Massively parallel high-speed 3D functional photoacoustic computed tomography of the adult human brain

成人大脑的大规模并行高速 3D 功能光声计算机断层扫描

• 批准号: 10470400
• 负责人: Danny JJ WANG
• 金额: $ 131.04万
• 依托单位: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-08 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10470400
• 关键词: 3-Dimensional; Acoustics; Address; Adult; Algorithms; Atlases; Attenuated; BRAIN initiative; Back; Blood Vessels; Blood flow; Brain; Brain imaging; Breast; Complement; Data; Dependence; Detection; Development; Diffusion; Doppler Effect; Electric Stimulation; Electronics; Elements; Environment; Functional Imaging; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Goals; Head; Hemoglobin; High Resolution Computed Tomography; Human; Image; Imaging Device; Imaging technology; Light; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Maintenance; Maps; Methods; Microscopic; Modality; Modeling; Mus; Newborn Infant; Noise; Organ; Oxyhemoglobin; Positron-Emission Tomography; Process; Radioactive Tracers; Rattus; Resolution; Rest; Rodent; Running; Sampling; Signal Transduction; Site; Speed; Statistical Data Interpretation; Structure of fontanel of skull; Surface; System; Techniques; Technology; Thalamic structure; Thick; Time; Tissues; Translating; Ultrasonic Transducer; Ultrasonic wave; Ultrasonics; Variant; Vibrissae; X-Ray Computed Tomography; attenuation; base; blood oxygen level dependent; cost; cranium; diffuse optical tomography; frontier; functional near infrared spectroscopy; hemodynamics; human imaging; human subject; image reconstruction; imaging capabilities; imaging modality; imaging platform; in vivo; metabolic imaging; next generation; novel; novel strategies; operation; photoacoustic imaging; portability; public health relevance; reconstruction; recruit; relating to nervous system; response; spatiotemporal; success; temporal measurement; ultrasound

ABSTRACT (30 Lines) The BRAIN initiative (RFA-EB-19-002) has called for the development of entirely new or next-generation noninvasive human brain imaging tools and methods that will lead to transformative advances in our understanding of the human brain. Functional MRI (fMRI) at ultrahigh fields has made tremendous improvements in spatiotemporal resolution, allowing brain function to be studied on the level of cortical layers and columns. However, fMRI is generally considered to have a low sensitivity and strong tissue background for detection of function. Positron emission tomography provides powerful metabolic imaging through radioactive tracers but suffers low spatial resolution, as is diffuse optical tomography despite its advantages in speed, cost, and portability. Ultrasound-only imaging cannot image adult human brains because the ultrasonic waves are attenuated and aberrated twice by the skull due to the round-trip propagation. To address these issues, we propose to develop 3D photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) for fast and ultrafast large-scale neural activity imaging in human brains. PACT is especially well suited for detecting hemodynamic changes related to neural activities. It offers comparable spatial resolution but can be made much faster than fMRI. It is directly sensitive to both oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin linearly with a low tissue background. Other potential benefits of PACT over fMRI include open imaging platforms, minimal site requirements, quiet and bedside operation, magnet-free environment, and low system maintenance. In the last two decades, we have developed photoacoustic technology at multiple spatial scales ranging from microscopic (subcellular and cellular) to macroscopic (whole rodent, whole human breast, ex vivo adult human skull, and preliminary single-channel 2D and 64-channel 3D in vivo adult human brain) imaging. We have revealed hemodynamic response in the rodent brain to whisker or electrical stimulation and mapped the resting- state functional connectivity of the rat brain in the deep thalamic region. We have also developed sophisticated numerical methods for simulating photoacoustic wave propagation in heterogeneous media and developed frameworks for image reconstruction in acoustically heterogeneous media. Further, we have successfully demonstrated ex vivo PACT through adult human skulls and acquired preliminary images of human heads in vivo. We propose to translate these advances in PACT to human brain imaging through two specific aims: Aim 1: Develop massively parallel high-speed 3D PACT for in vivo fast and ultrafast functional human brain imaging. Aim 2: Validate functional PACT in adult humans in vivo by comparing with ultrahigh-field 7 T fMRI.

摘要（30行） BRAIN倡议（RFA-EB-19-002）呼吁开发全新的或下一代的 非侵入性人脑成像工具和方法，将导致我们的变革性进展， 了解人类大脑。功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）在磁共振领域取得了巨大的进步， 在时空分辨率上，允许在皮层层和列的水平上研究大脑功能。 然而，fMRI通常被认为具有低灵敏度和强组织背景用于检测 功能正电子发射断层扫描通过放射性示踪剂提供强大的代谢成像， 尽管漫射光学层析成像在速度、成本和成本方面具有优势， 便携性。仅超声成像无法成像成人大脑，因为超声波是 由于往返传播而被颅骨衰减和畸变两次。 为了解决这些问题，我们建议开发3D光声计算机断层扫描（PACT）， 以及人脑中的超高速大规模神经活动成像。PACT特别适用于检测 与神经活动有关的血液动力学变化。它提供了相当的空间分辨率，但可以使 比fMRI更快它对氧合血红蛋白和脱氧血红蛋白都直接敏感，线性，组织背景低。 PACT相对于fMRI的其他潜在优势包括开放的成像平台、最小的场地要求、安静和安全性。 床边操作、无磁环境和低系统维护。 在过去的二十年里，我们已经在多个空间尺度上开发了光声技术， 微观（亚细胞和细胞）至宏观（整个啮齿动物、整个人乳房、离体成人 颅骨，以及初步的单通道2D和64通道3D体内成人脑）成像。我们有 揭示了啮齿动物大脑对触须或电刺激的血液动力学反应，并绘制了静息- 状态大鼠大脑在丘脑深部区域的功能连接。我们还开发了先进的 数值方法模拟光声波在非均匀介质中的传播， 用于在声学非均匀介质中的图像重建的框架。此外，我们还成功地 通过成年人头骨展示了离体PACT，并获得了人类头部的初步图像， vivo.我们建议通过两个具体目标将PACT的这些进展转化为人脑成像： 目标1：开发用于体内快速和超快速功能人脑的大规模并行高速3D PACT 显像 目的2：通过与超高场7 T fMRI的比较，在成年人体内研究PACT的功能。