SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING IN DIFFUSE MEDIA USING A HYBRID INVERSION TECHNIQUE
First Claim
1. A fluorescence molecular tomography imaging system comprising:
- an excitation light source;
an optical imaging apparatus configured to direct light from the excitation light source into a subject at a plurality of locations;
a detector configured to detect at multiple locations fluorescent light emanating from a region of the subject; and
a processor configured to process data corresponding to the detected fluorescent light emanating from the region of the subject to produce a tomographic representation of the region of the subject, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions to;
(a) establish a forward model of excitation light propagation from the excitation light source to the region of the subject and of fluorescent light propagation from the region to the detector using the data corresponding to the detected fluorescent light, wherein;
(i) the excitation light source is represented in real space;
(ii) the detected fluorescent light is represented in frequency space; and
(iii) the forward model is established as a discretized weight matrix of normalized elements; and
(b) invert the weight matrix to obtain the tomographic representation of the region of the subject in real space.
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Abstract
The invention relates to systems and methods for tomographic imaging in diffuse media employing a fast reconstruction technique. A hybrid Fourier approach is presented that enables the fast tomographic reconstruction of large datasets. In certain embodiments, the invention features methods of in vivo fluorescence molecular tomographic (FMT) reconstruction of signals, reporters and/or agents (i.e., contrast agents or probes) in a diffusive medium (e.g., a mammalian subject). The method preserves the three-dimensional fluorophore distribution and quantitative nature of the FMT approach while substantially accelerating its computation speed, allowing FMT imaging of larger anatomies.
33 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A fluorescence molecular tomography imaging system comprising:
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an excitation light source; an optical imaging apparatus configured to direct light from the excitation light source into a subject at a plurality of locations; a detector configured to detect at multiple locations fluorescent light emanating from a region of the subject; and a processor configured to process data corresponding to the detected fluorescent light emanating from the region of the subject to produce a tomographic representation of the region of the subject, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions to; (a) establish a forward model of excitation light propagation from the excitation light source to the region of the subject and of fluorescent light propagation from the region to the detector using the data corresponding to the detected fluorescent light, wherein; (i) the excitation light source is represented in real space; (ii) the detected fluorescent light is represented in frequency space; and (iii) the forward model is established as a discretized weight matrix of normalized elements; and (b) invert the weight matrix to obtain the tomographic representation of the region of the subject in real space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 21, 22)
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14-17. -17. (canceled)
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19-20. -20. (canceled)
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23. A method of imaging a distribution of a fluorescent probe within a region of a subject, the method comprising the steps:
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(a) administering to the subject a probe comprising a red or near-infrared fluorophore; (b) directing near-infrared excitation light into the subject at multiple locations to transilluminate through or reflect the region of the subject; (c) optionally detecting excitation light transmitted through or reflected from the region of the subject; (d) detecting fluorescent light emitted from the probe within the region of the subject; and (e) processing data corresponding to the detected fluorescent light and, optionally, the detected excitation light, to provide a tomographic representation of the region of the subject, wherein the processing step comprises; (i) establishing a forward model of excitation light propagation from an excitation light source to the probe within the region of the subject and of emission light propagation from the probe to a detector using the data corresponding to the detected fluorescent light and, optionally, the detected excitation light, wherein; (A) a surface of the subject is identified and boundary conditions are established for the surface, or, alternatively, boundary removal equations are used to convert data corresponding to the surface of the subject into a simulated infinite homogeneous medium; (B) the excitation light source is represented in real space; (C) the detected fluorescent light and, optionally, the detected excitation light, is represented in frequency space; and (D) the forward model is established as a discretized weight matrix of normalized elements; and (ii) inverting the weight matrix to obtain the tomographic representation of the region of the subject in real space. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46)
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24. (canceled)
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27. (canceled)
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30. (canceled)
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32. (canceled)
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36-37. -37. (canceled)
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43. (canceled)
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45. (canceled)
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47-48. -48. (canceled)
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49. An apparatus for reconstructing a tomographic representation of a probe within a region of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory that stores code defining a set of instructions; and a processor that executes the instructions thereby to; (a) establish a forward model of excitation light propagation from an excitation light source to the probe within the region of the subject and of emission light propagation from the probe to a detector using data corresponding to detected fluorescent light, wherein; (i) a surface of the subject is identified and at least one step selected from (A) and (B) is performed;
(A) boundary conditions are established for the surface, and (B) boundary removal equations are used to convert data corresponding to the surface of the subject into a simulated infinite homogeneous medium, thereby simplifying the forward model;(ii) the excitation light source is represented in real space; (iii) the detected fluorescent light is represented in frequency space; and (iv) the forward model is established as a discretized weight matrix of normalized elements; and (b) invert the weight matrix to obtain the tomographic representation of the region of the subject in real space. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. A diffuse optical tomography imaging system comprising:
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one or more illumination sources; an optical imaging apparatus configured to direct light from the at least one illumination source into a subject at a plurality of locations; a detector configured to detect at multiple locations light emanating from the subject to obtain a first and a second measurement, wherein the first measurement is a reference measurement and the second measurement corresponds to absorption of at least a portion of the illuminating light as it passes through a light-absorbing region within the subject, and wherein the reference measurement does not reflect all of said absorption; and a processor configured to process data corresponding to the first and second measurements of detected light emanating from the subject, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions to; (a) establish a forward model of light propagation from at least one of the one or more illumination sources to the light-absorbing region within the subject and of light propagation from the region to the detector using the data corresponding to the first and second measurements, wherein; (i) the at least one illumination source is represented in real space; (ii) the detected light is represented in frequency space; and (iii) the forward model is established as a discretized weight matrix of normalized elements; and (b) invert the weight matrix to obtain the tomographic representation of the region of the subject in real space.
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52-54. -54. (canceled)
Specification