title: Design of optimal light delivery system for co-registered transvaginal ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging of ovarian tissue.
abstract: A hand-held transvaginal probe suitable for co-registered photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging of ovarian tissue was designed and evaluated. The imaging probe consists of an ultrasound transducer and four 1-mm-core multi-mode optical fibers both housed in a custom-made sheath. The probe was optimized for the highest light delivery output and best beam uniformity on tissue surface, by simulating the light fluence and power output for different design parameters. The laser fluence profiles were experimentally measured through chicken breast tissue and calibrated intralipid solution at various imaging depths. Polyethylene tubing filled with rat blood mimicking a blood vessel was successfully imaged up to ∼30 mm depth through porcine vaginal tissue at 750 nm. This imaging depth was achieved with a laser fluence on the tissue surface of 20 mJ/cm(2), which is below the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) of 25 mJ/cm(2) recommended by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Furthermore, the probe imaging capability was verified with ex vivo imaging of benign and malignant human ovaries. The co-registered images clearly showed different vasculature distributions on the surface of the benign cyst and the malignant ovary. These results suggest that our imaging system has the clinical potential for in vivo imaging and characterization of ovarian tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Hassan S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Kumavor
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Umar
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Alqasemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Tianheng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA ; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA ; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Quing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
keywords: Light delivery system; Ovarian cancer; Photoacoustic imaging; Transvaginal ultrasound