Three Abstracts Accepted to SPIE



Three PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted to SPIE conferences this year.

SPIE Photonics West took place January 27- February 1, 2024, and the following work was presented by Jiaxin Zhang.

SPIE Medical Imaging is taking place February 18-22, 2024, and the following work was presented by Md Ashikuzzaman. 

In addition to the above papers, Prof. Bell was invited to be a session chair at SPIE Photonics West for the the Advanced Biomedical and Clinical Diagnostic and Surgical Guidance Systems XXII, Session 6: Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy on January 28th from 11:00 AM-12:20 PM PST.

Welcome to Deepak, Pankaj, and Namitha

The PULSE Lab welcomes two postdocs, Deepak Raina (co-advised by Prof. Axel Krieger) and Pankaj Warbal. We also welcome PhD student Namitha Guruprasad.

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Prof. Bell Elected Fellow of Optica (formerly OSA)

Congratulations to Prof. Bell on being elected as a Fellow of Optica!

Optica, formerly the Optical Society of America (OSA), is the oldest preeminent professional society in the field of optics and photonics, uniting and educating scientists, engineers, educators, technicians and business leaders, with over 22,000 members from more than 180 countries and 45 Nobel Laureates in its ranks.

Optica Fellows are members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics through distinguished contributions to education, research, engineering, business, and society. Fellows are selected by the society’s board of directors for this distinction, recognition, and honor, which is annually limited to approximately 0.5% of the society’s membership total at the time of election. 

Prof. Bell is honored specifically  “for pioneering contributions to photoacoustic imaging techniques and applications for surgical guidance.”

Optica News Release (Prof. Bell appears under surname “Lediju Bell” in this news release)

Meet the 2024 Fellows

ECE Department News

Malone Center Announcement

Optics and Photonics News

PULSE Lab Research Featured on CNN

Research conducted by PULSE Lab visiting PhD student, Guilherme S. P. Fernandes, and co-advisor, Prof. Muyinatu Bell, is featured on CNN.

The topic of the feature is an algorithm that Prof. Bell invented as a graduate student, which is now revealing capabilities to address skin tone bias in photoacoustic imaging. When using this technique to image through skin with light, darker skin tones produce more acoustic clutter than lighter skin tones, which introduces unwanted biases (e.g., Black patients have worse images than white patients, leading to a disparity in the ability to see the important content needed to make an accurate diagnosis). The novel and innovative algorithm, termed short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) beamforming, makes clearer pictures for all patients, regardless of skin tone. Prof. Bell collaborated with Prof. Theo Pavan and colleagues at the University of São Paulo in Brazil to test this algorithm on multiple volunteers, and the PULSE Lab hosted Guilherme over the past year to finalize this work, leading to the publication Mitigating skin tone bias in linear array in vivo photoacoustic imaging with short-lag spatial coherence beamforming.

SLSC beamforming was previously shown to reduce acoustic clutter in cardiac ultrasound images and in abdominal ultrasound images of patients with higher body mass indexes. The technique and its derivatives can also be used to clarify the fluid vs. solid content of indeterminate breast masses surrounded by dense breast tissue, thereby reducing unnecessary procedures and follow-ups when trying to detect breast cancer. Additional use cases include clarifying anatomical details in photoacoustic-guided surgery. These multiple examples demonstrate the expansive power, potential, and capabilities of designing more equitable imaging and healthcare technologies that serve a wider range of our global patient population.

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Prof. Bell Receives NIH R01 Grant

Prof. Bell received a $1.5M NIH R01 grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to support our project entitled, Photoacoustic Image Guidance of Hysterectomies. This project is motivated by the clinical challenges surrounding ureteral injury during hysterectomies, due to the close proximity of uterine arteries (which must be severed) and ureters (which must be preserved). Complications from accidental ureteral injuries include extensive repeat surgeries, complete kidney failure, sepsis, acute renal insufficiency, and patient death. The goal of this project is to establish optimal parameters to advance photoacoustic technology toward differentiation of ureters, uterine arteries, and tool tips during hysterectomies. This work will be completed in collaboration with primary co-investigator, Karen Wang, MD.

Four of our pioneering publications in this area include:

  • Wiacek A, Wang KC, Wu H, Bell MAL, Photoacoustic-guided laparoscopic and open hysterectomy procedures demonstrated with human cadavers, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, 40(12):3279-3292, 2021 [pdf]
  • Wiacek A, Wang KC, Wu H, Bell MAL, Parking sensor-inspired approach to photoacoustic-guided hysterectomy demonstrated with human cadavers, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, March 6-11, 2021 [pdf]
  • Wiacek A, Wang KC, Bell MAL, Dual-wavelength photoacoustic imaging for guidance of hysterectomy procedures, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, February 1-6, 2020 [pdf]
  • Wiacek A, Wang K, Bell MAL, Techniques to distinguish the ureter from the uterine artery in photoacoustic-guided hysterectomies, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, February 2-7, 2019 [pdf]

This work was initially funded by a Johns Hopkins Discovery Award.

JHU Malone Center Announcement

Welcome to Seven New PULSE Lab Students: Mahban, Manik, Gareth, Nethra, Junhao, Nidhi, and Neil

Welcome to the following new PULSE Lab members, including five graduate students and two undergraduate students, who have joined us this fall to work on various projects.

Graduate Students

MahbanG-150x150.jpg
Mahban Gholijafari
PhD Student, ECE
B.Sc., Electrical and Control Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran

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Manik Kakkar
PhD Student, ECE
M.Sc., Physics,  Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India
B.Sc. (HS), Physics & Electronics, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India 

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Gareth Keene
PhD Student, ECE
B.S., Electrical Engineering – Pennsylvania State University 

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Nethra Venkatayogi
PhD Student, CS
B.S., Biomedical Engineering – University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, US

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Junhao Zhang
PhD Student, ECE
M.S., Mechanical Engineering – ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
B.S., Physics & Mechanical Engineering – University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, US

Undergraduate Students

Nidhi Batra
Electrical Engineering (minor in Computer Integrated Surgery)
Johns Hopkins University, Class of 2025
 

Neil Mahto
Computational Neuroscience and English Double Major
Johns Hopkins University, Class of 2027

Welcome Neil, Nidhi, Junhao, Nethra, Gareth, Manik, and Mahban!

