Combined ultrasound and photoacoustic C-mode imaging system for skin lesion assessment

authored by
Anatoly Fedorov Kukk, Felix Scheling, Rüdiger Panzer, Steffen Emmert, Bernhard Roth
Abstract

Accurate assessment of the size and depth of infiltration is critical for effectively treating and removing skin cancer, especially melanoma. However, existing methods such as skin biopsy and histologic examination are invasive, time-consuming, and may not provide accurate depth results. We present a novel system for simultaneous and co-localized ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging, with the application for non-invasive skin lesion size and depth measurement. The developed system integrates an acoustical mirror that is placed on an ultrasound transducer, which can be translated within a flexible water tank. This allows for 3D (C-mode) imaging, which is useful for mapping the skin structure and determine the invasion size and depth of lesions including skin cancer. For efficient reconstruction of photoacoustic images, we applied the open-source MUST library. The acquisition time per 2D image is <1 s and the pulse energies are below the legal Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) on human skin. We present the depth and resolution capabilities of the setup on several self-designed agar phantoms and demonstrate in vivo imaging on human skin. The setup also features an unobstructed optical window from the top, allowing for simple integration with other optical modalities. The perspective towards clinical application is demonstrated.

Organisation(s)
Hannover Centre for Optical Technologies (HOT)
PhoenixD: Photonics, Optics, and Engineering - Innovation Across Disciplines
External Organisation(s)
University of Rostock
Type
Article
Journal
Scientific reports
Volume
13
ISSN
2045-2322
Publication date
12.2023
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
General
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-44919-5 (Access: Open)