Advancing breast tissue imaging with an ultrasound optical tomography (UOT) approach

Each year, about 30% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases in women worldwide are breast cancers [1]. One of the most common techniques for breast cancer diagnosis is mammography. However, this technique provides limited functional information regarding breast tissue morphology. In cases of suspected malignancy invasive techniques such as biopsy are implemented.

In this work an optical deep tissue imaging technique called ultrasound optical tomography (UOT) which combines laser light and ultrasound is implemented for a non-invasive lesion (tumour) characterization in breast tissue.

The experiments were performed using 794 nm laser wavelength, 6 MHz ultrasound frequency and a narrowband spectral filter material, Tm³⁺:LiNbO₃. The measurements were carried out in 5 cm thick agar phantoms using a range of tumor mimicking inclusions of 3 different sizes.

This work is the first deep tissue imaging demonstration using UOT at tissue relevant wavelengths. Current results indicate that the UOT technique can become an important and valuable tool for lesion characterization in breast tissue.