Welcome to Summer Undergraduate Students Sara, Ahmed, and Adah

Welcome to Sara Ibrahim, Ahmed El-Desoky, and Adah Harding! Sara, Ahmed, and Adah are joining the PULSE Lab this summer as part of the LCSR Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics. They are pursuing undergraduate degrees at various universities across the country, with majors and minors in mechanical engineering, biology, computer science, chemistry, and music.

Sara Ibrahim

  • Mechanical Engineering (Computer Science certificate)
  • University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2026
  • NSF-funded REU student

Adah Harding

  • Mechanical Engineering (double minor in Biology and Music)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County, Class of 2026
  • NSF-funded REU student

Ahmed El-Desoky

  • Computer Science and Biology (minor in Chemistry)
  • Xavier University of Louisiana, Class of 2024
  • NSF-funded REU student

Sara, Ahmed, and Adah will be working with us for 10 weeks throughout the summer on projects in the areas of ultrasound imaging, photoacoustic imaging, and deep learning.

PhD Hooding Ceremony for Alycen Wiacek, Michelle Graham, and Eduardo Gonzalez

PULSE Lab alums Alycen Wiacek, PhD (ECE), Michelle Graham, PhD (ECE), and Eduardo Gonzalez, PhD (BME) returned to the Johns Hopkins University campus for the Whiting School of Engineering doctoral hooding ceremony on Monday, May 22, 2023. Current PULSE Lab members, families, and friends of the graduates attended the joyous celebration. Eduardo Gonzalez, PhD additionally participated in the the School of Medicine doctoral hooding ceremony for BME PhD graduates two days later on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.

We are thrilled for these bright and audacious PULSE Lab PhD pioneers, and we wish them well in all of their future endeavors!

Three Abstracts Accepted to IEEE IUS 2023 & Invited Talk by Prof. Bell


The following PULSE Lab abstracts have been accepted for presentation during the 2023 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) to be held September 3-8, 2023 in Montreal, Canada.

  1. Demonstrating the Impact of Wavelength and Skin Tone on Photoacoustic Breast Imaging to be presented by Guilherme S. Pilotto Fernandes in the Poster session “A2P-17: MPA-P: Clinical Applications of Photoacoustic Imaging” on Sep 4, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM EDT
  2. Real-Time Coherence Imaging of Suspicious Breast Masses to be presented by Arunima Sharma in the Lecture session “C1L-01: MIM: Novel Applications of Ultrasound Imaging” on Sep 6, 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM EDT
  3. Application of CohereNet to Photoacoustic Data for Non-Invasive in Vivo Subcutaneous Imaging to be presented by José Antonio Timaná Torres in the Poster session “C2P-20: MPA-P: Photoacoustic Image Processing” on Sep 6, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM EDT

Congrats to Arunima, Guilherme, and José!

In addition to co-authoring the above publications:

Symposium website: https://2023.ieee-ius.org/

(This post was updated on September 4, 2023)

Prof. Bell Receives JHU Discovery Award

Dr. Muyinatu Bell and plastic and reconstructive surgeon collaborator Dr. Sami Tuffaha were among the 35 interdisciplinary faculty teams at Johns Hopkins selected to receive one of the 2023 JHU Discovery Awards. This award is designed to support cross-divisional research teams who are poised to arrive at important discoveries or creative works. The expectation is that these awards will spark new, synergistic interactions between investigators across the institution and lead to work of the highest quality and impact. This award will support their research topic of “Photoacoustic Assessment of Peripheral Nerve Injury.”

JHU Office of Research Announcement

JHU Hub Announcement

Welcome to Md Ashikuzzaman

The PULSE Lab welcomes Md Ashikuzzaman (Ashk). Ashik is a postdoctoral fellow who recently completed his PhD at Concordia University. We are thrilled to have him as a the newest member of our team.

Welcome Ashik!

Prof. Bell Elected SPIE Fellow

Congratulations to Prof. Bell on being elected as a Fellow of SPIE! SPIE Fellows are are members of distinction who have made significant scientific and technical contributions in the multidisciplinary fields of optics, photonics, and imaging and are honored for their technical achievements, service to the general optics community, and service to SPIE.

Prof. Bell was recognized for her “achievements in photoacoustic imaging techniques and applications for surgical guidance.” She is a regular attendee and author of two SPIE communities and was honored as a new 2023 Fellow within both communities. Prof. Bell received her SPIE Fellow pin and certificate at SPIE Photonics West, presented by Symposium Chair Jennifer Barton and SPIE President Bernard Kress. Three weeks later, she was honored with a Fellow certificate presentation at SPIE Medical Imaging, delivered by Symposium Chair Despina Kontos.

New SPIE Fellows Announcement

WSE Announcement

Khadijat Kokumo Wins SPIE Best Paper Award

Congratulations to PULSE Lab summer undergraduate student Khadijat Kokumo, who won the Best Paper Award runner up at the 2023 SPIE Physics of Medical Imaging conference! This conference features a student paper award specifically to recognize outstanding papers in development and application of medical imaging and diagnosis.

Khadijat’s first-author paper, entitled “Theoretical basis and experimental validation of harmonic coherence-based ultrasound imaging for breast mass diagnosis,” describes and summarizes research she completed in summer 2022 as a CSMR REU student from Northwestern University.

The award is sponsored by Konica Minolta, and it was presented to Khadijat by John Sabol from Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas, Inc. Lifeng Yu (Mayo Clinic) and Rebecca Fahrig (Siemens Healthcare GmBH) are the conference chairs. Prof. Bell is the senior author of the paper.

