Dual frequency comb portable photoacoustic imaging apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging and associated methods

Abstract

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging is provided. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a photonic integrated circuit scale dual frequency comb (DFC), a handheld wand, and at least one processing element. The rod includes at least one emission point for emitting light of a plurality of different wavelengths from the DFC and at least three sensors. The wand directs the emitted light toward one or more body structures. The sensors are adapted to detect acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes of one or more elements within the body structures. The processing element is configured to generate an optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves, identify one or more elements within the body structures based on the optical absorption spectrum, and generate a three-dimensional image of the elements based on the optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to medical imaging apparatus, and more particularly, to photoacoustic medical imaging apparatus and methods. Background Art

[0002] Traditional modalities of medical imaging (e.g., computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray, etc.) can be invasive, expensive, and require specialized training to operate (often due to the health risks associated with operating such modalities). Furthermore, such traditional medical imaging modalities require equipment that is physically large and / or has very specific siting requirements. Consequently, these traditional medical imaging modalities are not well suited for point-of-care use (e.g., in a primary care setting). The cost and inconvenience of such traditional medical imaging modalities limits their use in routine screening and may even reduce their suitability for specific diagnostic uses and treatment / procedure follow-up imaging.

[0003] Through effort, ingenuity, and innovation, solutions have been developed, including in embodiments of the present disclosure, to address many of these identified problems, many examples of which are described in detail herein. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Various embodiments described herein relate to devices and methods for non-invasive medical imaging.

[0005] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a device for non-invasive medical imaging is provided. In some embodiments, the device includes a dual frequency comb (DFC) at the scale of a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), a handheld wand, and at least one processing element. The handheld wand includes (i) at least one emission point for emitting light of multiple different wavelengths from the PIC-scale DFC, and (ii) at least three sensors. The handheld wand is suitable for directing the emitted light toward one or more body structures of an animal. The at least three sensors are suitable for detecting acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes of one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light. The at least one processing element is used to (i) generate an optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves from each of the at least three sensors, (ii) identify at least one of the one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light based on the optical absorption spectrum, and (iii) generate a three-dimensional (3-D) image of the one or more elements based on the optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves from each of the at least three sensors.

[0006] In some embodiments, the PIC-scale DFC resides in the rod.

[0007] In some embodiments, the device further comprises a base unit separate from the wand and a display element within the base unit for displaying the generated 3-D image.

[0008] In some embodiments, the PIC-scale DFC resides in the base unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises one or more fiber optic cables for transmitting light from the PIC-scale DFC in the base unit to the at least one emission point in the rod.

[0010] In some embodiments, the at least one processing element resides in the rod or the base unit.

[0011] In some embodiments, the communication between the wand and the base unit is wired or wireless.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least three sensors include at least three transducers.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least one processing element provides the generated 3-D image to an artificial intelligence algorithm.

[0014] In some embodiments, the one or more elements include two elements, the two elements including oxygenated blood and non-oxygenated blood, and generating the 3-D image by the at least one processing element includes generating a 3-D image of one or more blood vessels based on the detected acoustic waves from the oxygenated blood and the non-oxygenated blood.

[0015] In some embodiments, the one or more body structures include an eye, relatively shorter wavelength light is used to image a posterior portion of the eye, and relatively longer wavelength light is used to image an anterior portion of the eye.

[0016] In some embodiments, the one or more body structures include skin.

[0017] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for non-invasive medical imaging is provided. In some embodiments, the method includes emitting a plurality of different wavelengths of light from a photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-scale dual frequency comb (DFC) via a handheld device directed toward one or more body structures of an animal, detecting, via one or more sensors in the handheld device, acoustic waves of thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light, generating an optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves, and identifying at least one of the one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light based on the optical absorption spectrum.

[0018] The above exemplary invention contents and other exemplary objects and / or advantages of the present disclosure and the manner in which these objects and / or advantages are achieved are further explained in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The description of the exemplary embodiments may be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, the elements shown in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale unless otherwise described. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements unless otherwise described. Embodiments incorporating the teachings of the present disclosure are shown and described with respect to the drawings presented herein, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 is an example block diagram of an example apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 2 is an example block diagram of an example apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging according to an alternative example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 3 is an example flow chart illustrating an example method of non-invasive medical imaging;

[0023] Figure 4 shows example input and output spectra of an example apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 5 An example handheld wand of an example apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0025] Figure 6 An example body-worn portion of an example apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some, but not all, embodiments of the present disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0027] As used herein, terms such as "front," "rear," "top," and the like are used for illustrative purposes in the examples provided below to describe the relative positions of certain components or portions of components. Additionally, as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, the terms "substantially" and "approximately" indicate that the referenced element or associated description is accurate within applicable engineering tolerances.

[0028] As used herein, the term "comprising" means including but not limited to, and should be interpreted in the manner in which it is typically used in a patent context. The use of broader terms such as "including," "comprising," and "having" should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as "consisting of," "consisting essentially of," and "composed essentially of."

[0029] The phrases "in one embodiment," "according to one embodiment," "in some embodiments," etc. generally mean that the particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase can be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, and may be included in more than one embodiment of the present disclosure (importantly, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment).

[0030] The word “example” or “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.

