Photoacoustic imaging using transvaginal microconvex probe for ovarian cancer detection

• Grant number: 15/20299-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2015
• End date: June 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Medical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Theo Zeferino Pavan
• Grantee: Guilherme Santos Pilotto Fernandes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/18854-6 - Photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging applied to tissue characterization, AP.JP

Abstract

Currently available medical imaging techniques are unable to detect ovarian cancer in its initial stages. In this project, we propose the use of a transvaginal microconvex ultrasound probe to acquire photoacoustic images in order to evaluate the ovarian vasculature. This probe is widely used in gynecological routines due to easier access to the ovaries and is capable of forming images with wide field of view. Photoacoustics is an emerging image modality to obtain precise vasculature information of tissues, since it is based on the optical absorption of the region of interest. In the study, pulsed laser beams will be applied on a phantom and the signals will be acquired with a transvaginal microconvex probe. Data processing will be performed in MATLAB software employing two reconstruction methods: time reversal and delay and sum. Additionally, photoacoustic simulations using k-wave toolkit will be performed for comparison with the experimental results.