Four Abstracts Accepted to SPIE



Two PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted to SPIE conferences this year.

SPIE Photonics West is taking place January 28- February 2, 2023, and the following work was presented by Jiaxin Zhang.

SPIE Medical Imaging will take place February 20-24, 2023, and the following work will be presented by Khadijat Kokumo. 

The PULSE Lab also contributed to the following two collaborative works, which will also be presented at SPIE Medical Imaging.

In addition to the above papers, Prof. Bell was invited to be a session chair at SPIE Photonics West for the the Advanced Biomedical and Clinical Diagnostic and Surgical Guidance Systems XXI, Session 8: Novel Techniques on January 29th from 3:40-5:20 PM PST and for Multiscale Imaging and Spectroscopy IV, Session 7: Emerging Sources of Multiscale Contrast II on January 29th from 1:20 – 3:10 PM PST.

Prof. Bell Wins IEEE Ultrasonics Early Career Investigator Award

Prof. Muyinatu Bell (center) with UFFC-S Awards Chair, Prof. Jafar Sanie (left) and UFFC-S President, Prof. Mark Schaffer (right).

Prof. Bell was selected to receive the 2022 IEEE Ultrasonics Early Career Investigator Award, which was announced on  at the IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium in Venice, Italy. This award recognize the achievements of a young researcher in the area of ultrasonics and its applications. Prof. Bell was recognized for “pioneering contributions to spatial coherence beamforming theory and deep learning methods for ultrasound and photoacoustic image formation.”

WSE Announcement

Prof. Bell Wins $1.15M Science Diversity Leadership Award

Congratulations to Prof. Bell on winning the inaugural Science Diversity Leadership Award

This $1.15 million award is offered by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in partnership with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to launch this program. The award recognizes and furthers the leadership and scientific accomplishments of excellent biomedical researchers who—through their outreach, mentoring, and teaching—have a record of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in their scientific fields. Recipients will additionally connect with each other and international scientific leaders through
gatherings over the course of the five years.

CZI Announcement

JHU Hub Announcement

Johns Hopkins Office of the Provost

Prof. Bell Wins Johns Hopkins Catalyst Award

Congratulations to Prof. Bell on winning the 2022 Johns Hopkins Catalyst Award

Awarded to 38 early-career faculty this year, across all divisions within Johns Hopkins, the Catalyst Award honors the accomplishments, creativity, originality, and academic impact of its recipients. The award provides a $75,000 grant to conduct preliminary studies with the eventual goal of redefining laser safety for photoacoustic-guided liver surgery. In addition to the grant, the award comes with mentoring opportunities and institutional recognition.  

Two of our pioneering journal publications in this area include:

  • Huang J, Wiacek A,Kempski KM, Palmer T, Izzi J, Beck S, Bell MAL, Empirical Assessment of Laser Safety for Photoacoustic-Guided Liver Surgeries, Biomedical Optics Express, 12, 1205-1216, 2021 [pdf]
  • Kempski K, Wiacek A, Graham M, González E, Goodson B, Allman D, Palmer J, Hou H, Beck S, He J, Bell MAL, In vivo photoacoustic imaging of major blood vessels in the pancreas and liver during surgery, Journal of Biomedical Optics, 24(12):121905, 2019 [pdf]

It is a huge honor to be a recipient of this award, and all recipients will be celebrated at a university-sponsored event taking place on October 20, 2022! Congrats again to Prof. Bell! 

JHU Hub Announcement

HEMI Announcement

Seven Abstracts Accepted to IEEE IUS 2022


The following PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted for presentation during the 2022 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) to be held October 10-13, 2022 in Venice, Italy.

  1. Phocospace: An Open-Source Simulation Package to Implement Photoacoustic Spatial Coherence Theory to be presented by Prof. Bell in the session entitled Imaging Methods and Quality Assessment Oct 12, 11:00-11:18am CEST
  2. A Flexible Array Transducer for Photoacoustic-Guided Surgery to be presented by Jiaxin Zhang in the session entitled Photoacoustic Imaging II Oct 12, 12:12-12:30pm CEST
  3. Binary and Random Inputs to Rapidly Identify Overfitting of Deep Neural Networks Trained to Output Ultrasound Images to be presented by Jiaxin Zhang in the session entitled Image Formation Oct 11,
  4. Distinguishing Fluid and Solid Breast Masses with Fundamental and Harmonic Amplitude- and Coherence-Based Ultrasound Beamforming to be presented by Arunima Sharma in the session entitled Ultrasound Methods for Characterizing Cancer and Monitoring Therapy II Oct 11,
  5. COVID-19 Feature Detection with Deep Neural Networks Trained on Simulated Lung Ultrasound B-mode Images to be presented by Lingyi Zhao in the session entitled Lung Ultrasound Oct 13,
  6. Predicting Generalized Contrast-to-Noise Ratios in Frame-Averaged Photoacoustic Images to be presented by Mardava Gubbi in the session entitled Ultrasound Devices, Systems and Methods II Oct 12, and
  7. Impact of Skin Pigmentation on Photoacoustic Imaging Using Linear Array Transducer: A Pilot In Vivo Study to be presented by Guilherme S. Pilotto Fernandes in the session entitled Photoacoustic Imaging and Instrumentation Oct 13,

Congrats to Prof. Bell, Jiaxin, Arunima, Lingyi, Mardava, and Guilherme!

In addition to co-authoring the above publications:

  •  Prof. Bell will chair the session entitled MBB – Beamforming III Thursday, October 13

Symposium website: https://2022.ieee-ius.org/

Prof. Bell Receives NIH R01 Grant

Prof. Bell received a $1.4M NIH R01 grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to support our project entitled, Minimizing Uncertainty in Breast Ultrasound Imaging with Real-Time Coherence-Based Beamforming. This project is motivated by the clinical challenges surrounding ultrasound images yielding inconclusive results in a subset of patients, necessitating biopsies, aspirations, or follow-up imaging, which increase patient anxiety and places additional burdens on the time available for clinical care and the resource allocations of our healthcare system. The goal of this project is to develop new, real-time ultrasound imaging technology that will simplify clinical workflows by distinguishing fluid-filled masses from solid masses and from complex cystic and solid masses, which all appear hypoechoic in traditional ultrasound B-mode images. This work will be completed in collaboration with breast radiologists Eniola Oluyemi, MD, Kelly Myers, MD, Emily Ambinder, MD, and Lisa Mullen, MD.

