A case study on dynamic thermal imaging evaluation of a thyroid nodule

BACKGROUND:The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the neck anteriorly to the larynx and trachea, typically extending from the level of C5-T1. It is responsible for the release of hormones that control metabolic rates and thereby modifying obligatory and adaptive thermogenesis. This organ can be affected by nodules and cellular malforma- tions, which can result in malignant neoplasia or benign cysts. Those manifestations may change the normal pattern of skin temperature distribution in the affected area. The aim of this study is to investigate the thermal pattern of a subject presenting a hypervascularized nodule located on the left side of the thyroid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A male with 40 years old presenting a 11x6 mm nodule in the left side of his thyroid, con- firmed by functional doppler imaging, was examined in a controlled environment using a FLIR E60 thermal camera and two aluminium disks to provide a cooling provocation during one minute on the skin, above the thyroid gland location. Thermal images were taken before and until the fifth minute after cooling at an interval of 1 minute. A 26x26 pixel square region of interest (ROI) was drawn in the analysis software to statistically analyze the temperature values, histogram, mean, median and mode temperature, standard deviation, kurtosis and skewness per ROI and side. RESULTS:The ROI presented at baseline a bilateral difference in mean temperature of 0.4 ºC, after cooling this difference was accentuated, the affected side recovered quickly and showed a hot spot in the area of the nodule identified by Doppler imaging. CONCLUSION:This case study showed evidence of the utility on using dynamic infrared thermal imaging when assess ing thyroid nodules, which was confirmed by Doppler imaging to be highly vascularized. However, for diagnostic pur poses the traditional expensive methods such as biopsy and nuclear medicine are still required. Still the application of IRT imaging should be further researched in possible monitoring and documenting the diagnosis and treatment evaluation applied to thyroid conditions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Translation of non-invasive optical measurements of hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism to the clinic

Aplicat embargament des de la data de defensa fins 31/12/2018Several clinical studies for non-invasive estimation of tissue hemodynamics by the combination of two diffuse optical techniques, time-resolved and diffuse correlation spectroscopy, were carried out in collaboration with local hospitals. These led to the 1rst application of hybrid diffuse optics in the characterization of healthy and pathological human thyroid tissue and the initiation of a European Horizon 2020 research project aiming at signi1cantly improving the current thyroid cancer screening process. The advantages of the hybrid diffuse optical device allowed to gain information on cerebral oxygen metabolism and improved estimation of cerebral blood 2ow. Data was collected from patients without brain diseases as well as healthy volunteers in clinical and surgical environments. The diffuse optical measurements were shown to correlate with the bispectral index, a widely used anesthesia monitor in the clinic. The optically derived parameters demonstrated the conservation of physiological coupling between cerebral blood 2ow and oxygen metabolism in patients under propofol-induced anesthesia. Additional studies focused on the investigation of microvascular cerebral physiology in response to common challenges in surgical procedures. These were simulated on healthy subjects and studied in depth. Overall, this work pushes the limits of the clinical translation of hybrid diffuse optics paving the way for new applications.Varios estudios clínicos para estimar de forma no invasiva los parámetros hemodinámicos del tejido humano han sido realizados gracias a la combinación de dos técnicas de óptica difusa, “time-resolved spectroscop” y “diffuse correlation spectroscopy”, en un instrumento único, manejable y compacto. Esta combinación ha dado luz a una aplicación única para utilizar dichas técnicas en la diferenciación entretejido tiroideo sano y patológico. Además, estas mediciones han iniciado un proyecto de investigación dentro del marco European Horizon 2020, enfocado en una mejora del procedimiento en la detección y caracterización del cáncer de tiroides. Las ventajas del uso del dispositivo híbrido de óptica difusa han permitido tanto la obtención de información sobre el metabolismo cerebral, como una mejora en la estimación de su flujo sanguíneo. Se han obtenido datos tanto de pacientes sin patologías cerebrales como de voluntarios sanos en un entorno clínico y durante cirugías. Estas mediciones se han comparado con el índice bispectral, que es un factor importante y frecuentemente usado en la monitorización y control de la administración de anestesia en los hospitales, mostrando una fuerte correlación entre ellos. Las mediciones de óptica difusa han mostrado la conservación del acoplamiento fisiológico entre flujo sanguíneo cerebral y metabolismo de oxígeno en un estado de anestesia inducido por propofol. Estudios adicionales han investigado la fisiología cerebral microvascular y sus fluctuaciones durante cirugías practicadas con anestesia general. Estos cambios fueron simulados y estudiados meticulosamente con voluntarios sanos. En resumen, esta tesis amplia los límites de la óptica difusa tanto en la detección de patologías como durante cirugías, y muestra el gran potencial de estos sistemas ópticos para su uso clínico en los hospitales.Postprint (published version

