Development of a photoacoustic, ultrasound and fluorescence imaging catheter for the study of atherosclerotic plaque.

Abstract

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of death in industrialized countries. Molecular imaging modalities are increasingly recognized to be a promising avenue towards improved diagnosis and for the evaluation of new drug therapies. In this work, we present an acquisition system and associated catheter enabling simultaneous photoacoustic, ultrasound and fluorescence imaging of arteries designed for in vivo imaging. The catheter performance is evaluated in tissue-mimicking phantoms. Simultaneous imaging with three modalities is demonstrated at frame rates of 30 images per second for ultrasound and fluorescence and 1 image per 13 seconds for photoacoustic. Acquired radio-frequency ultrasound data could be processed to obtain radial strain elastograms. With motorized pullback, 3D imaging of phantoms was performed using the three modalities.

• Authors: Maxime Abran, Guy Cloutier, Marie-Helene Roy Cardinal, Boris Chayer, Jean-Claude Tardif, Frederic Lesage
• Journal: IEEE transactions on biomedical circuits and systems (IEEE Trans Biomed Circuits Syst) Vol. 8 Issue 5 Pg. 696-703 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1940-9990 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25350946 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Arteries (diagnostic imaging)
• Catheters
• Equipment Design
• Humans
• Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
• Models, Cardiovascular
• Optical Imaging (instrumentation, methods)
• Phantoms, Imaging
• Photoacoustic Techniques (instrumentation, methods)
• Ultrasonography (instrumentation, methods)