Research Information System
TUBITAK Project, 2019 - 2023
Magneto-Acousto Electrical Tomography (MAET) is a new medical imaging modality to image the electrical properties (conductivity and permittivity) of body tissues. When ultrasound is applied to a body in a static magnetic field, electrical currents are generated. The current sources propagating in the direction of the ultrasound beam result in a potential and magnetic field distributions. The voltages (magnetic fields) measured by the surface electrodes (receiver coils) are used to reconstruct images. MAET has been applied to develop prototype systems using permanent magnets (~0.5 T), utilizing electrodes for voltage measurements, to obtain images with small field of view, and to obtain conductivity images at a single frequency. In this project, magnetic measurements will be used for image reconstruction. The underlying theory and related numerical simulations were reported by our group for the first time in the literature, together with novel coil configurations. The first experimental studies using a linear phased array (LPA) ultrasound transducer with phantoms of conductivity close to biological tissue conductivities (3 S/m) were conducted in our previous project (114E184). In this project, both permittivity and conductivity distributions will be reconstructed. Permittivity reconstructions were not reported in the previous MAET studies. We also aim to reconstruct images of electrical properties at different frequencies within the frequency band of the selected ultrasound transducer. MAET has not been used for multi-frequency imaging previously. To obtain intellectual property rights, we have already applied for the PCT in 2013, and USA and European patents in 2015.
In this project, the performance of multi-frequency electrical property imaging will be investigated using LPA ultrasound transducers in high field magnets (1.5-3T). The system will be assessed using numerical simulations and experimental studies conducted with a larger field of view using novel receiver coils. A new data acquisition system will be developed with low noise amplifiers and associated signal processing units.
The principal investigator will be studying with one researcher, four PhD and one MSc students. The researcher and two PhD students will focus on the numerical modelling aspects. The receiver coils will be designed and realized by the researcher, one PhD and one MSc student. Phantom design and experimental studies will be conducted by the researcher and two PhD students. All project members will be responsible from the data acquisition system realization and image reconstruction with experimental data.
Graduate thesis studies will be carried out with the studies accomplished within the scope of the project objectives. Scholarships will be provided to four PhD students and one MSc student. The results of the project will be disseminated through articles to be written in national and international journals and participation of students in national and international conferences will be supported.