Translation of non-invasive optical measurements of hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism to the clinic

Several clinical studies for non-invasive estimation of tissue hemodynamics by the combination of two diffuse optical techniques, time-resolved and diffuse correlation spectroscopy, were carried out in collaboration with local hospitals. These led to the 1rst application of hybrid diffuse optics in the characterization of healthy and pathological human thyroid tissue and the initiation of a European Horizon 2020 research project aiming at signi1cantly improving the current thyroid cancer screening process. The advantages of the hybrid diffuse optical device allowed to gain information on cerebral oxygen metabolism and improved estimation of cerebral blood 2ow. Data was collected from patients without brain diseases as well as healthy volunteers in clinical and surgical environments. The diffuse optical measurements were shown to correlate with the bispectral index, a widely used anesthesia monitor in the clinic. The optically derived parameters demonstrated the conservation of physiological coupling between cerebral blood 2ow and oxygen metabolism in patients under propofol-induced anesthesia. Additional studies focused on the investigation of microvascular cerebral physiology in response to common challenges in surgical procedures. These were simulated on healthy subjects and studied in depth. Overall, this work pushes the limits of the clinical translation of hybrid diffuse optics paving the way for new applications.Varios estudios clínicos para estimar de forma no invasiva los parámetros hemodinámicos del tejido humano han sido realizados gracias a la combinación de dos técnicas de óptica difusa, “time-resolved spectroscop” y “diffuse correlation spectroscopy”, en un instrumento único, manejable y compacto. Esta combinación ha dado luz a una aplicación única para utilizar dichas técnicas en la diferenciación entretejido tiroideo sano y patológico. Además, estas mediciones han iniciado un proyecto de investigación dentro del marco European Horizon 2020, enfocado en una mejora del procedimiento en la detección y caracterización del cáncer de tiroides. Las ventajas del uso del dispositivo híbrido de óptica difusa han permitido tanto la obtención de información sobre el metabolismo cerebral, como una mejora en la estimación de su flujo sanguíneo. Se han obtenido datos tanto de pacientes sin patologías cerebrales como de voluntarios sanos en un entorno clínico y durante cirugías. Estas mediciones se han comparado con el índice bispectral, que es un factor importante y frecuentemente usado en la monitorización y control de la administración de anestesia en los hospitales, mostrando una fuerte correlación entre ellos. Las mediciones de óptica difusa han mostrado la conservación del acoplamiento fisiológico entre flujo sanguíneo cerebral y metabolismo de oxígeno en un estado de anestesia inducido por propofol. Estudios adicionales han investigado la fisiología cerebral microvascular y sus fluctuaciones durante cirugías practicadas con anestesia general. Estos cambios fueron simulados y estudiados meticulosamente con voluntarios sanos. En resumen, esta tesis amplia los límites de la óptica difusa tanto en la detección de patologías como durante cirugías, y muestra el gran potencial de estos sistemas ópticos para su uso clínico en los hospitales

Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Thyroid Carcinoma

This reprint is related to the latest research in the field of thyroid surgery, including molecular and imaging diagnosis, surgical treatment, and the treatment of recurrent disease and advanced thyroid carcinoma

The Boston University Photonics Center annual report 2013-2014

This repository item contains an annual report that summarizes activities of the Boston University Photonics Center in the 2013-2014 academic year. The report provides quantitative and descriptive information regarding photonics programs in education, interdisciplinary research, business innovation, and technology development. The Boston University Photonics Center (BUPC) is an interdisciplinary hub for education, research, scholarship, innovation, and technology development associated with practical uses of light.This annual report summarizes activities of the Boston University Photonics Center in the 2013–2014 academic year.This has been a good year for the Photonics Center. In the following pages, you will see that the center’s faculty received prodigious honors and awards, generated more than 100 notable scholarly publications in the leading journals in our field, and attracted $14.5M in new research grants and contracts this year. Faculty and staff also expanded their efforts in education and training, through National Science Foundation–sponsored sites for Research Experiences for Undergraduates and for Teachers. As a community, we hosted a compelling series of distinguished invited speakers, and emphasized the theme of Innovations at the Intersections of Micro/Nanofabrication Technology, Biology, and Biomedicine at our annual Future of Light Symposium. We took a leadership role in running national workshops on emerging photonic fields, including an OSA Incubator on Controlled Light Propagation through Complex Media, and an NSF Workshop on Noninvasive Imaging of Brain Function. Highlights of our research achievements for the year include a distinctive Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for Assistant Professor Xue Han, an ambitious new DoD-sponsored grant for Multi-Scale Multi-Disciplinary Modeling of Electronic Materials led by Professor Enrico Bellotti, launch of our NIH-sponsored Center for Innovation in Point of Care Technologies for the Future of Cancer Care led by Professor Cathy Klapperich, and successful completion of the ambitious IARPA-funded contract for Next Generation Solid Immersion Microscopy for Fault Isolation in Back-Side Circuit Analysis led by Professor Bennett Goldberg. These three programs, which represent more than$20M in research funding for the University, are indicative of the breadth of Photonics Center research interests: from fundamental modeling of optoelectronic materials to practical development of cancer diagnostics, from exciting new discoveries in optogenetics for understanding brain function to the achievement of world-record resolution in semiconductor circuit microscopy. Our community welcomed an auspicious cohort of new faculty members, including a newly hired assistant professor and a newly hired professor (and Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department). The Industry/University Cooperative Research Center—the centerpiece of our translational biophotonics program—continues to focus on advancing the health care and medical device industries, and has entered its fourth year of operation with a strong record of achievement and with the support of an enthusiastic industrial membership base