[0031] If the specification states that a component or feature "may," "could," "might," "should," "will," "preferably," "likely," "typically," "optionally," "for example," "usually," or "might" (or other such language) be included or have a characteristic, that particular component or feature is not required to be included or have that characteristic. Such a component or feature may optionally be included in some embodiments, or it may be excluded.

[0032] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide apparatus and methods for non-invasive medical imaging.Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be used in any suitable animal, including but not limited to humans.

[0033] Various embodiments of the present disclosure use a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) scale dual frequency comb (DFC) laser source to provide a portable, non-radioactive, point-of-care photoacoustic imaging device that can be used for continuous patient monitoring in a primary care setting without the need for a dedicated medical imaging care facility. The term "PIC-scale DFC" refers to a DFC implemented on a single integrated circuit ("chip"). The use of a PIC-scale DFC enables the devices of the various embodiments of the present disclosure to be highly miniaturized and extremely portable. For example, the devices of the various embodiments of the present disclosure can be handheld and approximately the size of a smartphone, or can include a handheld scanning portion approximately the size of a smartphone. Various embodiments of the present disclosure use PIC-scale fiber ring resonators. Further details of implementing frequency combs using dual microring resonators can be found in Miller et al., "Tunable Frequency Combs Based on Dual Microring Resonators," Optics Express, Vol. 23, No. 16, pp. 21527-21540 (2015), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0034] In DFC spectroscopy, two stable combs are used to map optical absorption in an absorbing sample to a radio frequency (RF) signal for direct analysis. These two combs have slightly different repetition rates, generating a series of beat frequencies at the photodetector that are modulated by the sample absorption. The combs can be spectrally broad—in some cases greater than an octave—and thus provide broad-spectrum absorption analysis of the sample.

[0035] DFC technology can be applied to photoacoustic imaging in the same way it is applied to gas spectroscopy: Sample molecules and structures uniquely absorb the dual-comb laser light and undergo rapid thermoelastic changes, which in turn generate acoustic waves. These waves can be detected by ultrasound sensors. Processing of the photoacoustic signal generates a broad optical absorption spectrum of the sample. Based on this spectrum, the type of cell, molecule, or structure within a vessel can be identified and imaged, based on the predetermined absorption frequency of light by which cell, molecule, tissue, or structure.

[0036] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide apparatus and methods for non-invasive medical imaging that provide multispectral medical imaging capabilities from a single scan and can be used for any suitable medical imaging study, for imaging any suitable body structure, and for any suitable purpose. For example, various embodiments of the present disclosure can be used for vasculature imaging (e.g., for cardiac angiography, ophthalmological screening, tumor angiogenesis detection, sickle cell disease detection and monitoring, etc.), endoscopic scanning for gastroenterology, non-invasive skin "biopsy" for dermatology, and many other applications.

[0037] Various embodiments of the present disclosure use artificial intelligence (AI) enabled image processing algorithms to reduce the need for extensive training for human operators. The portable nature of such imaging devices and their AI capabilities will provide treatment solutions that can be personalized and provide long-term remote patient monitoring capabilities. Various embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to generate reports of imaging results. In various embodiments, such AI-enabled image processing algorithms are trained to identify normal and abnormal structures, cells, etc. using a large database of training images of normal and abnormal structures, cells, etc.

[0038] In order to train the AI-enabled image processing algorithm to analyze the generated images and determine whether the images show normal or abnormal structures, cells, etc., a sufficiently high number (typically thousands or tens of thousands) of normal and abnormal images are input into the prediction model training or learning system of the AI-enabled image processing algorithm. Various embodiments of the present disclosure may implement artificial intelligence and / or machine learning algorithms for image analysis to generate a prediction model, including but not limited to linear regression algorithms, logistic regression algorithms, decision tree algorithms, support vector machines (SVM) algorithms, naive Bayes algorithms, k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithms, K-means algorithms, random forest algorithms, recursive neural network (RNN) algorithms, generative adversarial network (GAN) algorithms, artificial neural networks, etc.

[0039] By utilizing DFC technology, which can penetrate approximately 10-15 centimeters (cm) through the body, various embodiments of the present disclosure are capable of imaging many different types of body structures, tissues, cells, etc. For example, by detecting oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, which react to two different wavelengths of light, various embodiments of the present disclosure can present accurate blood flow and, therefore, accurate images of the vasculature.

[0040] Various embodiments of the present disclosure use multiple light sources (e.g., multiple DFCs each having a single corresponding emission point and / or DFCs having multiple emission points) and multiple sensors (e.g., transducers) to capture images from multiple angles that are digitally combined to create three-dimensional (3-D) images, such as images of vasculature / blood flow.

[0041] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are able to capture each image very quickly (in less than about 15 microseconds in one example embodiment), thereby enabling high-resolution, motion-tolerant imaging.

[0042] Although various embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein using PIC-scaled DFCs, in some alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, non-PIC-scaled DFCs may be used.

[0043] Ophthalmic applications

[0044] Current eye imaging methods are expensive, impractical, and time-consuming. Traditional eye imaging methods, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), require specialized equipment and trained technicians, making them expensive and inaccessible to many patients, especially those in rural or underserved areas. Additionally, OCT scans can take several minutes to complete, which can be challenging for uncomfortable or uncooperative patients.

