Magnetoacoustic imaging of human liver tumor with magnetic induction

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is an imaging technique under development to achieve imaging of electrical impedance contrast in biological tissues with spatial resolution close to ultrasound imaging. However, previously reported MAT-MI experimental results are obtained either from low salinity gel phantoms, or from normal animal tissue samples. In this study, we report the experimental study on the performance of the MAT-MI imaging method for imaging in vitro human liver tumor tissue. The present promising experimental results suggest the feasibility of MAT-MI to image electrical impedance contrast between the cancerous tissue and its surrounding normal tissues.     

Image reconstruction in three-dimensional magnetostatic permeability tomography

Magnetostatic permeability tomography is an imaging technique that attempts to reconstruct the permeability distribution of an object using magnetostatic measurement data. The data for image reconstruction are external magnetic field measurements on the surface of the object due to an applied magnetostatic field. Theoretically, the normal and tangential components of the magnetic field in the surface uniquely define the internal isotropic permeability distributions. However, the inverse permeability problem is an ill-posed nonlinear problem. Regularization is needed for a stable solution. In this paper, we present a numerical method to solve the reconstruction problem in three dimensions using a regularized Gauss-Newton scheme. We have solved the forward problem using an edge finite-element method and we have employed an efficient technique to calculate the Jacobian matrix. The permeability of the object is assumed to be linear and isotropic. We present the reconstruction results for the permeability using synthetically generated data with additive noise.     

A fast and high frame rate adaptive beamforming using DCT-based RF-line recovery in line-by-line ultrasound imaging

Ultrasound imaging is an important modality used in medical imaging. One of the significant stages in the ultrasound imaging is the beamforming process. This article proposes a new technique for reducing the overall computational time of adaptive linear ultrasound imaging. The method uses the discrete cosine transform-based reconstruction for missing data imputation. The novelty of the paper is that we do not need to beam-form the total scan lines, so the time of image construction can be saved significantly. In other words, a fraction of the total scan lines is selected for beamforming and the others are assumed to have values as Not-a-Number (NaN). The proposed reconstruction technique tries to assign appropriate values to the NaN ones. We applied the proposed method to the simulated and experimental radio frequency (RF) datasets for resolution and contrast evaluation. Results showed that the proposed technique is near to the minimum variance (MV) method in terms of resolution and contrast, and has less computational time for image formation compared to the MV. As some quantitative examples in some experiments we have formed only 50% and 33% of the total lines and reconstructed the rest, then we have been able to increase the frame rate twice and three times, respectively, which can be very useful in many applications, especially in echocardiography imaging. In addition, since the execution time of the reconstruction algorithm is not very significant, we were also able to increase the speed by two and three times while achieving an error of less than 10% compared to the case of using all image lines.     

Image reconstruction in photoacoustic tomography involving layered acoustic media

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), also known as thermoacoustic or optoacoustic tomography, is a rapidly emerging biomedical imaging technique that combines optical image contrast with ultrasound detection principles. Most existing reconstruction algorithms for PAT assume the object of interest possesses homogeneous acoustic properties. The images produced by such algorithms can contain significant distortions and artifacts when the object's acoustic properties are spatially variant. In this work, we establish an image reconstruction formula for PAT applications in which a planar detection surface is employed and the to-be-imaged optical absorber is embedded in a known planar layered acoustic medium. The reconstruction formula is exact in a mathematical sense and accounts for multiple acoustic reflections between the layers of the medium. Computer-simulation studies are conducted to demonstrate and investigate the proposed method.     

Dual imaging modality of granular flow based on ECT sensors

In this study, a previously developed dual modality imaging system is applied to image the flow of granular matter with different electrical properties in cylindrical vessels. The imaging system is based on both capacitance and power measurements acquired by an electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) sensor located around the vessel. The measurement data are then used to reconstruct cross-sectional images of both permittivity and conductivity distributions. A neural network multi-criterion optimization reconstruction technique (NN-MOIRT) is used for the inverse (reconstruction) problem. The contribution of this technology to the field of granular matters is explored through review of research articles that can be a direct application of this development. We discuss the capabilities of this dual-modality acquisition system using synthetic data for granular matter with different electrical properties.     

