High-speed photoacoustic and ultrasonic computed tomography of the breast tumor for early diagnosis with enhanced accuracy

We have developed a high-speed dual-modal imaging system (HDMI), designed
to concurrently reveal anatomical and hematogenous details of the human
breast within seconds. Through innovative system design and technical
advancements, HDMI integrates large-view photoacoustic and ultrasonic
computed tomography with standardized scanning and batch data processing
for computer-aided diagnosis. It achieves dual-modal imaging at a 10 Hz
frame rate and completes a whole-breast scan in 12 seconds, providing
penetration up to 5 cm in vivo. In a clinical study involving 170 patients
with 186 breast tumors, we developed a diagnostic model leveraging
combined photoacoustic and ultrasound features. In a triple-blinded
comparison using pathological diagnosis as the ground truth, HDMI
significantly improved diagnostic specificity from 22.5% to 75.0% compared
to clinical ultrasonography. This technology shows strong potential for
early breast tumor diagnosis, offering enhanced accuracy without the need
for ionizing radiation, exogenous contrast agents, pain, invasiveness,
operator dependence, or extended examination times.