[0045] Various embodiments of the present disclosure address these issues by providing non-invasive, affordable, and real-time point-of-care eye imaging devices and methods using photoacoustic imaging with a PIC-based DFC light source. Such devices and methods can be used by non-specialists and can provide real-time images of the retina and its vasculature, which can be used to diagnose and monitor various eye diseases. Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a comprehensive approach to screening for a variety of treatable / reversible eye diseases.

[0046] Various embodiments of the present disclosure can simultaneously tune multiple laser wavelengths to image the posterior structures of the eye (e.g., retina) with a shorter wavelength (e.g., 800 nm) and the anterior structures of the eye (e.g., cornea and lens) with a longer wavelength (e.g., 1000 nm). Imaging the posterior structures of the eye enables detection of, for example, macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. Imaging the anterior structures of the eye enables detection of, for example, glaucoma.

[0047] Cardiology applications

[0048] Current methods for detecting cardiothoracic disease / injury and monitoring recovery (e.g., angiography and computed tomography angiography) are limited by their reliance on symptoms, invasive procedures, or expensive and difficult-to-obtain imaging. This can lead to late diagnosis of recurrence, a significant risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI), also known as a "heart attack."

[0049] Various embodiments of the present disclosure address these issues by providing non-invasive, affordable, and real-time point-of-care cardiac imaging devices and methods using photoacoustic imaging based on a PIC-scale DFC light source. Such devices and methods enable frequent / continuous monitoring of patient cardiac recovery (e.g., post-MI or post-surgery (e.g., angioplasty, coronary artery bypass grafting, etc.) in general cardiologist care settings, primary care settings, or even pre-hospital emergency medical settings.

[0050] Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable detection / monitoring of various cardiac conditions, including, but not limited to, coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysm, peripheral vascular disease, stent health, treatment guidance, post-operative bleeding assessment, and recovery. Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable imaging of a patient's coronary arteries without the use of radiocontrast dyes or radiation, thereby enabling more frequent imaging. Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable radiation-free imaging of patients undergoing angioplasty procedures.

[0051] The devices of various embodiments of the present disclosure may be worn by the patient (i.e., "body-worn"), or may include a body-worn scanning portion. Such devices may be worn on any suitable part of the patient's body, depending on the structure to be imaged, such as, but not limited to, the chest, abdomen, arms, or legs. For example, the devices of various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as a vest, harness, or the like, which is placed on or around (partially or completely) the patient's chest to image the patient's coronary arteries or other chest structures.

[0052] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, such a body-worn device or body-worn scanning portion includes a plurality of emission points positioned around the body-worn device or scanning portion such that light from a DFC is emitted toward the patient's body at each emission point (typically sequentially). In some embodiments, there are multiple DFCs that each provide light to a single corresponding emission point. In some other embodiments, there is one DFC that provides light to multiple emission points via a fiber optic cable. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, such a body-worn device or body-worn scanning portion includes a plurality of (e.g., three or more) sensors (e.g., transducers) adjacent to each emission point. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of emission points are positioned around the body-worn device or scanning portion such that various aspects of the patient's body (e.g., front, back, side) can be imaged.

[0053] Oncology applications

[0054] Current cancer screening methods, such as biopsies and intravascular visualization, are invasive and expensive. They also require specialized equipment and trained personnel. Various embodiments of the present disclosure address these problems by providing non-invasive, affordable, and real-time point-of-care cancer screening / imaging devices and methods using photoacoustic imaging based on a PIC-scale DFC light source. Such devices and methods enable frequent patient screening / monitoring in a medical office setting. For example, various embodiments of the present disclosure enable photoacoustic imaging of blood vessels for early detection of cancer and for continuous remote monitoring of angiogenesis. Tumor angiogenesis is the process by which tumors grow new blood vessels and is crucial to tumor growth and metastasis. Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable the detection of tumor cells circulating within a patient's blood vessels.

[0055] Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable monitoring and measurement of tumor angiogenesis before and after treatment, which can be used to personalize cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes. Various embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce cancer-related mortality due to metastasis, allow more frequent monitoring of angiogenesis and rapid development of interventional therapies, enable earlier detection and treatment, identify early signs of recurrence, and allow for radiation-free imaging solutions, which will benefit such immunocompromised patient populations.

[0056] Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable the creation of images of vascular structures in areas surrounding tumor sites, suspected tumor sites, and / or potential tumor sites.Various embodiments of the present disclosure use an AI algorithm that has been trained to identify unique vascular structures indicative of tumor sites.

[0057] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an example block diagram of an example imaging apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The imaging device 100 includes a base unit 110 and a scanning portion 130. In some embodiments, the scanning portion 130 includes a handheld device (hereinafter Figure 5 further described) or body-worn devices (described below with respect to Figure 6 130). In some embodiments, the base unit 110 includes a mobile (e.g., wheeled) housing. In some embodiments, communication between the base unit 110 and the scanning portion 130 is via a wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth), while in other embodiments, such communication is via a wired connection. Figure 1 Although shown as two separate components, in some embodiments, the imaging device may include a single component that encompasses all of the functionality described herein.