B超图像的计算机实时成像研究

早在50年代前期，超声就被研究并作为医学上的一种诊断工具。随着超声诊断技术的发展，超声医学诊断成为一门专门的医学诊断技术，并形成一个独立的分支。B超图像是由医学B型超声扫描仪(Ultrasound—B-mode Scanner)采用脉冲回波法对被测物体进行扫描，通过对所得的回波数据重建而形成的一类医学图像，它的主要成像原理是运用超声在人体组织中传播特性(速度、反射率、吸收率等)的不同，将其转化为一定的可显信号，在显示器上反映出来。文章对该类图像在计算机上重建的算法进行了研究，对各种算法分析、比较，最后提出比较合理的适应于计算机上实时重建B超图像的算法。     

Multi-parameter acoustic imaging of uniform objects in inhomogeneous soft tissue

The problem studied in this paper is ultrasound image reconstruction from frequency-domain measurements of the scattered field from an object with contrast in attenuation and sound speed. The case in which the object has uniform but unknown contrast in these properties relative to the background is considered. Background clutter is taken into account in a physically realistic manner by considering an exact scattering model for randomly located small scatterers that vary in sound speed. The resulting statistical characteristics of the interference are incorporated into the imaging solution, which includes application of a total-variation minimization-based approach in which the relative effect of perturbation in sound speed to attenuation is included as a parameter. Convex optimization methods provide the basis for the reconstruction algorithm. Numerical data for inversion examples are generated by solving the discretized Lippman-Schwinger equation for the object and speckle-forming scatterers in the background. A statistical model based on the Born approximation is used for reconstruction of the object profile. Results are presented for a two-dimensional problem in terms of classification performance and compared with minimum-l2-norm reconstruction. Classification using the proposed method is shown to be robust down to a signal-to-clutter ratio of less than 1 dB.     

Study of Tissue Phantoms, Tissues, and Contrast Agent with the Biophotoacoustic Radar and Comparison to Ultrasound Imaging for Deep Subsurface Imaging

In this study, the imaging capability of our wide-spectrum frequency-domain photoacoustic (FD-PA) imaging alias ??photoacoustic radar?? methodology for imaging of soft tissues is explored. A practical application of the mathematical correlation processing method with relatively long (1 ms) frequency-modulated optical excitation is demonstrated for reconstruction of the spatial location of the PA sources. Image comparison with ultrasound (US) modality was investigated to see the complementarity between the two techniques. The obtained results with a phased array probe on tissue phantoms and their comparison to US images demonstrated that the FD-PA technique has strong potential for deep subsurface imaging with excellent contrast and high signal-to-noise ratio. FD-PA images of blood vessels in a human wrist and an in vivo subcutaneous tumor in a rat model are presented. As in other imaging modalities, the employment of contrast agents is desirable to improve the capability of medical diagnostics. Therefore, this study also evaluated and characterized the use of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) as PA contrast agents.     

A three-dimensional inverse finite-element method applied to experimental eddy-current imaging data

Eddy-current techniques can be used to create electrical conductivity mapping of an object. The eddy-current imaging system in this paper is a magnetic induction tomography (MIT) system. MIT images the electrical conductivity of the target based on impedance measurements from pairs of excitation and detection coils. The inverse problem here is ill-posed and nonlinear. Current state-of-the-art image reconstruction methods in MIT are generally based on linear algorithms. In this paper, a regularized Gauss-Newton scheme has been implemented based on an edge finite-element forward solver and an efficient formula for the Jacobian matrix. Applications of Tikhonov and total variation regularization have been studied. Results are presented from experimental data collected from a newly developed MIT system. The paper also presents further progress in using an MIT system for molten metal flow visualization in continuous casting by applying the proposed algorithm in a real experiment in a continuous casting pilot plant of Corus RD&T, Teesside Technology Centre.     

Three-dimensional optical tomography: resolution in small-object imaging

Near-infrared (NIR) optical tomography provide estimates of the internal distribution of optical absorption and transport scattering from boundary measurement of light propagation within biological tissue. Although this is a truly three-dimensional (3D) imaging problem, most research to date has concentrated on two-dimensional modeling and image reconstruction. More recently, 3D imaging algorithms are demonstrating better estimation of the light propagation within the imaging region and are providing the basis of more accurate image construction algorithms. As 3D methods emerge, it will become increasingly important to evaluate their resolution, contrast, and localization of optical property heterogeneity. We present a concise study of 3D reconstructed resolution of a small, low-contrast, absorbing and scattering anomaly as it is placed in different locations within a cylindrical phantom. The object is an 8-mm-diameter cylinder, which represents a typical small target that needs to be resolved in NIR mammographic imaging. The best resolution and contrast is observed when the object is located near the periphery of the imaging region (12-22 mm from the edge) and is also positioned within the multiple measurement planes, with the most accurate results seen for the scatter image when the anomaly is at 17 mm from the edge. Furthermore, the accuracy of quantitative imaging is increased to almost 100% of the target values when a priori information regarding the internal structure of imaging domain is utilized.     