Three of our pioneering journal publications in this area include:

  • Wiacek A, Rindal OMH, Falomo E, Myers K, Fabrega-Foster K, Harvey S, Bell MAL, Robust Short-Lag Spatial Coherence Imaging of Breast Ultrasound Data: Initial Clinical Results, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 66(3):527-540, 2019 [pdf]
  • Wiacek A, Oluyemi E, Myers K, Mullen L, Bell MAL, Coherence-based beamforming increases the diagnostic certainty of distinguishing fluid from solid masses in breast ultrasound exams, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 46(6):1380-1394, 2020 [pdf]
  • Wiacek A, González E, Bell MAL, CohereNet: A Deep Learning Architecture for Ultrasound Spatial Correlation Estimation and Coherence-Based Beamforming, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 67(12):2574-2583, 2020 [featured on journal cover] [pdf]

This work has also been featured in the following articles and press releases:

We additionally have a pending patent for these ideas.

JHU Hub Announcement

Eduardo González Successfully Defended His PhD Dissertation

Congratulations to PULSE Lab member Dr. Eduardo González! He successfully defended his PhD dissertation on September 26, 2022. His defense presentation was entitled Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Techniques for Surgical Guidance Inside and Around the Spine. Eduardo intends to pursue a career in industry, starting with post-academic training with Philips (one of the three major manufacturers of ultrasound imaging systems), with an offer to start in mid-October.

Paper Accepted to Journal of Biomedical Optics

Congratulations to Eduardo González! His first author paper entitled, Dual-wavelength photoacoustic atlas method to estimate fractional methylene blue and hemoglobin contents, was accepted to the Journal of Biomedical Optics.

This work discusses a novel approach to estimate concentration levels from a mixture of two photoacoustic-sensitive materials after only two laser wavelength emissions. The work builds on our previously proposed acoustic atlas alternative to spectral unmixing, and it is the first to present an acoustic-based photoacoustic estimator that relies on training sets to estimate concentration levels from mixtures of photoacoustic-sensitive materials. Results are promising for real-time monitoring of the concentration of contrast agents in the operating room.

Citations:

González EA, Bell MAL, Dual-wavelength photoacoustic atlas method to estimate fractional methylene blue and hemoglobin contents, Journal of Biomedical Optics, 27(9):096002, 2022 [pdf]

González EA, Graham CA, Bell MAL, Acoustic frequency-based approach for identification of photoacoustic surgical biomarkers, Frontiers in Photonics, 2, 2021 [pdf]

Related News:

Journal Paper Accepted to Frontiers in Photonics

Welcome to Visiting Graduate Student Guilherme

Welcome to Guilherme S. P. Fernandes! Guilherme is joining the PULSE Lab for one year as a visiting PhD student from the University of São Paulo, advised by Prof. Theo Pavan. His visit is supported by the Brazilian foundation FAPSEP.


Guilherme S. P. Fernandes

Visiting PhD Student from University of São Paulo, Brazil

B.S., Medical Physics, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto – SP, Brazil

Guilherme and Prof. Bell initially met at SPIE Photonics West in 2020 when Prof. Bell visited his research poster.

Welcome to Summer Undergraduate Student Khadijat Kokumo

Welcome to Khadijat Kokumo! Khadijat is joining the PULSE Lab this summer as part of the LCSR Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics. She hails from Atlanta, GA and is pursuing an undergraduate degree at Northwestern University.

 
Khadijat Kokumo

  • Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
  • Biomedical Engineering major, Class of 2024
  • Computer Science minor
  • NSF-funded REU student

Khadijat will be working with us for 10 weeks throughout the summer on an exciting project in the area of spatial coherence ultrasound beamforming.

Alycen Wiacek Successfully Defended Her PhD Dissertation

Congratulations to PULSE Lab member Dr. Alycen Wiacek! She successfully defended her PhD dissertation on June 1, 2021. Her defense presentation was entitled Coherence-Based Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging with Applications in Breast Mass Diagnosis and Hysterectomy Guidance. Alycen secured a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at her alma mater, Oakland University, and her post-graduate plans are to assume this new position in Fall 2022.

Prof. Bell Installed as the John C. Malone Professor

Prof. Bell was installed as the John C. Malone Professor on Monday, May 16, 2022. The John C. Malone Professorship was endowed through the generosity of John C. Malone ’64, ’69 to support outstanding Whiting School faculty members within the Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare. Family, friends, colleagues, and students gathered together to celebrate this momentous occasion. The event was live-streamed, and the recording is available on YouTube.

Journal Paper Accepted to IEEE TUFFC

Congratulations to Mardava Gubbi! His first-author paper entitled Theoretical Framework to Predict Generalized Contrast-to-Noise Ratios of Photoacoustic Images With Applications to Computer Vision was accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control.

This work is the first to the first to present a novel framework to establish relationships among photoacoustic imaging system parameters, image quality, and computer vision-based task performance. Our framework leverages gCNR to quantify the relationships between system parameters (e.g., channel SNR, laser energy) and photoacoustic image quality. Within this framework, we present a theoretical derivation of gCNR predictions based on using the statistics of the target and background signal powers, then validate these predictions on simulated, experimental, and in vivo data. This framework was then leveraged to quantify the accuracy of a photoacoustic target segmentation algorithm as a function of gCNR and demonstrate the robustness of gCNR to thresholding, with possible extensions to other computer vision-based tasks (e.g., target tracking and image classification) and to improve the overall photoacoustic imaging system design process.

