System and method for providing selective channel sensitivity in an optoacoustic imaging system

• US 10,517,481 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2016
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seno Medical Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seno Medical Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Zalev, Jason, Clingman, Bryan, Schmid, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Moyer, Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US15/207,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20160317034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 382128-134
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• 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 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• 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 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 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 8/5261 combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/587 Calibration phantoms models for medical purposes G09B23/28

Abstract

A method for controlling an optoacoustic imaging system includes the steps of analyzing sinogram data values to identify variations, storing information concerning the variations, generating first and second sinograms, and processing the sinograms to mitigate the effect of the variations. In the analyzing step, sinogram data values are analyzed to identify one or more variations that are related to performance of one or more of the discrete components of the optoacoustic imaging system. The identified variations are then stored. A first sinogram is generated by sampling transducer elements acoustically coupled with a surface of a volume for a predetermined period of time after delivery of a pulse of light having a first wavelength, the first sinogram containing one channel for each of the transducer elements. A second sinogram is generated by sampling the transducer elements acoustically coupled with the surface of the volume for the predetermined period of time after delivery of a pulse of light having a second wavelength, the second sinogram containing one channel for each of transducer elements. The first and second sinograms are processed using the stored information to mitigate the effect of the identified variations on the respective sinogram.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an optoacoustic imaging system comprising:

analyzing sinogram data values to identify a first variation associated with at least one of a plurality of discrete components of the optoacoustic imaging system, each of the plurality of discrete components associated with a corresponding channel of a plurality of channels;

generating a first sinogram by sampling a plurality of transducer elements acoustically coupled with a surface of a volume for a predetermined period of time after a pulse of light having a first wavelength, the first sinogram containing one channel for each of the plurality of transducer elements;

generating a second sinogram by sampling the plurality of transducer elements for a predetermined period of time after a pulse of light having a second wavelength, the second sinogram containing one channel for each of the plurality of transducer elements; and

modifying the first and second sinograms based on the identified first variation to mitigate an effect of the identified first variation on the first and second sinograms.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the identified first variation is associated with a channel.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of amplifiers are used to amplify analog signals output by each of the plurality of transducer elements;

at least two of the plurality of transducer elements are associated with each one of the plurality of amplifiers; and

wherein the identified first variation is associated with an amplifier.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

reconstructing an optoacoustic image based upon the modified first and second sinograms; and

outputting the optoacoustic image.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a first complex-valued array and a second complex-valued array, each of the first and second complex-valued arrays comprising an analytic representation of one of the modified first and second sinograms, respectively, an imaginary component of each of the first and second complex-valued arrays representing a quadrature component and a real component of each of the first and second complex-valued arrays representing an in-phase component; and

generating an optoacoustic image based upon each complex-valued array, the optoacoustic images being positive, real valued, non-complex images.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising outputting the optoacoustic images.

7. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising generating a map overlay based on the first and second complex-valued arrays.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting and receiving ultrasound data using the plurality of transducer elements;

producing ultrasound images using the received ultrasound data; and

co-registering and overlaying the map overlay on the ultrasound image to form a composite image.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising outputting the composite image on a display.

10. A method for processing a tissue sinogram in an optoacoustic imaging system comprising:

acoustically coupling a plurality of transducer elements associated with the optoacoustic imaging system with a surface of a phantom, the phantom producing a known optoacoustic response to a pulse of light;

directing a first light pulse onto an area of the surface of the phantom;

recording a phantom sinogram by sampling the plurality of transducer elements for a predetermined period of time after the first light pulse, the phantom sinogram comprising one channel for each of the plurality of transducer elements;

analyzing the phantom sinogram to identify deviation of one or more of the channels from the known optoacoustic response;

acoustically coupling the plurality of transducer elements with a surface of a tissue;

directing a second light pulse onto an area of the surface of the tissue;

generating a tissue sinogram by sampling the plurality of transducer elements for a predetermined period of time after the second light pulse, the tissue sinogram comprising one channel for each of the plurality of transducer elements;

modifying the tissue sinogram based on the identified deviation to mitigate the effect of the identified deviation.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the identified deviation is associated with a channel.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

a plurality of amplifiers are used to amplify analog signals output by each of the plurality of transducer elements,

at least two of the plurality of transducer elements are associated with each one of the plurality of amplifiers, and

wherein at least a portion of the identified deviation is associated with an amplifier.

13. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

reconstructing an optoacoustic image based upon the modified tissue sinogram; and

outputting the optoacoustic image.

14. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

generating a complex-valued array comprising an analytic representation of the processed tissue sinogram, an imaginary component of the complex-valued array representing a quadrature component, and a real component of the complex-valued array representing an in-phase component; and

generating an optoacoustic image based upon the complex-valued array, the optoacoustic images being a positive, real valued, non-complex images.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising outputting the optoacoustic images.

16. A method for processing a tissue sinogram in an optoacoustic imaging system comprising:

acoustically coupling a plurality of transducer elements with a surface of a phantom, the phantom producing a known optoacoustic response to a light pulse;

directing a first light pulse onto the surface of the phantom;

recording a phantom sinogram by sampling the plurality of transducer elements for a predetermined period of time after the first light pulse, the phantom sinogram comprising one channel for each of the plurality of transducer elements;

analyzing the phantom sinogram to identify a deviation of one or more of the channels from the known optoacoustic response;

acoustically coupling the plurality of transducer elements with a surface of a tissue;

directing a second light pulse having a first predominant wavelength onto the surface of the tissue;

generating a first tissue sinogram by sampling the plurality of transducer elements for a predetermined period of time after a second light pulse, the first tissue sinogram comprising one channel for each of the plurality of transducer elements;

modifying the first tissue sinogram based on the identified deviation to mitigate the effect of the identified deviation;

directing a third light pulse having a second predominant wavelength onto the surface of the tissue;

generating a second tissue sinogram by sampling a plurality of transducer elements for a predetermined period of time after a third light pulse, the second tissue sinogram comprising one channel for each of the plurality of transducer elements;

modifying the second tissue sinogram based on the identified deviation to mitigate the effect of the identified deviation;

generating a map overlay based on the first and second modified tissue sinograms;

transmitting and receiving ultrasound data using the plurality of transducer elements;

producing ultrasound images using the received ultrasound data; and

co-registering and overlaying the map overlay on the ultrasound image to form a composite image.