SURF imaging for contrast agent detection

A contrast agent detection method is presented that potentially can improve the diagnostic significance of ultrasound contrast agents. Second order ultrasound field (SURF) contrast imaging is achieved by processing the received signals from transmitted dual frequency band pulse complexes with overlapping high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) pulses. The transmitted HF pulses are used for image reconstruction, whereas the transmitted LF pulses are used to manipulate the scattering properties of the contrast agent. In the present paper, we discuss how SURF contrast imaging potentially can overcome problems and limitations encountered with available contrast agent detection methods, and we give a few initial examples of in vitro measurements. With SURF contrast imaging, the resonant properties of the contrast agent may be decoupled from the HF imaging pulses. This technique is thus especially interesting for imaging contrast bubbles above their resonance frequency. However, to obtain adequate specificity, it is typically necessary to estimate and correct for accumulative nonlinear effects in the forward wave propagation.     

UWB Short-Range Bifocusing Tomographic Imaging

In this paper, the capability of ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor arrays for tomographic imaging of electrically large objects in 2-D and 3-D environments is presented. One of the main concerns when imaging extended real objects is the capability of the system to correctly reconstruct the object cross-section electric properties. An imaging method using a UWB multifrequency bifocusing (UWB-MFBF) operator with good tomographic imaging capabilities is presented, and numerical simulations are conducted to obtain the basic geometry and sampling parameters for a good-quality image reconstruction for geometrical and electrical parameters. Canonical-shape experimental reconstructions are performed to validate the established criteria.     

Ultrasound imaging using variations of the iterative Born technique [biomedical diagnosis

The iterative Born method is an inverse technique that has been used successfully in ultrasound imaging. However, the calculation cost of the standard iterative Born method is high, and parallel computation is limited to the forward problem. In this work, two methods are introduced to increase the rate of convergence of the iterative Born algorithm. These methods are tested on three different objects. The results are promising, with both algorithms giving accurate results at lower computational cost. The first method, referred to as the coarse resolution initial value (CRIV) method, uses the iterative Born algorithm for a coarse grid to quickly estimate the initial value of the object to be reconstructed. From this initial value, the final image is obtained for a finer grid with additional iterations. The cost of this method is 40% less than that of the iterative Born technique. The second method, the quadriphase source (QS) method, simultaneously uses four single sources, and object reconstruction for each is performed in parallel; the reconstruction results for all four sources then are averaged to obtain the final image. The cost of this method is 20% less than that of the standard iterative Born method. When the object to be reconstructed is of low contrast and/or has a small phase shift, the QS method is very promising because parallel computation can be used to solve both the forward and inverse problems. However, the QS method fails for high contrast objects.     

Three-dimensional CAD model reconstruction from image data of computer tomography

Three-dimensional (3D) shape reconstruction from 2D image data has been receiving extensive attention in medical engineering. It can enhance accurate diagnosis of the disease from medical images of computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An algorithm based on reverse engineering technique was proposed in this work for 3D surface reconstruction of CT images. Several image processing techniques were applied first to detect the 2D contour of the object for each of the CT images. A surface lofting approach was then employed to fit the 2D contours into a 3D surface model. A brain example was presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol 10, 328–338, 1999     

Extended high-frame rate imaging method with limited-diffraction beams

Fast three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound imaging is a technical challenge. Previously, a high-frame rate (HFR) imaging theory was developed in which a pulsed plane wave was used in transmission, and limited-diffraction array beam weightings were applied to received echo signals to produce a spatial Fourier transform of object function for 3-D image reconstruction. In this paper, the theory is extended to include explicitly various transmission schemes such as multiple limited-diffraction array beams and steered plane waves. A relationship between the limited-diffraction array beam weighting of received echo signals and a 2-D Fourier transform of the same signals over a transducer aperture is established. To verify the extended theory, computer simulations, in vitro experiments on phantoms, and in vivo experiments on the human kidney and heart were performed. Results show that image resolution and contrast are increased over a large field of view as more and more limited-diffraction array beams with different parameters or plane waves steered at different angles are used in transmissions. Thus, the method provides a continuous compromise between image quality and image frame rate that is inversely proportional to the number of transmissions used to obtain a single frame of image. From both simulations and experiments, the extended theory holds a great promise for future HFR 3-D imaging.     