[0058] exist Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the basic unit includes processing circuitry 112, display 114, communication circuitry 116, input / output circuitry 118, and data storage circuitry 120. Model prediction circuitry 122 is stored in data storage circuitry 120. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the scanning portion 130 includes processing circuitry 132, a PIC-scale DFC 134, one or more emission points 136 (typically at least three) from which light from the DFC 134 is emitted to the patient, one or more transducers 138 or other suitable sensors (typically at least three per emission point) to detect acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light, communication circuitry 140, input / output circuitry 142, and memory circuitry 144.

[0059] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the processing circuit 112 controls at least the operation of the base unit 110, the display 114 displays one or more generated images, the communication circuit 116 enables communication with the scanning portion 130 and / or one or more external devices (such as a central server, etc.), the input / output circuit 118 enables a user to interact with the base unit 110, the data storage circuit 120 stores instructions executed by the processing circuit 112, and the model prediction circuit 122 executes one or more AI-enabled image processing algorithms that have been trained to identify normal and abnormal structures, cells, etc. in the generated images.

[0060] In addition, Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, processing circuitry 132 controls the operation of at least the scanning portion 130, DFC 134 generates multi-spectral light emitted by emission point 136, transducers detect acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light, communication circuitry 140 enables communication with the base unit 110 and / or one or more external devices, input / output circuitry 142 enables a user to interact with the scanning portion 130, and memory circuitry 144 stores instructions for execution by the processing circuitry 132.

[0061] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment of , the DFC resides in the scanning portion (e.g., a handheld device or body-worn device), which enables a wireless connection between the base unit and the scanning portion because no light needs to be transmitted between the base unit and the scanning portion (although a wired connection may still be desired to ensure robust communication between the scanning portion and the base unit). Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the DFC resides in the base unit, which requires at least a physical connection between the base unit and the scanning section for optical transmission (e.g., a fiber optic cable) between the DFC in the base unit and the scanning section.

[0062] Now refer to Figure 2 , shows an example block diagram of an example imaging apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging according to an alternative example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The imaging device 200 includes a base unit 210 and a scanning portion 230. In some embodiments, the scanning portion 230 includes a handheld device (hereinafter Figure 5 further described) or body-worn devices (described below with respect to Figure 6 Further described). In some embodiments, the base unit 210 includes a mobile (e.g., wheeled) housing. In some embodiments, communication between the base unit 210 and the scanning portion 230 occurs via a wired connection. Figure 2 Although shown as two separate components, in some embodiments, the imaging device may include a single component that encompasses all of the functionality described herein.

[0063] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the basic unit includes processing circuit 212, PIC-scale DFC 224, display 214, communication circuit 216, input / output circuit 218, and data storage circuit 220. Model prediction circuit 222 is stored in data storage circuit 220. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the scanning portion 230 includes one or more emission points 236 (typically at least three) from which light from the DFC 224 is emitted toward the patient, one or more transducers 238 or other suitable sensors (typically at least three per emission point) to detect acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light, and input / output circuitry 242.

[0064] exist Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the processing circuit 212 controls at least the operation of the base unit 210, the DFC 224 generates multi-spectral light emitted by the emission point 236, the display 214 displays one or more generated images, the communication circuit 216 enables communication with the scanning portion 230 and / or one or more external devices (such as a central server, etc.), the input / output circuit 218 enables a user to interact with the base unit 210, the data storage circuit 220 stores instructions executed by the processing circuit 212, and the model prediction circuit 222 executes one or more AI-enabled image processing algorithms that have been trained to identify normal and abnormal structures, cells, etc. in the generated images.

[0065] In addition, Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the emission point 236 emits multi-spectral light from the DFC 224, the transducer detects acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light, and the input / output circuitry 242 enables a user to interact with the scanning portion 230.

[0066] Apparatuses 100 and 200 may be configured to perform the operations described herein. While components are described with respect to functional limitations, it should be understood that a particular implementation necessarily involves the use of specific hardware. It should also be understood that certain components described herein may include similar or common hardware. For example, both sets of circuits may utilize the same processor, network interface, storage medium, etc. to perform their associated functions, eliminating the need for duplicate hardware for each set of circuits.

[0067] Therefore, it should be understood that the use of the term "circuitry" as used herein with respect to components of a device includes specific hardware configured to perform the functions associated with the specific circuits described herein. The term "circuitry" should be broadly understood to include hardware, and in some embodiments, software for configuring the hardware. For example, in some embodiments, a "circuitry" may include processing circuitry, storage media, network interfaces, input / output devices, etc. In some embodiments, other elements of the device 100, 200 may provide or supplement the functionality of a particular circuit. For example, the processing circuitry 112, 132, 212 may provide processing functionality, the communication circuitry 116, 140, 216 may provide network interface functionality, the data storage circuitry 120, 220 and / or the memory circuitry 144 may provide storage functionality, etc.

[0068] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 112, 132, 212 (and / or a coprocessor or auxiliary processor or any other processing circuitry otherwise associated with the processor) may communicate with the data storage circuitry 120, 220 and / or the memory circuitry 144 via a bus for transferring information between components of the device. The processing circuitry 112, 132, 212 may be embodied in a variety of different ways and, for example, may include one or more processing devices configured for independent execution. Additionally or alternatively, the processing circuitry 112, 132, 212 may include one or more processors configured in series via a bus to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and / or multithreading. The use of the term "processing circuitry" may be understood to include a single-core processor, a multi-core processor, multiple processors within a device, and / or a remote or "cloud" processor.

