INTERVENTIONAL PHOTOACOUSTIC IMAGING SYSTEM

• US 20130096422A1
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University, University of Texas At Austin (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University, University of Texas At Austin (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Boctor, Emad, Emelianov, Stanislav, Karpiouk, Andrei, Kang, Jin
• Application Number:
  US13/579,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096422A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/4225 Cervix uteri
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2005 with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4331 of the cervix A61B5/435 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4381 Prostate evaluation or disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6848 Needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• 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 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1058 using ultrasound imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1001 using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1007 : Arrangements or means for the introduction of sources into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1027 : Interstitial radiation therapy

Abstract

An interventional photoacoustic imaging system and method for cancer treatment comprises an optical source for applying laser energy to optically excite a treatment area, a needle, ablation tool or catheter for inserting the optical source into a body of a patient adjacent the treatment area, and an ultrasonic transducer for detecting the acoustic waves. A processor receives the raw data from the ultrasound system and processes it to thereby form a photoacoustic image of the tissue in real time. As such, image formation may be performed preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively.

Claims

1. An interventional photoacoustic imaging system for cancer treatment, comprising:

an energy source including an optical source for applying laser energy to optically excite a treatment area;

means for inserting the optical source into a body of a patient adjacent the treatment area;

an ultrasonic transducer for detecting the acoustic waves; and

a processor for analyzing the acoustic waves to thereby form a photoacoustic image of the tissue in real time.

2. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein said inserting means is a needle and said optical source is an optical fiber coupled within a shaft of the needle, said optical source operatively connected to a pulsed laser source.

3. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein said inserting means is a brachytherapy needle, a biopsy needle or an ablation tool.

4. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein said inserting means is a needle and said optical source is an optical fiber disposed on an outer surface of a shaft of the needle, said optical source operatively connected to a pulsed laser source.

5. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 4, wherein said inserting means is a brachytherapy needle, a biopsy needle or an ablation tool.

6. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 5, wherein the laser energy delivered via the ablation tool is adjustable to cause ablation of the tissue.

7. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein said inserting means is a catheter and said optical source is an optical fiber positioned within the catheter, said optical source operatively connected to a pulsed laser source.

8. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processor includes a memory encoded with instructions for generating the photoacoustic image.

9. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processor is operatively connected to the laser controller for acquiring data related to laser parameters.

10. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is transrectal and the treatment area is the prostate.

11. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is transvaginal and the treatment area is the cervix.

12. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the system may be used in laparoscopic surgery, open surgery, or natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery for cancer intervention.

13. The interventional photoacoustic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the optical source alternates between an approximately 1064 nm wavelength to image seeds and an approximately 532 nm wavelength to detect the location of the beam.

14. An interventional photoacoustic imaging method, comprising:

inserting an ultrasonic transducer into a body of a patient;

inserting an energy source including an optical source into the body of the patient adjacent a treatment area;

illuminating the treatment area with the optical source; and

detecting acoustic signals generated in the treatment area with the ultrasonic transducer;

analyzing the detected acoustic signals to generate a photo acoustically image of the treatment area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the optical source is coupled to a brachytherapy needle, biopsy needle or ablation tool.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the laser energy delivered via the ablation tool is adjustable to cause ablation of the tissue.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the optical source is deployed through a catheter positioned in a urethra.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

inserting a brachytherapy needle into the body of the patient;

deploying a brachytherapy seed into the treatment area;

illuminating the treatment area with an energy source including an optical source; and

detecting acoustic signals of the seed in the treatment area with the ultrasonic transducer so as to photoacoustically image the seed.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is transrectal and the treatment area is the prostate.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is used in laparoscopic surgery, open surgery, or natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery for cancer intervention.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the optical source alternates between an approximately 1064 nm wavelength to image seeds and an approximately 532 nm wavelength to detect the location of the beam.

22. A method of imaging implanted brachytherapy seeds, comprising:

implanting a brachytherapy seed into a treatment area;

applying an optical source to the treatment area, said optical source causing said brachytherapy seed to expand and generate acoustic signals;

detecting said acoustic signals with an ultrasonic transducer; and

analyzing said acoustic signals to generate a photoacoustic image of said seed.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said photoacoustic image is generated using delay and sum beamforming.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising monitoring laser energy deposition through thermal imaging.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the ultrasound transducer is synchronized with the pulsed laser energy.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is transrectal and the treatment area is the prostate.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the system may be used in laparoscopic surgery, open surgery, or natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery for cancer intervention.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the optical source alternates between an approximately 1064 nm wavelength to image seeds and an approximately 532 nm wavelength to detect the location of the beam.