Ultrasound guidance and monitoring of laser-based fat removal.
OBJECTIVE
We report on a study to investigate feasibility of utilizing ultrasound imaging to guide laser removal of subcutaneous fat. Ultrasound imaging can be used to identify the tissue composition and to monitor the temperature increase in response to laser irradiation.


METHODS
Laser heating was performed on ex vivo porcine subcutaneous fat through the overlying skin using a continuous wave laser operating at 1,210 nm optical wavelength. Ultrasound images were recorded using a 10 MHz linear array-based ultrasound imaging system.


RESULTS
Ultrasound imaging was utilized to differentiate between water-based and lipid-based regions within the porcine tissue and to identify the dermis-fat junction. Temperature maps during the laser exposure in the skin and fatty tissue layers were computed.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of our study demonstrate the potential of using ultrasound imaging to guide laser fat removal.
Shah
Jignesh
J
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Thomsen
Sharon
S
Milner
Thomas E
TE
Emelianov
Stanislav Y
SY
D000818:Animals; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000379:methods*; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D014159:Transducers; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional