Massively parallel functional photoacoustic computed tomography of the human brain

Shuai Na; Jonathan J Russin; Li Lin; Xiaoyun Yuan; Peng Hu; Kay B Jann; Lirong Yan; Konstantin Maslov; Junhui Shi; Danny J Wang; Charles Y Liu; Lihong V Wang

doi:10.1038/s41551-021-00735-8

Massively parallel functional photoacoustic computed tomography of the human brain

Nat Biomed Eng. 2022 May;6(5):584-592. doi: 10.1038/s41551-021-00735-8. Epub 2021 May 31.

Authors

Shuai Na^#¹, Jonathan J Russin^#^{2

3

4}, Li Lin^#¹, Xiaoyun Yuan^#^{1

5}, Peng Hu¹, Kay B Jann⁶, Lirong Yan⁶, Konstantin Maslov¹, Junhui Shi^{1

7}, Danny J Wang⁶, Charles Y Liu^{8

9

10}, Lihong V Wang^{11

12}

Affiliations

¹ Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
² Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
³ Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁴ Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
⁶ Laboratory of Functional MRI Technology, Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁷ Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, China.
⁸ Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. cliu@usc.edu.
⁹ Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. cliu@usc.edu.
¹⁰ Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA, USA. cliu@usc.edu.
¹¹ Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA. LVW@caltech.edu.
¹² Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA. LVW@caltech.edu.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging of the human brain requires bulky equipment for the generation of magnetic fields. Photoacoustic computed tomography obviates the need for magnetic fields by using light and sound to measure deoxyhaemoglobin and oxyhaemoglobin concentrations to then quantify oxygen saturation and blood volumes. Yet, the available imaging speeds, fields of view (FOV), sensitivities and penetration depths have been insufficient for functional imaging of the human brain. Here, we show that massively parallel ultrasonic transducers arranged hemispherically around the human head can produce tomographic images of the brain with a 10-cm-diameter FOV and spatial and temporal resolutions of 350 µm and 2 s, respectively. In patients who had a hemicraniectomy, a comparison of functional photoacoustic computed tomography and 7 T BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging showed a strong spatial correspondence in the same FOV and a high temporal correlation between BOLD signals and photoacoustic signals, with the latter enabling faster detection of functional activation. Our findings establish the use of photoacoustic computed tomography for human brain imaging.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain / diagnostic imaging
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Tomography
Tomography, X-Ray Computed* / methods
Transducers*

Associated data

Dryad/10.5061/dryad.sxksn0310

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data

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