US2013030289A1PendingUtilityA1
Method and apparatus for medical imaging using near-infrared optical tomography and flourescence tomography combined with ultrasound
Est. expiryJul 6, 2026(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
A61B 8/0825G01N 21/4795A61B 5/4312A61B 8/4416A61B 5/0091G01N 21/1702A61B 5/0035G01N 21/6428
45
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Claims
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for medical imaging using diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for medical imaging comprises, scanning a tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain structural parameters, wherein the tissue volume includes a biological entity, scanning the tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain optical and fluorescence measurements of the scanned volume, segmenting the scanned volume into a first region and a second region, and reconstructing an optical image and a fluorescence image of at least a portion of the scanned volume from the structural parameters and the optical and fluorescence measurements. In another embodiment an apparatus for medical imaging is disclosed.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A method for medical imaging using diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography, wherein the method comprises:
scanning a tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain structural parameters, wherein the tissue volume includes a biological entity; scanning the tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain optical and fluorescence measurements of the scanned volume; segmenting the scanned volume into a first region and a second region; and, reconstructing an optical image and a fluorescence image of the scanned volume from the structural parameters and the optical and fluorescence measurements; the reconstructing comprising:
obtaining structural information and/or functional information about the biological entity contained in the scanned volume;
using a model to obtain theoretically calculated data for the structural information and/or the functional information;
comparing the theoretically calculated data with experimentally measured data to obtain an objective function; and
accepting the theoretically calculated data if the objective function lies within an acceptable limit
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the theoretically calculated data is obtained from an optimization algorithm.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural information comprises the X, Y and Z coordinates of the inclusion.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural information further comprises the radius (α) of the inclusion.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional information comprises amplitude ratios and phase differences between the inclusion and surrounding tissue.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the theoretically calculated data is optimized using a dual-zone-mesh algorithm.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first region consists essentially of a volume of the biological entity.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second region comprises the biological entity; the second region encompassing a volume that is larger than the biological entity.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural information and/or functional information about the biological entity contained in the scanned volume is obtained using ultrasound.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural information and/or functional information about the biological entity contained in the scanned volume is obtained using xrays, photoacoustic techniques, ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein structural information and/or functional information about the biological entity contained in the scanned volume is obtained using the equation (23)
U
sc
(
r
S
,
r
d
2
)
U
sc
(
r
S
,
r
d
1
)
=
∫
Ω
U
0
(
r
S
,
r
)
G
(
r
,
r
d
2
)
r
3
∫
Ω
U
0
(
r
S
,
r
)
G
(
r
,
r
d
1
)
r
3
.
(
23
)
where r s and r d are positions of the source and the detector, r is a spatial variable, Ω is the volume of the target, U 0 (r s , r) represents the incident photon influence at position r generated from position r s , D is the diffusion coefficient, G is Green's function, Δμ α (r) is the difference of the absorption coefficient between the target and the background, which is a function of spatial position r .
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein structural information and/or functional information about the biological entity contained in the scanned volume is obtained using a Born approximation.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein structural information and/or functional information about the biological entity contained in the scanned volume is obtained using equations (14):
U
sc
′
(
r
si
,
r
di
,
ω
)
=
-
1
D
_
(
∫
L
G
(
r
′
,
r
di
)
U
inc
(
r
′
,
r
si
)
Δ
μ
a
(
r
′
)
3
r
′
+
∫
B
G
(
r
′
,
r
di
)
U
inc
(
r
′
,
r
si
)
Δ
μ
a
(
r
′
)
3
r
′
)
(
14
)
where U inc (r′, r si , ω) and G(r′, r si , ω) are incident wave and Green functions of a semi-infinite geometry, respectively; and r si and r di are source and detector positions; where L represents the biological entity and B the background region and wherein L and B are then discretized with different voxel sizes.
14 . A method for medical imaging using diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography, wherein the method comprises:
scanning a tissue volume with ultrasound energy; scanning the tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain optical and fluorescence measurements of the scanned volume; segmenting the scanned volume into an inclusion region and a background region; and, reconstructing an optical image and a fluorescence image of at least a portion of the scanned volume from the structural parameters and the optical and fluorescence measurements; the reconstructing comprising:
obtaining structural information and/or functional information about the biological entity contained in the scanned volume; the structural information and/or functional information obtained from the ultrasound energy;
using a model to obtain theoretically calculated data for the structural information and/or the functional information;
comparing the theoretically calculated data with experimentally measured data to obtain an objective function; and
accepting the theoretically calculated data if the objective function lies within an acceptable limit
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the biological entity comprises a fluorophore.
16 . An apparatus for medical imaging using diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography comprising;
a probe comprising a first emitter and a first detector; the probe comprising a second emitter; the second emitter emitting ultrasound energy; a source circuit connected in operational communication to the emitter; a detector circuit connected in operational communication to the detector; a central processing unit connected to the source circuit and the detector circuit; a display operably connected to the central processing unit; and, wherein the central processing unit is capable of processing information to provide diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography.
17 . The probe of claim 16 , wherein information obtained from the ultrasound energy is replaced with information obtained from xrays, photoacoustic energy and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
18 . The probe of claim 17 , wherein information obtained from the ultrasound energy is combined with information obtained from xrays, photoacoustic energy and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
19 . An apparatus for biological imaging comprising;
a probe comprising an emitter and a detector; a source circuit connected in operational communication to the emitter; a detector circuit connected in operational communication to the detector; a central processing unit connected to the source circuit and the detector circuit; a display operably connected to the central processing unit; and, wherein the apparatus is capable of diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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