Citation: Gubbi MR, Gonzalez EA, Bell MAL,Theoretical Framework to Predict Generalized Contrast-to-Noise Ratios of Photoacoustic Images With Applications to Computer Vision,” IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 69(6):2098-2114, 2022 [pdf]

Arun Nair, PhD Returns for Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

We are thrilled to welcome PULSE Lab alum Arun Nair, PhD back to the university campus for the Whiting School of Engineering doctoral hooding ceremony! Congratulations to Dr. Nair on this momentous occasion!

Mardava Completed the ECE Department Preliminary Research Proposal Seminar

Congratulations to Mardava Gubbi on his successful completion of the ECE Department preliminary thesis research proposal and seminar requirement!

The topics discussed in Mardava’s seminar are summarized in the following peer-reviewed publications:

  1. Gubbi MR, Bell MAL, Deep Learning-Based Photoacoustic Visual Servoing: Using Outputs from Raw Sensor Data as Inputs to a Robot Controller, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Xi’an, China, May 30 – June 5, 2021 [pdf]
  2. Gubbi MR, Gonzalez EA, Bell MAL,Theoretical Framework to Predict Generalized Contrast-to-Noise Ratios of Photoacoustic Images With Applications to Computer Vision,” IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 69(6):2098-2114, 2022 [pdf]
  3. Kempski KM, Graham MT, Gubbi MR, Palmer T, Bell MAL, Application of the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio to assess photoacoustic image quality, Biomedical Optics Express11(7), 3684-3698, 2020 [pdf]
  4. Graham M, Assis F, Allman D, Wiacek A, González E, Gubbi M, Dong J, Hou H, Beck S, Chrispin J, Bell MAL, In vivo demonstration of photoacoustic image guidance and robotic visual servoing for cardiac catheter-based interventions, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, 39(4):1015-1029, 2020 [pdf]

Alycen Wiacek Wins AIUM New Investigator Award

Congratulations to Alycen Wiacek for winning the New Investigator Award from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM)! Alycen was selected to present her research in the New Investigator Scientific Session Plenary at the AIUM 2022 Annual Meeting. She discussed her three first-author papers on the clinical implications of spatial coherence features for breast ultrasound:

  1. Wiacek A, Rindal OMH, Falomo E, Myers K, Fabrega-Foster K, Harvey S, Bell MAL, Robust Short-Lag Spatial Coherence Imaging of Breast Ultrasound Data: Initial Clinical Results, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 66(3):527-540, 2019 [pdf]
  2. Wiacek A, Oluyemi E, Myers K, Mullen L, Bell MAL, Coherence-based beamforming increases the diagnostic certainty of distinguishing fluid from solid masses in breast ultrasound exams, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 46(6):1380-1394, 2020 [pdf]
  3. Wiacek A, Oluyemi E, Myers K, Mullen L, Bell MAL, Coherence-based beamforming improves the diagnostic certainty of breast ultrasound exams, Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, Virtual, September 6-11, 2020 [pdf]

Alycen was selected as the winner of this symposium, alongside Prof. Brooks Lindsey from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Prof. Bell Elected to AIMBE College of Fellows

Congratulations to Prof. Muyinatu Bell on her election to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows! AIMBE Fellows represent the top 2% of medical and biological engineers. In addition, Prof. Bell is one of only four Assistant Professors to be elected at this career stage, out of 1,500 fellows elected in the past 10 years! This significant achievement highlights Prof. Bell’s outstanding research contributions and impactful advocacy for her field.

Prof. Bell was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the AIMBE College of Fellows for pioneering contributions to development of ultrasonic and photoacoustic medical imaging systems, including coherence-based beamforming, photoacoustic-guided surgery, and deep learning applications.

AIMBE News Release

BME Department Announcement 

WSE Announcement 

HEMI Announcement 

Malone Center Announcement

IEEE UFFC-S Announcement 

Invited Review Published in BMEF

Prof. Bell and Lingyi Zhao co-authored an invited review entitled, A Review of Deep Learning Applications in Lung Ultrasound Imaging of COVID-19 Patients, which was recently published in BME Frontiers.

This review is focused on deep learning applications in lung ultrasound imaging of COVID-19 and provides a comprehensive overview of ultrasound systems utilized for data acquisition, associated datasets, deep learning models, and comparative performance..

Citation: Lingyi Zhao, Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell, “A Review of Deep Learning Applications in Lung Ultrasound Imaging of COVID-19 Patients“, BME Frontiers, vol. 2022, Article ID 9780173, 17 pages, 2022. https://doi.org/10.34133/2022/9780173

Application of gCNR to Photoacoustic Imaging is a Top-Cited Paper

Published less than two years ago in June 2020, Application of the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio to assess photoacoustic image quality received the honor of being a top-cited paper in the journal Biomedical Optics Express in January 2022. This paper investigates a newly developed, probability-based, generalized contrast-to-noise (gCNR) when applied to photoacoustic images. We recommend gCNR as a new standard for assessment of novel photoacoustic beamforming and image formation techniques.

Congratulations to Kelley, Michelle, Mardava, Theron, and Prof. Bell for contributing this foundational development for the photoacoustics and biomedical optics community!

Four Abstracts Accepted to SPIE

Four PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted to various SPIE conferences this year.

SPIE Photonics West took place January 22-27, 2022, and the following work was presented by Michelle and Eduardo.

SPIE Medical Imaging will take place February 20-24, 2022, and the following work will be presented by Ben Frey.

In addition, Prof. Bell was invited to speak at SPIE Optics + Photonics, which will take place August 22-25, 2022, where she will deliver the presentation:

  • Bell MAL, Ultrasound Image Formation in the Deep Learning Age, SPIE Optics + Photonics, Emerging Topics in Artificial Intelligence, San Diego, California, August 22-25, 2022

Happy Holidays from the PULSE Lab

The PULSE Lab gathered for an outdoor lab lunch in celebration of the end of the semester and the onset of the holidays.

