System and method for mixed modality acoustic sampling

• US 10,349,921 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• 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:
  US15/638,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20170296151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 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. An imaging system comprising:

a probe configured to transmit an ultrasound signal and a light signal into a tissue;

a first ultrasound transducer configured to receive from the tissue an ultrasound response signal associated with the transmitted ultrasound signal;

a second ultrasound transducer configured to receive from the tissue an optoacoustic response signal associated with the transmitted light signal;

a first amplifier configured to receive the ultrasound response signal from the first ultrasound transducer, wherein an input impedance of the first amplifier is determined by a first bandwidth associated with the ultrasound response signal; and

a second amplifier configured to receive the optoacoustic response signal from the second ultrasound transducer, wherein an input impedance of the second amplifier is determined by a second bandwidth associated with the optoacoustic response signal;

wherein the first bandwidth is narrower than the second bandwidth.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first bandwidth is centered around a transmit frequency of the transmitted ultrasound signal.

3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first amplifier has an input impedance between 1 kilohm and 100 kilohms.

4. The imaging system of claim 3, wherein the first amplifier has an input impedance between 2 kilohm and 10 kilohms.

5. The imaging system of claim 4, wherein the first amplifier has an input impedance equal to 5 kilohms.

6. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the second bandwidth has a range between 50 KHz and 20 MHz.

7. The imaging system of claim 6, wherein the second bandwidth is centered in the range of 6 MHz to 8 MHz.

8. The imaging system of claim 6, wherein the second amplifier has an input impedance in a range between 200 ohms and 500 ohms.

9. A method of operating an imaging system comprising:

transmitting an ultrasound signal and a light signal into a tissue;

in a first ultrasound transducer, receiving from the tissue an ultrasound response signal associated with the transmitted ultrasound signal;

in a second ultrasound transducer, receiving from the tissue an optoacoustic response signal associated with the transmitted light signal;

in a first amplifier, amplifying the ultrasound response signal, wherein an input impedance of the first amplifier is determined by a first bandwidth associated with the ultrasound response signal; and

in a second amplifier, amplifying the optoacoustic response signal, wherein an input impedance of the second amplifier is determined by a second bandwidth associated with the optoacoustic response signal;

wherein the first bandwidth is narrower than the second bandwidth.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first bandwidth is centered around a transmit frequency of the transmitted ultrasound signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first amplifier has an input impedance between 1 kilohm and 100 kilohms.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first amplifier has an input impedance between 2 kilohm and 10 kilohms.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first amplifier has an input impedance equal to 5 kilohms.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the second bandwidth has a range between 50 KHz and 20 MHz.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second bandwidth is centered in the range of 6 MHz to 8 MHz.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second amplifier has an input impedance in a range between 200 ohms and 500 ohms.