Visualization and detection of early-stage gynecological malignancies represents a challenge for imaging due to limiting factors including tissue accessibility, device ease of use, and accuracy of imaging modalities. In this work, we introduce a miniaturized phased-array ultrasound and photoacoustic endoscopic probe which is capable of providing structural, functional, and molecular data for the characterization of gynecologic disease. The proposed probe consists of a 64-element ultrasound phased-array transducer coupled to a fiber-optic light delivery system for co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging. The fabricated US and PA imaging endoscope’s diameter is 7.5 mm, allowing for potential passage through the cervical canal and thus an intimate contact with gynecological tissues such as the cervical canal and uterus. The developed endoscopic probe was tested and characterized in a set of tissue-mimicking phantoms. US and PA resolutions were measured experimentally using 200 μm diameter wires, resulting in apparent axial and lateral diameters of 289 μm and 299 μm for US, and 308 μm and 378 μm for PA, respectively. The probe’s abilities to operate in both discrete and integrated illumination/acquisition were tested in gelatin phantoms with embedded optical absorbers with the results demonstrating the ability to acquire volumetric dual-modal US and PA images.

由于组织可及性、设备易用性和成像方式的准确性等限制因素，早期妇科恶性肿瘤的可视化和检测对成像提出了挑战。在这项工作中，我们介绍了一种小型化相控阵超声和光声内窥镜探头，它能够为妇科疾病的表征提供结构、功能和分子数据。所提出的探头由一个 64 元件超声相控阵传感器组成，耦合到光纤光传输系统，用于联合配准超声和光声成像。所制造的US和PA成像内窥镜的直径为7.5毫米，可以通过宫颈管，从而与宫颈管和子宫等妇科组织密切接触。开发的内窥镜探针在一组模仿组织的模型中进行了测试和表征。US 和 PA 分辨率是使用直径为 200 μm 的导线进行实验测量的，US 的表观轴向和横向直径分别为 289 μm 和 299 μm，PA 的表观轴向和横向直径分别为 308 μm 和 378 μm。该探针在离散和集成照明/采集中的操作能力在带有嵌入式光学吸收器的明胶体模中进行了测试，结果证明了其采集体积双模式 US 和 PA 图像的能力。