Clockwise from top left: Michelle, Arunima, Alycen, Jiaxin, Eduardo, Junior, Prof. Bell, Mardava, Lingyi.

Happy Holidays from the PULSE Lab!

Prof. Bell Joins the Editorial Advisory Board of GEN Biotechnology

GEN Biotechnology is a new peer-reviewed journal launching in early 2022, focused on exceptional groundbreaking research across all aspects of biotechnology. Prof. Bell is one of the inaugural members of the Editorial Advisory Board. Submission instructions for your groundbreaking biotechnology research that validates and showcases advances in technology development and scientific and medical applications are available here.

Journal Paper Accepted to Frontiers in Photonics

Congratulations to Eduardo González! His first-author paper entitled Acoustic Frequency-Based Approach for Identification of Photoacoustic Surgical Biomarkers was accepted for publication in the journal Frontiers in Photonics.

This paper demonstrates a novel approach to accurately identify biological markers by analyzing the acoustic frequency response from either a single-wavelength emission (i.e., single-wavelength atlas method) or two consecutive wavelength emissions (i.e., dual-wavelength atlas method). The proposed approach relies on training sets to identify photoacoustic-sensitive materials, is robust against changes in fluence levels, and has comparable sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy to those obtained with conventional and enhanced spectral unmixing methods. This paper is part of the journal’s research topic Biophotonics Technologies for Clinical Translation.

Citation: González EA, Graham CA, Bell MAL, Acoustic frequency-based approach for identification of photoacoustic surgical biomarkers, Frontiers in Photonics, 2, 2021 [pdf]

Welcome to Arunima Sharma, Junior Arroyo, and Jiaxin Zhang

The PULSE Lab welcomes Arunima Sharma, Junior Arroyo, and Jiaxin Zhang.

Arunima is a postddoctoral fellow who received her Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Junior joins us from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru in Lima, Peru, where he completed an M.S. degree in Digital Signal and Image Processing and a B.S. degree in Physics. He is a matriculating PhD student in the BME Department.

Jiaxin has an M.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville and a B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China. She is matriculating as a PhD student in the ECE Department.
Welcome Arunima, Junior, and Jiaxin!

Mardava Presents at the Maryland STEM Festival

Congratulations to Mardava Gubbi for successfully disseminating his work to the general public at the 2021 Maryland STEM Festival! The event was live streamed with the recording now available on Youtube. Mardava was the first of 5 presenters.

Mardava describes work that was also presented to a technical audience at the 2021 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). His associated peer-reviewed conference paper is entitled, “Deep Learning-Based Photoacoustic Visual Servoing: Using Outputs from Raw Sensor Data as Inputs to a Robot Controller.”

PULSE Lab ICRA Announcement

JHU Hub Article

Alycen and Jessica Named ARCS Foundation Scholars

Alycen Wiacek and Jessica Su each received the distinction of being selected as scholars of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation, Metropolitan Washington Chapter, for the 2021-2022 academic year. Jessica is the 2021-2022 Bill & Marilynn Sweetser Undergraduate Scholar. Alycen is the 2021-2022 JCM Foundation Graduate Scholar. Congratulations Alycen and Jessica!

JHU ECE Department Announcement

Alycen Wiacek Named 2022 Siebel Scholar

Congratulations to Alycen Wiacek! She was named to the 2022 Class of Siebel Scholars — a highly selective group of individuals representing the top graduate students in the world. Alycen was recognized in the bioengineering category, and she is the only student not enrolled in the JHU BME PhD program to be recognized in this category this year. Alycen is also the first JHU ECE PhD student to receive this outstanding recognition. 

 

Businesswire Announcement

JHU Hub Announcement

JHU ECE Department Announcement

Five Abstracts Accepted to IEEE IUS 2021 & Prof. Bell Co-Hosts Annual WIE Event


The following PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted for presentation during the 2021 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) to be held on September 11-16, 2021 online (due to COVID-19).

  1. A Beamformer-Independent Method to Predict Photoacoustic Visual Servoing System Failure from a Single Image Frame to be presented by Eduardo González in the session entitled Imaging & Image Enhancement & Decluttering II (PM) to
  2. Comparison of Compressional and Elastic Photoacoustic Simulations for Planning, Imaging, and Guidance of Neurosurgeries to be presented by Michelle Graham in the session entitled Photoacoustic Imaging III (PM) to
  3. Quantifying the Impact of Breast Density on the Lag-One Coherence of Hypoechoic Masses to be presented by Alycen Wiacek in the session entitled Beamforming Methodologies & Devices (PM) to
  4. A Method to Estimate the Spatial Coherence of Photoacoustic Channel Data Without Access to Channel Data to be presented by Kelley Kempski & Mardava Gubbi in the session entitled Beamforming Methodologies & Devices (PM)  to
  5. Extending CohereNet to Retain Physical Features When Classifying Benign or Malignant Breast Masses to be presented by Alycen Wiacek in the session entitled Tissue Characterization II (PM) to

Congrats to Alycen, Eduardo, Michelle, Kelley, and Mardava!

In addition to co-authoring the above publications:

Symposium website: https://2021.ieee-ius.org

PULSE Lab REU Student Wins 2nd Place Presentation Award

Congrats to Benjamin Frey! He was our summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) student who conducted a virtual summer research project with us. His research topic was centered on deep learning applied to lung ultrasound imaging of COVID-19 patients. His outstanding work earned him a second place presentation award at the 2021 Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics (CSMR) REU Final Presentations Award Ceremony. Ben joins a long list of PULSE Lab REU students to win this award.

Special thanks to Ben’s postdoc mentor, Lingyi Zhao, for helping to make Ben’s project such a resounding success!

Welcome to Summer Undergraduate Students Camryn and Ben

Welcome to Camryn Graham and Ben Frey! Camryn and Ben are joining the PULSE Lab this summer as part of the LCSR Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics. They are pursuing undergraduate degrees at universities located in the midwest.

