An optically-transparent PVDF transducer array for photoacoustic tomography
An optically-transparent PVDF transducer array for photoacoustic tomography
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DOI：
10.1117/12.2609268
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发表时间：
2022-03
影响因子：
4.3
通讯作者：
He Hu;Cheng Fang;Jun Zou
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
He Hu;Cheng Fang;Jun Zou
光声断层扫描（PAT）是一种混合成像技术，能够在深穿透深度提供丰富的光学对比度和高空间分辨率。当前 PAT 系统设计中的一项基本挑战是由超声换能器阵列的不透明结构引起的，它阻止了有效的光能传递到成像目标上。为了解决这个问题，我们报告了一种用于 PAT 的新型光学透明 PVDF（聚偏二氟乙烯）传感器阵列。它由 16 个元件组成的一维阵列组成，每个元件都有一个透明窗口，允许激发激光脉冲直接通过。因此，光学激励和超声检测区域自动对齐，以改善照明条件和 PA 激励效率。其成像性能，如对比度、横向分辨率和穿透深度，已通过光学模型进行了表征。已经对鸡胸组织进行了初步的离体 PAT 实验，以证明其对真实生物样本的成像能力。实验结果表明，光学透明PVDF换能器阵列可以为手持式PAT系统的小型化和临床转化提供新的解决方案。
Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a hybrid imaging technique, which is capable of providing abundant optical contrast and high spatial resolution at deep penetration depth. One fundamental challenge in current PAT system design is caused by the opaque structure of the ultrasound transducer arrays, which prevents effective light energy delivery onto the imaging target. To address this issue, we report a new optically-transparent PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) transducer array for PAT. It consists of a 1D array of 16 elements, each of which has a transparent window to allow the excitation laser pulses to directly pass through. As a result, the optical excitation and ultrasound detection zones are automatically aligned to improve the illumination condition and PA excitation efficiency. Its imaging performance, such as contrast, lateral resolution, and penetration depth has been characterized with optical phantoms. Preliminary ex-vivo PAT experiments on chicken breast tissues have been conducted to demonstrate its imaging capability on real biological samples. The experimental results show that the optically-transparent PVDF transducer array could provide a new solution for the miniaturization and clinical translation of handheld PAT systems.