DUAL MODALITY IMAGING SYSTEM FOR COREGISTERED FUNCTIONAL AND ANATOMICAL MAPPING

摘要

A real-time imaging system that provides mutually matched ultrasound imaging and optoacoustic imaging through the application of the same hand-held probe to generate and retrieve ultrasound and optoacoustic signals. These signals are digitized, processed, and used to reconstruct superimposed anatomical maps and maps of two functional parameters of blood hemoglobin index and blood oxygenation index. The blood hemoglobin index represents changes in blood hemoglobin concentration in areas of diagnostic interest relative to background blood concentration. The blood oxygenation index represents blood oxygenation changes in areas of diagnostic interest against the background level of blood oxygenation. These mutually matched maps can be used to noninvasively differentiate malignant tumors from benign lumps and cysts.