System and method for mixed modality acoustic sampling

• US 10,321,896 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seno Medical Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seno Medical Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Herzog, Donald G., Schmid, Gregory, Clingman, Bryan, Zalev, Jason, Ackerman, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Moyer, Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US15/296,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20170035388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 382128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0097 by applying acoustic waves and detecting light, i.e. acoustooptic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4312 Breast evaluation or disorder diagnosis A61B5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5215 involving processing of medical diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5292 using additional data, e.g. patient information, image labeling, acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/003 : Reconstruction from projections, e.g. tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 : Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 : Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/30 : Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration

Abstract

Systems and methods for relaying electrical signals representing acoustic response of a volume of tissue to light and ultrasound stimulation. In an embodiment, a plurality of ultrasound transducers receive acoustic energy from the volume and generate electrical energy, which is transmitted via an electrical path to a relay system. The ultrasound transducers are operated at a wide band frequency of at least 1 MHz to 5 MHz to receive acoustic energy from the volume of tissue responsive to light stimulation and at a narrower band frequency to receive acoustic energy from the volume of tissue responsive to acoustic stimulation. The relay system relays the electrical signals to an optoacoustic system or an ultrasound instrument for further processing depending on whether the electrical signals resulted from ultrasound or light stimulation. In an embodiment, optoacoustic, ultrasound, or other images are generated from the electrical signals and may be coregistered, overlayed, or displayed.

Claims

1. A system for generating optoacoustic images and ultrasound images of a volume of tissue, comprising:

at least one light source capable of generating at least one pulse of light;

a light path adapted to direct at least a portion of the pulse from a distal end of the light path to a proximal end of the light path, the proximal end being positioned to receive the pulse from the light source and the distal end capable of being positioned to deliver the portion of the pulse to the volume;

a plurality of ultrasound transducers adapted to deliver acoustic output to the volume of tissue and receive acoustic energy from the volume of tissue;

a sampling apparatus adapted to sample the plurality of ultrasound transducers with a first impedance load during a predetermined period of time after the pulse to capture optoacoustic return signals and to sample the plurality of ultrasound transducers with a second impedance load after the acoustic output to capture acoustic-generated ultrasound;

an optoacoustic system capable of generating optoacoustic images from the optoacoustic return signals;

an ultrasound instrument capable of generating ultrasound images from the acoustic-generated ultrasound;

a relay system adapted to relay the optoacoustic return signals and the acoustic-generated ultrasound, and thus to selectively transmit the optoacoustic return signals to the optoacoustic instrument and the acoustic-generated ultrasound to the ultrasound instrument.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first impedance load is in a range including and between 1 KΩ

and 200 KΩ

.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second impedance load is in a range between 0 KΩ

and 1 KΩ

.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first impedance load is in a range including and between 1 KΩ

and 200 KΩ

.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the second impedance load is 200 Ω

.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first impedance load is in a range including and between 1 KΩ

and 200 KΩ

.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a first frequency bandwidth in a range including and between 1 MHz to 5 MHz to capture the optoacoustic return signals.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a second frequency bandwidth that is narrower than the first frequency bandwidth to capture the acoustic-generated ultrasound.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a first frequency bandwidth in a range including and between 100 KHz to 10 MHz to capture the optoacoustic return signals.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a first frequency bandwidth in a range including and between 50 KHz to 20 MHz to capture the optoacoustic return signals.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a first pulse of light is delivered at a first predominant wavelength to the volume of tissue and sampled during a first predetermined period of time after the first pulse of light is delivered to capture a first side of optoacoustic return signals.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a second pulse of light is delivered at a second predominant wavelength to the volume of tissue and sampled during a second predetermined period of time after the second pulse of light is delivered to capture a second set of optoacoustic return signals.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a common mode stripe filter adapted to filter the second set of optoacoustic return signals resulting from the second pulse of light at the second predominant wavelength.

14. A system for generating optoacoustic images and ultrasound images of a volume of tissue, comprising:

a light source capable of generating at least two pulses of light and delivering at least a portion of the pulses to the volume, wherein the at least two pulses of light are at a first predominant wavelength and a second predominant wavelength;

a plurality of ultrasound transducers adapted to deliver acoustic output to the volume of tissue and receive acoustic energy from the volume of tissue;

a sampling apparatus adapted to sample the plurality of ultrasound transducers with a first impedance load during a predetermined period of time after the two pulses of light to capture optoacoustic return signals and to sample the plurality of ultrasound transducers with a second impedance load after the acoustic output to capture acoustic-generated ultrasound;

an optoacoustic system capable of generating optoacoustic images from the optoacoustic return signals;

an ultrasound instrument capable of generating ultrasound images from the acoustic-generated ultrasound;

a switching system adapted to selectively transmit the optoacoustic return signals to the optoacoustic instrument and the acoustic-generated ultrasound to the ultrasound instrument.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first impedance load is in a range including and between 1 KΩ

and 200 KΩ

.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second impedance load is in a range between 0 KΩ

and 1 KΩ

.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first impedance load is in a range including and between 1 KΩ

and 200 KΩ

.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a first frequency bandwidth in a range including and between 1 MHz to 5 MHz to capture the optoacoustic return signals.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a second frequency bandwidth that is narrower than the first frequency bandwidth to capture the acoustic-generated ultrasound.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a first frequency bandwidth in a range including and between 100 KHz to 10 MHz to capture the optoacoustic return signals.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the ultrasound transducers use a first frequency bandwidth in a range including and between 50 KHz to 20 MHz to capture the optoacoustic return signals.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein a first pulse of light is delivered at a first predominant wavelength to the volume of tissue and sampled during a first predetermined period of time after the first pulse of light is delivered to capture a first side of optoacoustic return signals.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein a second pulse of light is delivered at a second predominant wavelength to the volume of tissue and sampled during a second predetermined period of time after the second pulse of light is delivered to capture a second set of optoacoustic return signals.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a common mode stripe filter adapted to filter the second set of optoacoustic return signals resulting from the second pulse of light at the second predominant wavelength.