Camryn Graham

  • University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
  • Biomedical Engineering major
  • Music minor
  • NSF-funded REU student

Benjamin Frey

  • University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN)
  • Physics (BS), Computer Science (BS), Business Administration (BA) triple major
  • NSF-funded REU student

Camryn and Ben will be working with us for 10 weeks throughout the summer on projects in the area of ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging.

Photoacoustic-Guided Surgery Review is a Top 10 Download

Within its first month of publication, Photoacoustic-Guided Surgery from Head to Toe, an invited review co-authored by Alycen Wiacek and Prof. Bell, received the honor of being a top 10 download from the journal Biomedical Optics Express. This invited review covers multiple aspects of the use of photoacoustic imaging to guide both surgical and related non-surgical interventions and includes a discussion of complete systems and tools needed to maximize success.

Congratulations to Alycen and Prof. Bell for capturing the attention of the biomedical optics community!

Arun Nair Successfully Defended His PhD Dissertation

Congratulations to PULSE Lab member Dr. Arun Nair! He successfully defended his PhD dissertation on May 25, 2021. Arun was co-advised by ECE Profs. Bell and Tran. His defense presentation was entitled Machine Learning for Beamforming in Ultrasound, Radar, and Audio. Arun, his fellow labmates, and his co-advisors celebrated with an outdoor dinner and a delicious cake creation from PULSE Lab member Kelley Kempski. Arun’s post-graduate plans are to work for Amazon, Inc. in the Bay area.

30 Invited Talks by Prof. Bell in 2020-2021

Prof. Bell delivered a total of 17 invited talks to date in 2021 (compared to 13 in 2020 and over 70 talks total). Here is a summary of the 2020-2021 talk titles, dates, and locations, with additional highlights, announcements, and links to recordings wherever available:

2021

  1. Distinguished Keynote: 19th Annual Imaging Network Ontario (ImNO) Symposium, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Toronto, ON, March 22-23, 2021 [delivered via Zoom to ~180 participants]
  2. Plenary: IEEE EMBS Grand Challenge on Data Science: Medical Imaging, Ultrasound Image Formation in the Deep Learning Age, February 10, 2021 [delivered via Zoom webinar to ~230 participants]
  3. Invited: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Computational Medicine Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Chapel Hill, NC, May 20, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  4. Invited: SPIE Women in Optics Spotlight Series, Representation Matters: Role Models and Allies, May 12, 2021 [virtual delivery, recording available for SPIE members]
    • Promotional Advertisement:
  5. Invited: University of Virginia, Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Charlottesville, VA, April 30, 2021 [virtual delivery via Zoom to ~50 attendees]
  6. Invited: Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin, Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Milwaukee, WI, April 23, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  7. Invited: OSA Therapeutic Laser Applications Technical Group Special Event at the OSA Biophotonics Congress: Optics in the Life Sciences, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, April 14, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  8. Invited: AIUM Machine Learning in Application to Ultrasound Beamforming Session, Deep Learning Architectures and Applications for Ultrasound Image Formation, New York, NY, April 10-14, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  9. Invited: University of Colorado at Boulder, Applied Mathematics Colloquium, Ultrasound Image Formation in the Deep Learning Age, April 2, 2021 [virtual delivery, recording available on YouTube]
  10. Invited: Medtronic, Inc., Photoacoustic Vision for Surgical Guidance, San Francisco, CA, March 19, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  11. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, EECS Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Cambridge, MA, March 15, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  12. Invited: SPIE Photonics West, Photoacoustic Vision for Surgical Guidance, San Francisco, CA, March 6-11, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  13. Invited: University of Toledo, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Bioengineering Seminar Series, Toledo, OH, March 5, 2021 [virtual delivery]
  14. Invited: University of Pennsylvania, Photoacoustic Vision for Surgical Robotics, GRASP On Robotics Seminar Series, Philadelphia, PA, February 26, 2021 [delivered via Zoom, recording available on YouTube]
  15. Invited: University of Washington, Bioengineering Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Seattle, WA, February 11, 2021 [delivered via Zoom]
  16. Invited: Photonics Spectra Conference, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, January 19-22, 2021
  17. Invited by AIUM’s Artificial Intelligence Summit Task Force: American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medical Ultrasound Imaging Summit, AI enabled US Signal Processing, January 13 & 20, 2021 [virtual delivery via Zoom to ~90 attendees]

2020

  1. Keynote: NeurIPS Black in AI Workshop, Ultrasound Image Formation in the Deep Learning Age, December 7, 2020 [virtual delivery via live stream with Zoom Q&A, recording available]
  2. Keynote: King’s College London (KCL) Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS) Postgraduate Research (PGR) Symposium, Photoacoustic Imaging for Surgical and Interventional Guidance, July 20, 2020 [virtual delivery via MS Teams to approximately 175 participants]
  3. Plenary: SPIE Photonics West, BiOS Hot Topics Plenary Event, Photoacoustic Imaging Assistants for Minimally Invasive Surgeries & Procedures, San Francisco, CA, February 1, 2020 [Inaugural Journal of Biomedical Optics (JBO) Speaker, selected for being the senior author of the most impactful paper published in JBO in 2019, recording available, livestream recording also available with over 1.2k views]
  4. Invited: 179th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Special Technical Session, “Death to Delay and Sum: Advanced Beamforming” Deep Learning the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, December 8-12, 2020 [virtual delivery via Zoom to ~45 attendees]
  5. Invited: University of California Irvine, Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Irvine, CA November 19, 2020 [delivered via Zoom to ~30 attendees, recording available on YouTube]
  6. Invited: University of Rochester, ECE Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Rochester, NY, November 11, 2020 [delivered via Zoom to ~30 attendees]
  7. Invited: University of Texas Austin, Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Austin, TX, October 29, 2020 [delivered via Zoom to ~35 attendees]
  8. Invited: University of California Davis, Electrical and Computer Engineering Seminar Series, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Davis, CA, October 9, 2020 [delivered via Zoom to 170+ attendees]
  9. Invited: OSA Frontiers 2020 (FiO), Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Washington, D.C., September 13-14, 2020 [delivered via Zoom to 20+ attendees]
  10. Invited: IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, Photoacoustic Vision for Surgical Guidance, September 9, 2020 [delivered via Zoom to 80+ attendees]
  11. Invited: SPIE Journal of Biomedical Optics Hot Topics Webinar Series, Photoacoustic Imaging for Surgical and Interventional Guidance, one of three co-presenters in series entitled Photoacoustic Imaging: The Next Generation, August 17, 2020 [delivered via Demio to 200+ attendees, recording available]
  12. Invited: Duke University Ultrasound Seminar Series, Photoacoustic Spatial Coherence Theory, June 26, 2020 [delivered via Zoom with 40+ attendees]
  13. Invited: Ryerson University Physics Colloquium, Listening to the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Toronto, CA, March 2, 2020 [Last in-person talk before COVID-19 travel restrictions were imposed]

