Enhancement of photoacoustic imaging quality by using CMUT technology: Experimental study

Vallet, M; Varray, François; Kalkhoran, Mohammad Azizian; Vray, Didier; Boutet, J.

doi:10.1109/ultsym.2014.0320

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This paper explores the potential advantages achievable by using CMUT technology for PA applications through a qualitative and quantitative imaging assessment. A preliminary study was conducted in [19] and is extended hereafter. A comparative study is carried out by conducting in vitro imaging experiments on a suture wire and on bimodal phantoms using different PZT and CMUT probes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative comparison of PZT and CMUT probes for photoacoustic imaging: Experimental validation

et al. 2017

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Photoacoustic (PA) signals are short ultrasound (US) pulses typically characterized by a single-cycle shape, often referred to as N-shape. The spectral content of such wideband signals ranges from a few hundred kilohertz to several tens of megahertz. Typical reception frequency responses of classical piezoelectric US imaging transducers, based on PZT technology, are not sufficiently broadband to fully preserve the entire information contained in PA signals, which are then filtered, thus limiting PA imaging performance. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUT) are rapidly emerging as a valid alternative to conventional PZT transducers in several medical ultrasound imaging applications. As compared to PZT transducers, CMUTs exhibit both higher sensitivity and significantly broader frequency response in reception, making their use attractive in PA imaging applications. This paper explores the advantages of the CMUT larger bandwidth in PA imaging by carrying out an experimental comparative study using various CMUT and PZT probes from different research laboratories and manufacturers. PA acquisitions are performed on a suture wire and on several home-made bimodal phantoms with both PZT and CMUT probes. Three criteria, based on the evaluation of pure receive impulse response, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) respectively, have been used for a quantitative comparison of imaging results. The measured fractional bandwidths of the CMUT arrays are larger compared to PZT probes. Moreover, both SNR and CNR are enhanced by at least 6 dB with CMUT technology. This work highlights the potential of CMUT technology for PA imaging through qualitative and quantitative parameters.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative comparison of PZT and CMUT probes for photoacoustic imaging: Experimental validation

et al. 2017

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“…As a result, they improved the elevation resolution to 330 lm, which is close to the lateral resolution of 298 lm and enhanced the SNR by about four times [79,80]. Unlike pulse-echo US signals, PA signals have a very broad bandwidth, ranging from 1 to 100 MHz [82]. However, the conventional piezoelectric (PZT) transducer cannot fully receive the PA signals resulting in the loss of sensitivity and spatial resolution.…”

Section: Current Issues and Future Outlooksmentioning

confidence: 83%

Clinical photoacoustic imaging platforms

et al. 2018

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Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a new promising medical imaging technology available for diagnosing and assessing various pathologies. PAI complements existing imaging modalities by providing information not currently available for diagnosing, e.g., oxygenation level of the underlying tissue. Currently, researchers are translating PAI from benchside to bedside to make unique clinical advantages of PAI available for patient care. The requirements for a successful clinical PAI system are; deeper imaging depth, wider field of view, and faster scan time than the laboratory-level PAI systems. Currently, many research groups and companies are developing novel technologies for data acquisition/signal processing systems, detector geometry, and an acoustic sensor. In this review, we summarize state-of-the-art clinical PAI systems with three types of the imaging transducers: linear array transducer, curved linear array transducer, and volumetric array transducer. We will also discuss the limitations of the current PAI systems and describe latest techniques being developed to address these for further enhancing the image quality of PAI for successful clinical translation.

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“…As for the axial resolution, ARPAM, there is no difference between AR-PAM and OR-PAM because their axial resolution is mainly determined by the acoustic bandwidth as follows:AROR-/AR-PAM=0.88vΔfc,where Δfc is the bandwidth of the PA signal. The PA signal has a very wide bandwidth ranging from 1 MHz to 100 MHz [49] and this range is much wider than the detectable bandwidth of the conventional piezoelectric transducer (PZT). Thus, it is safe to assume that the bandwidth of the received PA signals is equal to the bandwidth of the detector.…”

Section: Spatial Resolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review on practical photoacoustic microscopy

et al. 2019

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Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has many interesting advantages, such as deep imaging depth, high image resolution, and high contrast to intrinsic and extrinsic chromophores, enabling morphological, functional, and molecular imaging of living subjects. Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is one form of the PAI inheriting its characteristics and is useful in both preclinical and clinical research. Over the years, PAM systems have been evolved in several forms and each form has its relative advantages and disadvantages. Thus, to maximize the benefits of PAM for a specific application, it is important to configure the PAM system optimally by targeting a specific application. In this review, we provide practical methods for implementing a PAM system to improve the resolution, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and imaging speed. In addition, we review the preclinical and the clinical applications of PAM and discuss the current challenges and the scope for future developments.

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Enhancement of photoacoustic imaging quality by using CMUT technology: Experimental study

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Quantitative comparison of PZT and CMUT probes for photoacoustic imaging: Experimental validation

Quantitative comparison of PZT and CMUT probes for photoacoustic imaging: Experimental validation

Clinical photoacoustic imaging platforms

Review on practical photoacoustic microscopy

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