[0069] For example, the processing circuits 112, 132, 212 may be embodied as one or more complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), microprocessors, multi-core processors, co-processing entities, application-specific instruction set processors (ASIPs), and / or controllers. Furthermore, the processing circuits 112, 132, 212 may be embodied as one or more other processing devices or circuits. The term circuitry may refer to a complete hardware implementation or a combination of hardware and a computer program product. Thus, the processing circuits 112, 132, 212 may be embodied as integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), hardware accelerators, other circuits, and the like. It should be understood that the processing circuits 112, 132, 212 may be configured for specific purposes or configured to execute instructions stored in volatile or non-volatile media or otherwise accessible to the processing circuits 112, 132, 212. Thus, whether configured by hardware or by a computer program product, or by a combination thereof, when configured accordingly, the processing circuits 112 , 132 , 212 may be capable of performing steps or operations according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0070] In an example embodiment, the processing circuits 112, 132, 212 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the data storage circuits 120, 220 and / or the memory circuits 144 or otherwise accessible by the processor. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuits 112, 132, 212 may be configured to perform hard-coded functions. Thus, whether configured by hardware methods or software methods, or by a combination thereof, a processor may represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied in circuit form) that is capable of performing operations according to embodiments of the present disclosure while being configured accordingly. Alternatively, for example, when the processing circuits 112, 132, 212 are embodied as executors of software instructions, the instructions may specifically configure the processor to perform the algorithms and / or operations described herein when executing the instructions.

[0071] In one embodiment, the data storage circuitry 120, 220 and / or the memory circuitry 144 may also include or communicate with volatile media (also referred to as volatile storage, memory, memory storage, memory circuitry, and / or similar terms used interchangeably herein). In one embodiment, the volatile storage or memory may also include, for example, but not limited to, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, FPM DRAM, EDO DRAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, RDRAM, RIMM, DIMM, SIMM, VRAM, cache memory, register memory, and the like. As will be appreciated, the data storage circuitry 120, 220 and / or the memory circuitry 144 may be used to store at least a portion of a database, database instance, database management system entity, data, application, program, program module, script, source code, object code, byte code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code, executable instructions, and the like, executed by, for example, the processing circuitry 112, 132, 212. Thus, databases, database instances, database management system entities, data, applications, programs, program modules, scripts, source code, object code, byte code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code, executable instructions, etc. may be used to control certain aspects of the operation of the apparatus 100, 200 with the assistance of the processing circuitry 112, 132, 212 and an operating system.

[0072] In one embodiment, the data storage circuitry 120, 220, and / or the memory circuitry 144 may also include or communicate with a non-volatile medium (also referred to as non-volatile storage, memory, memory storage, memory circuitry, and / or similar terms used interchangeably herein). In some embodiments, the data storage circuitry 120, 220, and / or the memory circuitry 144 may include, for example, but not limited to, a hard disk, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, MMC, SD memory card, memory stick, CBRAM, PRAM, FeRAM, RRAM, SONOS, racetrack memory, and the like. As will be appreciated, the data storage circuitry 120, 220, and / or the memory circuitry 144 may store a database, a database instance, a database management system entity, data, an application, a program, a program module, a script, source code, object code, byte code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code, executable instructions, and the like. The terms database, database instance, database management system entity, and / or similar terms are used interchangeably herein and may generally refer to a structured or unstructured collection of information / data stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0073] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the data storage circuitry 120, 220, and / or the memory circuitry 144 may also be embodied as one or more data storage devices, one or more separate database servers, or a combination of a data storage device and a separate database server. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the data storage circuitry 120, 220, and / or the memory circuitry 144 may be embodied as a distributed repository, such that some of the stored information / data is centrally stored in a location within the system, and other information / data is stored in one or more remote locations. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the distributed repository may be distributed solely across multiple remote storage locations. Examples of embodiments contemplated herein include a cloud data storage system maintained by a third-party provider, and some or all of the information / data required to restore system operation may be stored in that system. Furthermore, the information / data required to restore system operation may also be stored partially in the cloud data storage system and partially in a locally maintained data storage system. More specifically, the data storage circuitry 120, 220, and / or the memory circuitry 144 may include one or more data storage areas configured to store information / data useful in certain embodiments.

[0074] The communication circuitry 116, 140, 216 may be any device, such as a device or circuit embodied in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, that is configured to receive and / or transmit data from and / or to a network and / or any other device, circuit, or module that communicates with the device 100, 200. In this regard, the communication circuitry 116, 140, 216 may include, for example, a network interface for implementing communications with a wired or wireless communication network and / or in accordance with the various networking protocols described herein. For example, the communication circuitry 116, 140, 216 may include one or more network interface cards, antennas, buses, switches, routers, modems, and supporting hardware and / or software, or any other device suitable for implementing communications via a network. Additionally or alternatively, the communication interface may include circuitry for interacting with an antenna to cause signals to be transmitted via the antenna or to process signals received via the antenna.

[0075] In some embodiments, the device 100, 200 may include a display 114, 214, which may in turn communicate with the processing circuit 112, 132, 212 to display one or more created images to a user. In various examples of the present disclosure, the display 114, 214 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, a plasma display panel (PDP), a quantum dot LED (QLED) display, etc.

