Photoacoustic imaging of brachytherapy seeds using a channel-domain ultrasound array system

Tyler Harrison; Roger J. Zemp

doi:10.1117/12.875550

17 February 2011 Photoacoustic imaging of brachytherapy seeds using a channel-domain ultrasound array system

Tyler Harrison, Roger J. Zemp

Proceedings Volume 7899, Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing 2011; 78990H (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.875550
Event: SPIE BiOS, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Brachytherapy is a technique commonly used in the treatment of prostate cancer that relies on the precise placement of small radioactive seeds near the tumor location. The advantage of this technique over traditional radiation therapies is that treatment can be continuous and uniform, resulting in fewer clinic visits and a shorter treatment duration. Two important phases of this treatment are needle guidance for implantation, and post-placement verification for dosimetry. Ultrasound is a common imaging modality used for these purposes, but it can be difficult to distinguish the seeds from surrounding tissues, often requiring other imaging techniques such as MRI or CT. Photoacoustic imaging may offer a viable alternative. Using a photoacoustic system based on an L7- 4 array transducer and a realtime ultrasound array system capable of parallel channel data acquisition streamed to a multi-core computer via PCI-express, we have demonstrated imaging of these seeds at an ultrasound depth of 16 mm and laser penetration depths ranging up to 50 mm in chicken tissue with multiple optical wavelengths. Ultrasound and photoacoustic images are coregistered via an interlaced pulse sequence. Two laser pulses are used to form a photoacoustic image, and at these depths, the brachytherapy seeds are detected with a signal-to-noise ratio of over 26dB. To obtain this result, 1064nm light was used with a fluence of 100mJ/cm², the ANSI limit for human skin exposure at this wavelength. This study demonstrates the potential for photoacoustic imaging as a candidate technology for brachytherapy seed placement guidance and verification.

Citation Download Citation

Tyler Harrison and Roger J. Zemp "Photoacoustic imaging of brachytherapy seeds using a channel-domain ultrasound array system", Proc. SPIE 7899, Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing 2011, 78990H (17 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.875550

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