Multi-Parametric Standardization of Fluorescence Imaging Systems Based on a Composite Phantom

Gorpas D, Koch M, Anastasopoulou M, Bozhko D, Klemm U, Nieberler M, Ntziachristos V (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

IEEE transactions on bio-medical engineering

Book Volume: 67

Pages Range: 185-192

Article Number: 8688475

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1109/TBME.2019.2910733

Abstract

Objective: Fluorescence molecular imaging (FMI) has emerged as a promising tool for surgical guidance in oncology, with one of the few remaining challenges being the ability to offer quality control and data referencing. This paper investigates the use of a novel composite phantom to correct and benchmark FMI systems. Methods: This paper extends on previous work by describing a phantom design that can provide a more complete assessment of FMI systems through quantification of dynamic range and determination of spatial illumination patterns for both reflectance and fluorescence imaging. Various performance metrics are combined into a robust and descriptive "system benchmarking score," enabling not only the comprehensive comparison of different systems, but also for the first time, correction of the acquired data. Results: We show that systems developed for targeted fluorescence imaging can achieve benchmarking scores of up to 70%, while clinically available systems optimized for indocyanine green are limited to 50%, mostly due to greater leakage of ambient and excitation illumination and lower resolution. The image uniformity can also be approximated and employed for image flat-fielding, an important milestone toward data referencing. In addition, we demonstrate composite phantom use in assessing the performance of a surgical microscope and of a raster-scan imaging system. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the new phantom has the potential to support high-fidelity FMI through benchmarking and image correction. Significance: Standardization of the FMI is a necessary process for establishing good imaging practices in clinical environments and for enabling high-fidelity imaging across patients and multi-center imaging studies.

Involved external institutions

Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (HMGU) / Helmholtz Munich DE Germany (DE) Technische Universität München (TUM) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Gorpas, D., Koch, M., Anastasopoulou, M., Bozhko, D., Klemm, U., Nieberler, M., & Ntziachristos, V. (2020). Multi-Parametric Standardization of Fluorescence Imaging Systems Based on a Composite Phantom. IEEE transactions on bio-medical engineering, 67(1), 185-192. https://doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2019.2910733

MLA:

Gorpas, Dimitris, et al. "Multi-Parametric Standardization of Fluorescence Imaging Systems Based on a Composite Phantom." IEEE transactions on bio-medical engineering 67.1 (2020): 185-192.

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