[0076] In some embodiments, the device 100, 200 may include input / output circuitry 118, 142, 218, 242, which may in turn communicate with the processing circuitry 112, 132, 212 to provide output to a user and, in some embodiments, receive indications of user input. The input / output circuitry 118, 142, 218, 242 may include an interface, a mobile application, a kiosk, etc. In some embodiments, the input / output circuitry 118, 142, 218, 242 may also include a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a touch screen, a touch area, soft keys, a microphone, a speaker, or other input / output mechanisms. The processor and / or user interface circuitry including the processor may be configured to control one or more functions of one or more user interface elements via computer program instructions (e.g., software and / or firmware) stored on a memory accessible to the processor (e.g., data storage circuitry 120, 220 and / or memory circuitry 144, etc.).

[0077] It should also be noted that all or part of the information discussed herein may be based on data received, generated, and / or maintained by one or more components of the devices 100, 200. In some embodiments, one or more external systems (such as remote cloud computing and / or data storage systems) may also be utilized to provide at least some of the functionality discussed herein.

[0078] Now refer to Figure 3 , which provides a flowchart illustrating example steps, processes, procedures and / or operations according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0079] Various methods described herein (including, for example, Figure 3 The example method shown in the flowchart may provide various technical benefits and / or improvements. It should be noted that each block in the flowchart and the combination of blocks in the flowchart may be implemented by various components (such as hardware, firmware, circuits and / or other devices associated with the execution of software including one or more computer program instructions). For example, Figure 3 One or more of the processes described may be embodied by computer program instructions, which may be stored in a non-transitory memory of a device employing embodiments of the present disclosure and executed by a processor in the device. These computer program instructions may instruct a computer or other programmable device to operate in a specific manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage memory produce an article of manufacture, the execution of which implements the functions specified in the flowchart blocks.

[0080] As described above and based on the present disclosure, it will be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be configured as methods, devices, etc. Therefore, the embodiments may include various components, which include complete hardware or any combination of software and hardware. In addition, the embodiments may take the form of a computer program product on at least one non-transient computer-readable storage medium, which has computer-readable program instructions (e.g., computer software) embodied in the storage medium. Similarly, the embodiments may take the form of a computer program code stored on at least one non-transient computer-readable storage medium. Any suitable computer-readable storage medium may be utilized, including a non-transient hard disk, CD-ROM, flash memory, optical storage device, or magnetic storage device.

[0081] Now refer to Figure 3 , illustrating an example method 300. In some embodiments, the example method 300 scans a body structure using a PIC-scale DFC to identify one or more elements within the body structure and generate a 3-D image.

[0082] The example method 300 begins at step / operation 302. At step / operation 302, a processor (such as, but not limited to, the above-described combination Figure 1 The processing circuit 132 of the scanning portion 130 of the described apparatus 100) enables DFC (such as but not limited to the above combination Figure 1 The DFC 134 of the scanning portion 130 of the depicted apparatus 100 emits multi-spectral light. Depending on the type of scan to be performed (eg, ophthalmic), the wavelength or range of the multi-spectral light can be tuned to target one or more specific elements to be detected and identified.

[0083] like Figure 4 As shown, the figure shows various input and output spectra 400 of various embodiments of the present disclosure, DFC produces two stable combs (e.g., comb 1 spectrum 402 and comb 2 spectrum 404) with slightly different repetition rates, which are combined, such as by a mirror 406, to produce a spectrum directed toward the body structure to be imaged (e.g., Figure 4 In various embodiments, any suitable frequency range or ranges may be emitted. Figure 4 In the shown example, the emitted light is in the terahertz (THz) range with energy levels E1 from comb 1 and E2 from comb 2.

[0084] In some embodiments, multi-spectral light is transmitted via a method such as described below with respect to Figure 5 In some embodiments, the multi-spectral light is emitted via a handheld device such as described below. Figure 6 The described body-worn device transmits.

[0085] Now return to Figure 3 At step / operation 304, one or more sensors (such as but not limited to the above combination Figure 1 The transducer 138 of the scanning portion 130 of the depicted apparatus 100 detects acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within one or more body structures exposed to the light emitted at step / operation 304 .

[0086] like Figure 4 As shown, an acoustic wave 412 having a pressure "p" proportional to the square of the sum of E1 from comb 1 and E2 from comb 2, and a frequency in the megahertz (MHz) range (an example spectrum 416 is shown) is detected by transducer 414. In various embodiments, multiple transducers (typically at least three) detect the acoustic wave from each emission point to enable the creation of a 3-D image.

[0087] Now return to Figure 3 At step / operation 306, a processor (such as but not limited to the above combination Figure 1 The processing circuitry 132 of the scanning portion 130 of the depicted apparatus 100 generates an optical absorption spectrum from the acoustic waves detected at step / operation 304. This step is often referred to as demodulation. Any suitable demodulation technique may be used.

