Dual Modality Image Processing System for Simultaneous Functional and Anatomical Display Mapping

摘要

A real-time image processing system is disclosed that applies the same handheld probe to provide simultaneously displayed ultrasonic and photoacoustic processed images for generating and detecting ultrasonic and photoacoustic signals. These signals are digitized, processed, and used to reconstruct an anatomical map that overlays two functional parameter maps, the blood hemoglobin index and the blood oxygenation index. The blood hemoglobin index represents a change in blood hemoglobin concentration in the diagnosis target region with respect to the background blood concentration. The blood oxygenation index represents the change in blood oxygenation in the region to be diagnosed relative to the background level of blood oxygenation. These simultaneous display maps can be used to noninvasively differentiate malignant tumors from benign masses and cysts. [Selection] Figure 1A