title: Volumetric hand-held optoacoustic angiography as a tool for real-time screening of dense breast.
abstract: Existing mammographic screening solutions are generally associated with several major drawbacks, such as exposure to ionizing radiation or insufficient sensitivity in younger populations with radiographically-dense breast. Even when combined with ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging, X-Ray mammography may still attain unspecific or false positive results. Thus, development of new breast imaging tools represents a timely medical challenge. We report on a new approach to high-resolution functional and anatomical breast angiography using volumetric hand-held optoacoustic tomography, which employs light intensities safe for human use. Experiments in young healthy volunteers with fibroglandular-dominated dense breasts revealed the feasibility of rendering three-dimensional images representing vascular anatomy and functional blood oxygenation parameters at video rate. Sufficient contrast was achieved at depths beyond 2 cm within dense breasts without compromising the real-time imaging performance. The suggested solution may thus find applicability as a standalone or supplemental screening tool for early detection and follow-up of carcinomas in radiographically-dense breasts. Volumetric handheld optoacoustic tomography scanner uses safe pulses of near-infrared light to render three-dimensional images of deep vascular anatomy, blood oxygenation and breast parenchyma at video rate.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging (IBMI), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: X Luís
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Deán-Ben
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging (IBMI), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.|Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Fehm
authors.affiliation: Neurogenetics Group, School of Medicine, University of St. Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gostic
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging (IBMI), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany. dr@tum.de.|Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. dr@tum.de.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Razansky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*; D061088:Photoacoustic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: breast screening; clinical translation; hand-held scanner; optoacoustic tomography; photoacoustic imaging