[0088] like Figure 4 As shown, one example method to obtain optical absorption information from modulated acoustic waves is to first normalize the signal of the transducer to the signal generated by the dual comb light on a photodiode (such as Figure 4 The reference radio frequency (RF) spectrum is generated on a photodiode 420 in FIG. The output voltage from the photodiode is proportional to the square of the sum of E1 from comb 1 and E2 from comb 2 and has a frequency in the MHz range (an example spectrum 422 is shown). Figure 4 In the example method shown, the RF spectrum derived from the voltage signal from the transducer is divided (such as by divider 418) by the RF spectrum derived from the voltage from the reference photodiode. Once normalized, through simple properties of the dual comb (indicated by block 424), the RF spectrum can be directly mapped back to the optical spectrum (where the sample diagnostic resides), yielding an optical absorption spectrum of the imaged body structure (such as Figure 4 spectrum 426).

[0089] Now return to Figure 3 At step / operation 308, a processor (such as but not limited to the above combination Figure 110) identifies one or more elements based on the optical absorption spectrum generated at step / operation 306. As described above, various embodiments of the present disclosure use the generated optical absorption spectrum to identify one or more elements (e.g., cells, molecules) based on a predetermined determination of which types of cells, molecules, tissues, structures, etc. absorb which frequencies of light.

[0090] exist Figure 3 In the example shown, at step / operation 310, a processor (such as but not limited to the above combination Figure 1 The processing circuit 112 of the base unit 110 of the device 100 described above generates a 3-D image based on the optical absorption spectrum generated at step / operation 306. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, optical absorption spectra generated from at least three different transducers are used to generate a 3-D image using a processing method similar to conventional photoacoustic ultrasound imaging.

[0091] In some embodiments, method 300 repeats steps / operations 302-310 each time the user activates the device to scan.

[0092] As described above, the medical imaging device of the embodiment of the present invention may include a handheld scanning portion and / or a body-worn scanning portion. Such a handheld scanning portion can be easily grasped by a user and moved to different positions relative to the patient's body for scanning. Figure 5 The handheld scanning wand 500 includes a body 502, a scanning head 504, one or more user input elements 506 (e.g., buttons, knobs, etc.), one or more user output elements 508 (e.g., indicator lights), and optionally a cable 510 that connects the handheld scanning wand 500 to a base unit (not shown). In various embodiments, at least one emission point and typically at least three transducers are positioned in the scanning head 504, facing outward from the curved surface of the scanning head 504. In various embodiments, the handheld scanning wand 500 is approximately the size of a smartphone, so that the handheld scanning wand 500 can be easily grasped and moved by a user.

[0093] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the DFC resides in the scanning portion (e.g. Figure 1 ), while in some other embodiments, the DFC resides in the base unit (as shown in Figure 2 (As shown). For embodiments where the DFC resides in the scanning portion, the handheld wand 500 will house the DFC and may also house processing circuitry, communication circuitry, input / output circuitry, and / or memory circuitry. In such embodiments, a wireless connection can be used between the base unit and the handheld wand because light does not need to be transmitted between the base unit and the handheld wand.

[0094] For other embodiments where the DFC resides in the base unit, a physical connection (e.g., fiber optic cable) is required between the base unit and the handheld wand for optical transmission between the DFC in the base unit and the scanning section. In addition to the fiber optic cable, such embodiments may also have a metallic communication cable between the base unit and the handheld wand for transmitting control signals, etc.

[0095] The body-worn scanning portion may cover or wrap around one or more parts of the patient's body, such as the torso, abdomen, arms, or legs. Such a body-worn scanning portion may be secured to the patient's body, such as via one or more straps. Such a body-worn scanning portion may be in the form of a vest, a harness, a sleeve, or any other suitable form. Figure 6 , a body-worn vest 600 for scanning a patient's heart and surrounding structures (e.g., the aortic arch) is shown, comprising a main vest portion 602 that covers the patient's left chest, left axillary region, and left upper back (not shown) to generate images from a plurality of different angles / views. The body-worn vest 600 comprises a plurality of light emission points 604, each of which is connected to a DFC (which may be located on the body-worn vest 600 or separate from the body-worn vest 600 (e.g., in a base unit) via a fiber optic cable 608. Although only four emission points 604 are shown, such a body-worn vest may include any suitable number of emission points at many different locations on the body-worn vest. Adjacent to each emission point, there are typically at least three sensors 606 (e.g., transducers) to receive acoustic waves generated by light emitted by the corresponding emission point (any suitable number of sensors may be provided).

[0096] For chest-mounted devices, it is generally desirable that at least one emission point is aligned with the intercostal space so that sufficient light can penetrate into the patient's chest. Because of different body shapes, sizes, etc., it is desirable to have a sufficient number of emission points at various locations to ensure that at least one emission point is aligned with the intercostal space. In various embodiments, a test scan is performed on each emission point to determine the intensity of the sound waves generated in response to the emission from each emission point. Based on the determined intensity of the generated test sound waves, it can be determined which emission point is aligned with the intercostal space so that only that emission point is used for the scan.

[0097] The operations and processes described herein support combinations of devices for performing the specified functions and combinations of operations for performing the specified functions. It will be understood that one or more operations and combinations of operations can be implemented by a computer system based on dedicated hardware that performs the specified functions or a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0098] In some example embodiments, some of the operations described herein may be modified or further amplified as described below. Furthermore, in some embodiments, additional optional operations may also be included. It should be understood that each of the modifications, optional additions, or amplifications described herein may be included in the operations herein, alone or in combination with any other features described herein.

