Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography of Benign and Malignant Thyroid Disorders: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating hybrid multispectral optoacoustic tomography/ultrasound for imaging of thyroid disorders, including Graves' disease and thyroid nodules. Methods: The functional biomarkers and tissue parameters deoxygenated hemoglobin, oxygenated hemoglobin, total hemoglobin, saturation of hemoglobin, fat content, and water content were analyzed in thyroid lobes affected by Graves' disease (n 5 6), thyroid lobes with healthy tissue (n 5 8), benign thyroid nodules (n 5 13), and malignant thyroid nodules (n 5 3). Results: In Graves' disease, significantly higher deoxygenated hemoglobin (3.18 ± 0.52 vs. 2.13 ± 0.62; P 5 0.0055) and total hemoglobin (8.34 ± 0.88 vs. 6.59 ± 1.16; P 5 0.0084) and significantly lower fat content (0.64 ± 0.37 vs. 1.69 ± 1.25; P 5 0.0293) were found than in healthy controls. Malignant thyroid nodules showed significantly lower saturation of hemoglobin (55.4% ± 2.6% vs. 60.8% ± 7.2%; P 5 0.0393) and lower fat content (0.62 ± 0.19 vs. 1.46 ± 0.87; P 5 0.1295) than benign nodules. Conclusion: This pilot study showed the applicability and the potential of hybrid multispectral optoacoustic tomography/ultrasound to semiquantitatively provide tissue characterization and functional parameters in thyroid disorders for improved noninvasive diagnostics of thyroid diseases.

A Review of Endogenous and Exogenous Contrast Agents Used in Photoacoustic Tomography with Different Sensing Configurations

“…The composite image of all four absorbers reveals the anatomical structure of the breast tissue [ 13 ]. The same MSOT system has been applied to image thyroid [ 37 ]. Similarly, by using multiple wavelengths and also its readily available ultrasound imaging mode, muscle, carotid, and thyroid can be resolved ( Figure 5 ).…”

Photoacoustics resolves species-specific differences in hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation

“… 2 The relative concentrations of these respective chromophores can then be calculated by spectroscopic inversion. 3 PAI measures of THb ( ) and ( ) have been widely exploited to characterize tissues in the context of different pathologies, for example in breast cancer, 4 – 6 melanomas, 7 , 8 prostate cancer, 9 – 11 nodal lesions of the head and neck, 12 vascular diseases, 13 – 15 and colitis. 16 Particularly in cancer biology, THb and have proved to be of high value by allowing the detection of two cancer hallmarks: angiogenesis and hypoxia.…”

Fusion iENA Scholar Study: Sensor-Navigated I-124-PET/US Fusion Imaging versus Conventional Diagnostics for Retrospective Functional Assessment of Thyroid Nodules by Medical Students

“…Consequently, remarkable research efforts have been carried out to investigate methods supporting physicians to predict whether a TN is benign or malignant. Besides the implementation of various US-based risk stratification systems such as thyroid imaging reporting and data systems (TIRADS), technical approaches such as elastography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) or multispectral optoacoustic tomography have been introduced [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”