Burn depth profiling using photoacoustic analysis

描述（由申请人提供）：生物医学光声学使用激光能量，该能量被组织吸收并转导为快速热膨胀，使组织成为主动声源。利用光声技术，对烧伤创面进行成像，从可存活的组织中勾画出坏死部位。利用声波在坏死组织中的传播时间，激光在潜在存活组织中的血液灌注的选择性吸收将给出伤口的深度图。光声探针将被设计并在组织模型、动物模型和人体对象上进行测试。探测器将由一根用于激光传输的光纤和一个声学传感器组成。探头将扫描伤口，信号将使用反向投影方法进行分析，以获得深度剖面。这将有助于伤口的临床管理，包括坏死组织的最佳清创。该系统将是非侵入性的，并提供伤口的真实图像，这是目前临床医生无法获得的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Biomedical photoacoustics uses laser energy which is absorbed by tissue and transduced to a rapid thermal expansion so that the tissue becomes an active acoustic source. Using photoacoustics, burn wounds would be imaged, delineating the necrotic from viable tissue. The selective absorption of laser light by blood perfusion in the underlying viable tissue would give a depth map of the wound, using acoustic propagation time through the necrotic tissue. A photoacoustic probe will be designed and tested on tissue phantoms, animal models, and human subjects. The probe will consist of an optical fiber for laser light delivery and an acoustic sensor. The probe will scan the wound arid the signals will be analyzed using backprojection methods to derive a depth profile. This profile would allow clinical management of the wound, including optimal debridement of the necrotic tissue. The system will be non-invasive and provide a true image of the wound, something not currently available to the clinician.