The Boston University Photonics Center annual report 2013-2014

This repository item contains an annual report that summarizes activities of the Boston University Photonics Center in the 2013-2014 academic year. The report provides quantitative and descriptive information regarding photonics programs in education, interdisciplinary research, business innovation, and technology development. The Boston University Photonics Center (BUPC) is an interdisciplinary hub for education, research, scholarship, innovation, and technology development associated with practical uses of light.This annual report summarizes activities of the Boston University Photonics Center in the 2013–2014 academic year.This has been a good year for the Photonics Center. In the following pages, you will see that the center’s faculty received prodigious honors and awards, generated more than 100 notable scholarly publications in the leading journals in our field, and attracted $14.5M in new research grants and contracts this year. Faculty and staff also expanded their efforts in education and training, through National Science Foundation–sponsored sites for Research Experiences for Undergraduates and for Teachers. As a community, we hosted a compelling series of distinguished invited speakers, and emphasized the theme of Innovations at the Intersections of Micro/Nanofabrication Technology, Biology, and Biomedicine at our annual Future of Light Symposium. We took a leadership role in running national workshops on emerging photonic fields, including an OSA Incubator on Controlled Light Propagation through Complex Media, and an NSF Workshop on Noninvasive Imaging of Brain Function. Highlights of our research achievements for the year include a distinctive Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for Assistant Professor Xue Han, an ambitious new DoD-sponsored grant for Multi-Scale Multi-Disciplinary Modeling of Electronic Materials led by Professor Enrico Bellotti, launch of our NIH-sponsored Center for Innovation in Point of Care Technologies for the Future of Cancer Care led by Professor Cathy Klapperich, and successful completion of the ambitious IARPA-funded contract for Next Generation Solid Immersion Microscopy for Fault Isolation in Back-Side Circuit Analysis led by Professor Bennett Goldberg. These three programs, which represent more than$20M in research funding for the University, are indicative of the breadth of Photonics Center research interests: from fundamental modeling of optoelectronic materials to practical development of cancer diagnostics, from exciting new discoveries in optogenetics for understanding brain function to the achievement of world-record resolution in semiconductor circuit microscopy. Our community welcomed an auspicious cohort of new faculty members, including a newly hired assistant professor and a newly hired professor (and Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department). The Industry/University Cooperative Research Center—the centerpiece of our translational biophotonics program—continues to focus on advancing the health care and medical device industries, and has entered its fourth year of operation with a strong record of achievement and with the support of an enthusiastic industrial membership base

Viscoelasticity Imaging of Biological Tissues and Single Cells Using Shear Wave Propagation

Changes in biomechanical properties of biological soft tissues are often associated with physiological dysfunctions. Since biological soft tissues are hydrated, viscoelasticity is likely suitable to represent its solid-like behavior using elasticity and fluid-like behavior using viscosity. Shear wave elastography is a non-invasive imaging technology invented for clinical applications that has shown promise to characterize various tissue viscoelasticity. It is based on measuring and analyzing velocities and attenuations of propagated shear waves. In this review, principles and technical developments of shear wave elastography for viscoelasticity characterization from organ to cellular levels are presented, and different imaging modalities used to track shear wave propagation are described. At a macroscopic scale, techniques for inducing shear waves using an external mechanical vibration, an acoustic radiation pressure or a Lorentz force are reviewed along with imaging approaches proposed to track shear wave propagation, namely ultrasound, magnetic resonance, optical, and photoacoustic means. Then, approaches for theoretical modeling and tracking of shear waves are detailed. Following it, some examples of applications to characterize the viscoelasticity of various organs are given. At a microscopic scale, a novel cellular shear wave elastography method using an external vibration and optical microscopy is illustrated. Finally, current limitations and future directions in shear wave elastography are presented