[0099] The foregoing method and process descriptions are provided as illustrative examples only and are not intended to require or imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed in the order presented. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the order of steps in the above-described embodiments may be performed in any order. Words such as "after," "then," "next," and similar words are not intended to limit the order of the steps; these words are simply used to guide the reader through the description of the method. In addition, for example, any reference to a claim element in the singular using the articles "a," "an," or "the" should not be construed as limiting the element to the singular and, in some cases, may be interpreted in the plural.

[0100] Although various embodiments according to the principles disclosed herein have been shown and described above, modifications may be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. The embodiments described herein are representative only and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations, combinations and modifications are possible and are within the scope of the present disclosure. Alternative embodiments resulting from merging, integrating and / or omitting features of the embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection is not limited by the description given above, but is defined by the following claims, which include all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Each claim is incorporated into the specification as further disclosure, and the claims are embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, any of the above-mentioned advantages and features may relate to specific embodiments, but the application of such published claims should not be limited to methods and structures that achieve any or all of the above advantages or have any or all of the above features.

[0101] In addition, the section headings used herein are intended to be consistent with the recommendations of 37 CFR § 1.77 or to provide organizational clues. These headings should not limit or characterize the disclosure that may be set forth in any claims that may be published from this disclosure. For example, the description of technology in the "Background Art" should not be interpreted as an admission that a certain technology is prior art to any disclosure in this disclosure. "Summary of the Invention" should also not be considered a limiting characterization of the disclosure set forth in the published claims. In addition, any reference in this disclosure to the singular form of "disclosure" or "embodiment" should not be used to prove that there is only one novel point in this disclosure. Multiple embodiments of the disclosure may be set forth in accordance with the limitations of multiple claims published from this disclosure, and such claims accordingly limit the disclosure protected by them and their equivalents. In all cases, the scope of these claims should be considered in accordance with the present disclosure on the merits of the claims themselves and should not be limited by the titles set forth herein.

[0102] Moreover, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the systems, subsystems, devices, techniques and methods described and illustrated in a discrete or separate manner in the various embodiments may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, technologies or methods. Other devices or components shown or discussed as coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled through some intermediate device or component, whether electrically, mechanically or otherwise. Other examples of variations, substitutions and modifications may be determined by those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope disclosed herein.

[0103] Those skilled in the art to which these embodiments pertain will appreciate that many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure set forth herein will occur to those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. Although the drawings illustrate only certain components of the apparatus and systems described herein, various other components may be used in conjunction with the components and structures disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. For example, various elements or components may be combined, rearranged, or integrated into another system, or certain features may be omitted or not implemented. In addition, the steps in any of the methods described above may not necessarily occur in the order depicted in the drawings, and in some cases, one or more of the depicted steps may occur substantially simultaneously, or may involve additional steps. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used only in a general and descriptive sense, and not for restrictive purposes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for non-invasive medical imaging, the apparatus comprising: Dual-frequency comb (DFC) at the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) scale; a handheld wand comprising (i) at least one emission point for emitting light of a plurality of different wavelengths from a PIC-scale DFC, and (ii) at least three sensors, wherein the wand is adapted to direct the emitted light toward one or more body structures of an animal, wherein the at least three sensors are adapted to detect acoustic waves from thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light; and at least one processing element for (i) generating an optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves from each of the at least three sensors, (ii) identifying at least one of the one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light based on the optical absorption spectrum, and (iii) generating a three-dimensional (3-D) image of the one or more elements based on the optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves from each of the at least three sensors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the PIC-scale DFC resides in the rod. 3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a base unit separated from the rod and a display element within the base unit for displaying the generated 3-D image.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the PIC-scale DFC resides in the base unit; and The apparatus further comprises one or more fiber optic cables for transmitting light from the PIC-scale DFC in the base unit to the at least one emission point in the rod.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elements include two elements; wherein the two elements include oxygenated blood and non-oxygenated blood; and Wherein generating the 3-D image by the at least one processing element comprises generating a 3-D image of one or more blood vessels based on the detected acoustic waves from the oxygenated blood and the non-oxygenated blood.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more body structures comprises an eyeball; and Light of a relatively shorter wavelength is used to image the back portion of the eyeball, and light of a relatively longer wavelength is used to image the front portion of the eyeball.

7. A method for non-invasive medical imaging, the method comprising: emitting light at multiple different wavelengths from a photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-scale dual-frequency comb (DFC) via a handheld device directed toward one or more body structures of the animal; detecting, via one or more sensors in the handheld device, acoustic waves of thermoelastic changes in one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light; generating an optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves; and At least one of the one or more elements within the one or more body structures exposed to the emitted light is identified based on the optical absorption spectrum.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more sensors include three or more sensors; and The method further comprises: generating an optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves from each of the three or more sensors; as well as A three-dimensional (3-D) image of the one or more elements is generated based on the optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves from each of the three or more sensors.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more elements include two elements; wherein the two elements include oxygenated blood and non-oxygenated blood; and Wherein generating the 3-D image comprises generating a 3-D image of one or more blood vessels based on the detected acoustic waves from the oxygenated blood and the non-oxygenated blood.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more body structures comprises an eyeball; and Light of a relatively shorter wavelength is used to image the back portion of the eyeball, and light of a relatively longer wavelength is used to image the front portion of the eyeball.

Images