High resolution ultrasound imaging sensor array for biomedical imaging applicatio

描述(由申请人提供)：脆弱斑块坏死核心上的薄纤维帽破裂是急性冠脉综合征的主要原因。纤维帽破裂是降低心血管风险的核心，因为它占所有冠脉疾病死亡人数的一半，而且，在中等风险和无症状的患者中，这种情况在没有征兆的情况下发生。对于表征和更好地了解易损斑块的破裂机制，最重要的是临床上可用的成像工具分辨率不足，能够实时提供高分辨率的动脉粥样硬化形态。所提出的成像传感器及其成像方法的开发将使识别薄帽纤维动脉粥样硬化瘤(TCFA)和量化冠状动脉钙化比目前的成像方法更详细，并将开启与TCFA破裂机制相关的新的基础性问题的可能性。具体目标1是为传统的基于cmos的摄像系统开发薄膜声光换能器。基于光学超声检测方法的换能器将消除对数百个有源换能器通道的要求，消除了电气互连的严重制造困难，以及换能器的低信噪比，特别是对于大型成像阵列。具体目标2是开发新的成像采集方法，使所开发的换能器能够与传统的CMOS摄像机一起进行高分辨率超声成像。最后，具体目标3是确定所开发的声光超声成像系统实时高分辨率识别显微组织成分的能力。它将用于两种成像 纤维粥样硬化瘤的形态和微钙化的存在以及纤维帽、坏死核和胶原含量的组织成分光谱。所提出的换能器和图像采集方法的成功实施将实现前所未有的高分辨率超声成像，这是传统的压电式或电容式微机械超声换能器无法实现的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Rupture of the thin fibrous cap overlying the necrotic core of a vulnerable plaque is the principal cause of acute coronary syndrome. Fibrous cap rupture lies at the heart of reducing cardiovascular risk since it accounts for half of all coronar artery disease deaths and, moreover, occurs without warning in moderate-risk and asymptomatic patients. Of paramount importance to characterize and better understand the vulnerable plaque rupture mechanism is the insufficient resolution of clinically available imaging tools capable of provide high resolution morphology of the atheroma in real-time. Development of the proposed imaging sensor and its imaging method will permit identifying thin cap fibroatheromas (TCFA) and quantify coronary artery calcification with greater detail than with current imaging approaches, and will open the possibility of posing new fundamental questions related to the mechanism of TCFA rupture. Specific Aim 1 is to develop thin film acousto-optic transducer for conventional CMOS based camera systems. Based on the optical ultrasound detection method, the transducer will eliminate the requirement for many hundreds of active transducer channels, severe fabrication difficulties in electrical interconnection, and low transducer signal to noise ratio especially for the large imaging array size. Specific Aim 2 is to develop novel imaging acquisition method that allows the developed transducer with a conventional CMOS camera for high resolution ultrasound imaging. Finally, Specific Aim 3 is determine the ability of the developed acousto-optic ultrasound imaging system to identify microscopic tissue composition at high resolution in real-time. It will be used for both imaging of the morphology of the fibroatheroma and presence of microcalcifications as well as the tissue composition spectroscopy of fibrous cap, necrotic core and collagen content. The successful implementation of the proposed transducer and image acquisition method will allow an unprecedented high resolution ultrasound imaging that is impossible to achieve from conventional piezoelectric or capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers.