversal method and therefore could potentially enable near real-time photoacoustic imaging.

Deep Learning-Based Photoacoustic Imaging of Vascular Network Through Thick Porous Media.

Photoacoustic imaging is a promising approach used 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 developed a convolutional neural network based on U-Net to extract the effective photoacoustic information hidden in the speckle patterns obtained from vascular network images datasets under porous media. Our simulation and experimental results show that the proposed neural network can learn the mapping relationship between the speckle pattern and the target, and extract the photoacoustic signals of the vessels submerged in noise to reconstruct high-quality images of the vessels with a sharp outline and a clean background. Compared with the traditional photoacoustic reconstruction methods, the proposed deep learning-based reconstruction algorithm has a better performance with a lower mean absolute error, higher structural similarity, and higher peak signal-to-noise ratio of reconstructed images. In conclusion, the proposed neural network can effectively extract valid information from highly blurred speckle patterns for the rapid reconstruction of target images, which offers promising applications in transcranial photoacoustic imaging.

Comparison of compressional and elastic wave simulations for patient-specific planning prior to transcranial photoacoustic-guided neurosurgery.

.Significance: Simulations have the potential to be a powerful tool when planning the placement of photoacoustic imaging system components for surgical guidance. While elastic simulations (which include both compressional and shear waves) are expected to more accurately represent the physical transcranial acoustic wave propagation process, these simulations are more time-consuming and memory-intensive than the compressional-wave-only simulations that our group previously used to identify optimal acoustic windows for transcranial photoacoustic imaging.Aim: We present qualitative and quantitative comparisons of compressional and elastic wave simulations to determine which option is more suitable for preoperative surgical planning.Approach: Compressional and elastic photoacoustic k-Wave simulations were performed based on a computed tomography volume of a human cadaver head. Photoacoustic sources were placed in the locations of the internal carotid arteries and likely positions of neurosurgical instrument tips. Transducers received signals from three previously identified optimal acoustic windows (i.e., the ocular, nasal, and temporal regions). Target detectability, image-based target size estimates, and target-to-instrument distances were measured using the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio (gCNR), resolution, and relative source distances, respectively, for each simulation method.Results: The gCNR was equivalent between compressional and elastic simulations. The areas of the contours of point spread functions utilized to measure resolution differed by 0.33 to . Target-to-instrument distance measurements were within 1.24 mm of the true distances.Conclusions: These results indicate that it is likely sufficient to utilize the less time-consuming, less memory-intensive compressional wave simulations for presurgical planning.

Acoustic impact of the human skull on transcranial photoacoustic imaging.

With balanced spatial resolution, imaging depth, and functional sensitivity, photoacoustic tomography (PAT) hold great promise for human brain imaging. However, the strong acoustic attenuation and aberration of the human skull (∼8 mm thick) are longstanding technical challenges for PAT of the human brain. In this work, we numerically investigated the impacts of the stratified human skull on photoacoustic wave propagation (i.e., the forward model) and PAT image formation (i.e., the inverse model). We simulated two representative transcranial PAT implementations: photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) and photoacoustic macroscopy (PAMac). In the forward model, we simulated the detailed photoacoustic wave propagation from a point or line source through a digital human skull. The wave attenuation, refraction, mode conversation, and reverberation were thoroughly investigated. In the inverse model, we reconstructed the transcranial PACT and PAMac images of a point or line target enclosed by the human skull. Our results demonstrate that transcranial PAMac suffers mainly from wave reverberation within the skull, leading to prolonged signal duration and reduced axial resolution. Transcranial PACT is more susceptible to the skull's acoustic distortion, mode conversion, and reverberation, which collectively lead to strong image artifacts and deteriorated spatial resolutions. We also found that PACT with a ring-shaped transducer array shows more tolerance of the skull's adverse impacts and can provide more accurate image reconstruction. Our results suggest that incorporating the skull's geometry and acoustic properties can improve transcranial PAT image reconstruction. We expect that our results have provided a more comprehensive understanding of the acoustic impact of the human skull on transcranial PAT.

Investigation of the Effect of the Skull in Transcranial Photoacoustic Imaging: A Preliminary Ex Vivo Study.

Although transcranial photoacoustic imaging (TCPAI) has been used in small animal brain imaging, in animals with thicker skull bones or in humans both light illumination and ultrasound propagation paths are affected. Hence, the PA image is largely degraded and in some cases completely distorted. This study aims to investigate and determine the maximum thickness of the skull through which photoacoustic imaging is feasible in terms of retaining the imaging target structure without incorporating any post processing. We identify the effect of the skull on both the illumination path and acoustic propagation path separately and combined. In the experimental phase, the distorting effect of ex vivo sheep skull bones with thicknesses in the range of 0.7~1.3 mm are explored. We believe that the findings in this study facilitate the clinical translation of TCPAI.

Skull's Photoacoustic Attenuation and Dispersion Modeling with Deterministic Ray-Tracing: Towards Real-Time Aberration Correction.

Although transcranial photoacoustic imaging has been previously investigated by several groups, there are many unknowns about the distorting effects of the skull due to the impedance mismatch between the skull and underlying layers. The current computational methods based on finite-element modeling are slow, especially in the cases where fine grids are defined for a large 3-D volume. We develop a very fast modeling/simulation framework based on deterministic ray-tracing. The framework considers a multilayer model of the medium, taking into account the frequency-dependent attenuation and dispersion effects that occur in wave reflection, refraction, and mode conversion at the skull surface. The speed of the proposed framework is evaluated. We validate the accuracy of the framework using numerical phantoms and compare its results to k-Wave simulation results. Analytical validation is also performed based on the longitudinal and shear wave transmission coefficients. We then simulated, using our method, the major skull-distorting effects including amplitude attenuation, time-domain signal broadening, and time shift, and confirmed the findings by comparing them to several ex vivo experimental results. It is expected that the proposed method speeds up modeling and quantification of skull tissue and allows the development of transcranial photoacoustic brain imaging.