title: Photoacoustic imaging of clinical metal needles in tissue.
abstract: The ability to visualize and track temporarily or permanently implanted metal devices is important in many applications ranging from diagnosis to therapy. Specifically, reliable imaging of metal needles is required in today's clinical settings. Currently, ultrasound is utilized to image a needle inserted into tissue in real time. However, the diagnostic value and tracking ability of these images depends highly on the orientation of the needle, and also its proximity to regions of interest in the tissue. We examine the use of photoacoustic imaging combined with current ultrasound imaging methods to obtain high-contrast images of commonly used needles in the body. Experiments were performed using 21 G and 30 G needles inserted into ex vivo porcine tissue and tissue-mimicking phantoms. The needles and surrounding tissue were imaged using an ultrasound imaging system interfaced with the pulsed laser source necessary for photoacoustic imaging. The results suggest that photoacoustic imaging, combined with ultrasound imaging, is capable of real-time, high-contrast, and high-spatial-resolution visualization of metal implants within anatomical landmarks of the background tissue.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1 University Station C0800, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karpiouk
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emelianov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D009339:Needles; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine
references.citation: J Ultrasound Med. 1982 Jan-Feb;1(1):1-7
references.pmid: 6152918
references.citation: Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2008 Nov-Dec;33(6):532-44
references.pmid: 19258968
references.citation: Ultrasound Med Biol. 1998 Jul;24(6):793-802
references.pmid: 9740381
references.citation: Med Device Technol. 2006 Mar;17(2):8-10, 12
references.pmid: 16610711
references.citation: Int J Med Robot. 2007 Jun;3(2):140-8
references.pmid: 17619247
references.citation: Tumori. 1999 Jan-Feb;85(1):12-4
references.pmid: 10228490
references.citation: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1990 Jan;154(1):1-10
references.pmid: 2104689
references.citation: J Clin Pathol. 2005 Aug;58(8):795-804
references.pmid: 16049279
references.citation: Med Phys. 2000 May;27(5):1058-66
references.pmid: 10841410
references.citation: Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2004 Sep-Oct;29(5):480-8
references.pmid: 15372394
references.citation: Clin Nucl Med. 2009 Jul;34(7):466-9
references.pmid: 19542960
references.citation: Med Image Comput Comput Assist Interv. 2005;8(Pt 2):17-24
references.pmid: 16685938
references.citation: Ultrasound Med Biol. 1998 Jul;24(6):915-24
references.pmid: 9740393
references.citation: IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2007 May;54(5):987-95
references.pmid: 17523563
references.citation: Anaesthesia. 2006 Feb;61(2):148-58
references.pmid: 16430568
references.citation: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2005 May;184(5):1652-6
references.pmid: 15855133
references.citation: Opt Express. 2009 Oct 26;17(22):19894-901
references.pmid: 19997212
references.citation: Nano Lett. 2009 Aug;9(8):2825-31
references.pmid: 19572747
references.citation: Opt Express. 2008 Mar 3;16(5):3362-7
references.pmid: 18542427