Multidimensional optical sensor and imaging system

We describe a multidimensional optical sensor and imaging system (MOSIS). Using a time-multiplexing, polarimetric, and multispectral imaging system, we are able to reconstruct a fully integrated multidimensional scene. Image fusion is used to integrate the multidimensional images. The fused image contains more information than the single two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) images. The multidimensional imaging system utilizes polarimetric imaging, multispectral imaging, 3D integral imaging with time and space multiplexing, and 3D image-fusion techniques to reconstruct the multidimensionally integrated scene. Optical experiments and computer simulations are presented.     

Detection of magnetic nanoparticles in tissue using magneto-motive ultrasound

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the magneto-motive ultrasonic detection of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles as a marker of macrophage recruitment in tissue. The capability of ultrasound to detect SPIO nanoparticles (core diameter ～20?nm) taken up by murine liver macrophages was investigated. Eight mice were sacrificed two days after the intravenous administration of four SPIO doses (1.5, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.1?mmol Fe/kg body weight). In the iron-laden livers, ultrasound Doppler measurements showed a frequency shift in response to an applied time-varying magnetic field. M-mode scan and colour power Doppler images of the iron-laden livers also demonstrated nanoparticle movement under focused magnetic field excitation. In the livers of two saline injected control mice, no movement was observed using any ultrasound imaging modes. The results of our experiments indicate that ultrasound imaging of magneto-motive excitation is a candidate imaging modality to identify tissue-based macrophages containing SPIO nanoparticles.     

Visibility-enhanced reconstruction of three-dimensional objects under a heavily scattering medium through combined use of intermediate view reconstruction, multipixel extraction, and histogram equalization methods in the conventional integral imaging system

In this paper, we propose an effective approach for reconstructing visibility-enhanced three-dimensional (3D) objects under the heavily scattering medium of dense fog in the conventional integral imaging system through the combined use of the intermediate view reconstruction (IVR), multipixel extraction (MPE), and histogram equalization (HE) methods. In the proposed system, the limited number of elemental images (EIs) picked up from the 3D objects under the dense fog is increased by as many as required by using the IVR technique. The increased number of EIs is transformed into the subimages (SIs) in which the resolution of the transformed SIs has been also improved as much as possible with the MPE method. Subsequently, by using the HE algorithm, the histogram of the resolution-enhanced SIs is uniformly redistributed over the entire range of discrete pixel levels of the image in a way that the subimage contrast can be much enhanced. Then, these equalized SIs are converted back into the newly modified EIs, and consequently a visibility-enhanced 3D object image can be reconstructed. Successful experimental results with the test object confirmed the feasibility of the proposed method.     

In Vivo Volumetric Photoacoustic Molecular Angiography and Therapeutic Monitoring with Targeted Plasmonic Nanostars

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging promises deeper tissue penetration while maintaining rich optical contrast as compared to other high resolution optical imaging techniques. In this report, a near‐infrared pulse laser serves as the excitation source, and 128 ultrasonic transducers are spirally distributed on a hemispherical surface to receive PA signals for three‐dimensional (3D) image reconstruction. With these attributes, the unique modality produces an isotropic and homogeneous spatial resolution (～200 μm) with penetration depth of centimeters. Cyclic Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD) peptides conjugated plasmonic gold nanostars (RGD‐GNS) are designed to specifically target over‐expressed integrin α_vβ₃ on tumor neovasculature, enabling highly sensitive angiography and photothermal therapy (PTT). After the administration of RGD‐GNS, tumor angiogenesis is clearly imaged with enhanced contrast, and the growth of tumor is effectively inhibited by PTT after laser irradiation. This study suggest that the PA angiography with plasmonic RGD‐GNS can be applied as a triple functional platform for tumor diagnosis, PTT, and treatment monitoring. This PA technique offers deeper imaging depth with homogeneous resolution over existing optical imaging techniques for early diagnosis of tumor angiogenesis as well as on‐the‐spot nanotherapeutic evaluation.