Integrated intravascular ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging scan head

Abstract

The combination of intravascular ultrasound and intravascular photoacoustic imaging has been proposed for improving the diagnosis of arterial diseases. We describe a novel scan-head design for implementing such multimodality imaging. The proposed device has the potential to achieve a sufficiently small size for clinical intravascular applications. The design aims for efficient image data acquisition for facilitating real-time three-dimensional imaging and reducing the required laser pulse repetition frequency. The integrated scan head consists of a single-element, ring-shaped transducer for sideward ultrasound transmission, a multimode fiber with a cone-shaped mirror for optical illumination, and a single polymer microring with mechanical scanning. The phantom imaging and some experimental results are presented. A microring array can be realized in the future to achieve high-frame-rate intravascular multimodality imaging.

Broadband miniature optical ultrasound probe for high resolution vascular tissue imaging

“…Several methods for detecting ultrasound at the tip of an optical fiber have been explored with those based on interferometry [13][14][15][16] or Bragg grating sensors [17] offering the highest broadband sensitivity. One promising approach exploits the detection of acoustically-induced changes in the reflectance of a polymer Fabry-Pérot (FP) cavity [18,19].…”

Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Imaging with Nanosized Contrast Agents

“…Both types can be implemented in an endoscopic probe [63][64][65][66][67][68]. The first type, PACT, utilizes array-based US detection systems for parallel detection and inverse algorithms to reconstruct images in real time.…”

Fiber-optic ultrasound generator using periodic gold nanopores fabricated by a focused ion beam

“…1,2 High-frequency (>30 MHz) and high-resolution (<100 μm) ultrasound transducers have become increasingly demanded in most advanced applications including dermatology, 3 ophthalmology, 4 intravascular imaging, 5 tomography, 6 and small animal imaging. 7 They are also valuable imaging tools for noninvasive studies of disease progression and regression.…”