CANCELLED or POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19

  1. Invited: 179th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Special Technical Session, “Death to Delay and Sum: Advanced Beamforming” Deep Learning the Sound of Light to Guide Surgeries, Chicago, IL, May 11-15, 2020 (postponed to December 8-12, 2020 due to COVID-19)
  2. Invited: University of Rochester, Distinguished Lecture Series, Rochester, NY, April 15, 2020 (postponed due to COVID-19)
  3. Invited: Columbia University, ECE Seminar Series, New York, NY, March 24, 2020 (postponed due to COVID-19)
  4. Invited: AIUM Machine Learning in Application to Ultrasound Beamforming Session, Deep Learning Architectures and Applications for Ultrasound Image Formation, New York, NY, March 21-25, 2020 (canceled due to COVID-19)

Journal Paper Accepted to IEEE TMI

Congratulations to Alycen Wiacek! Her first-author paper entitled Photoacoustic-guided laparoscopic and open hysterectomy procedures demonstrated with human cadavers was accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

This work is the first to demonstrate a novel method for photoacoustic image-guided hysterectomies within the realistic imaging environment of a human cadaver during both open and laparoscopic procedures. With a contrast agent injected into the ureter, two laser wavelengths can be used to create a simultaneous display of the ureter and the uterine artery. This dual-wavelength approach was then integrated to create a novel surgical guidance system by estimating the tool-to-ureter distance and mapping that distance to an audible signal, similar to the parking sensor on a modern automobile. This auditory signal is intended to alert surgeons who are operating too closely to the ureter, which can lead to multiple life-threatening complications caused by accidental injury to the ureter during surgery.

Citation: Wiacek A, Wang KC, Wu H, Bell MAL, Photoacoustic-guided laparoscopic and open hysterectomy procedures demonstrated with human cadavers, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging (accepted May 13, 2021) [pdf]

Michelle Completed the ECE Department Preliminary Research Proposal Seminar

Congratulations to Michelle Graham on her successful completion of the ECE Department preliminary thesis research proposal and seminar requirement!

Details about Michelle’s proposal seminar are available here: https://engineering.jhu.edu/ece/events/thesis-proposal-michelle-graham/?instance_id=1075#.YLSFAS33ZOk.

The topics discussed in Michelle’s seminar are summarized in the following publications:

Journal Articles

  1. Graham MT, Bell MAL, Photoacoustic Spatial Coherence Theory and Applications to Coherence-Based Image Contrast and Resolution, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 67(10):2069-2084, 2020 [pdf]
  2. Graham MT, Huang J, Creighton F, Bell MAL, Simulations and human cadaver head studies to identify optimal acoustic receiver locations for minimally invasive photoacoustic-guided neurosurgery, Photoacoustics, 19:100183, 2020 [pdf]

Conference Proceedings

  1. Graham M, Creighton F, Bell MAL, Validation of eyelids as acoustic receiver locations for photoacoustic-guided neurosurgery, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, March 6-11, 2021 [pdf]
  2. Graham M, Creighton F, Bell MAL, Investigation of acoustic windows for photoacoustic imaging of intracranial blood vessels, Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, Virtual, September 6-11, 2020 [pdf]
  3. Graham M, Guo J, Bell MAL, Simultaneous visualization of nerves and blood vessels with multispectral photoacoustic imaging for intraoperative guidance of neurosurgeries, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, February 2-7, 2019 [pdf]
  4. Graham M, Bell MAL, Development and validation of a short-lag spatial coherence theory for photoacoustic imaging, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, January 28-31, 2018 [pdf]
  5. M Graham, MAL Bell, Theoretical Application of Short-Lag Spatial Coherence to Photoacoustic Imaging, Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, Washington, DC, September 6-9, 2017 [pdf]

Invited Review Published in Biomedical Optics Express

Prof. Bell and Alycen Wiacek co-authored an invited review entitled, Photoacoustic-Guided Surgery from Head to Toe, which was recently published in Biomedical Optics Express.

This review covers multiple aspects of photoacoustic imaging to guide surgical & related non-surgical interventions, including a discussion of complete systems and tools needed to maximize success.

Citation: Alycen Wiacek and Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell, “Photoacoustic-guided surgery from head to toe [Invited],” Biomed. Opt. Express 12, 2079-2117 (2021) [bibtex]

Alycen Completed the ECE Department Preliminary Research Proposal Seminar

Congratulations to Alycen Wiacek on her successful completion of the ECE Department preliminary thesis research proposal and seminar requirement!

Details about Alycen’s proposal seminar are available here: https://engineering.jhu.edu/ece/events/thesis-proposal-alycen-wiacek/?instance_id=1066#.YGna5khKi8o.

The topics discussed in Alycen’s seminar are summarized in the following publications:

Journal Articles

  1. Wiacek A, Oluyemi E, Myers K, Mullen L, Bell MAL, Coherence-based beamforming increases the diagnostic certainty of distinguishing fluid from solid masses in breast ultrasound exams, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 46(6):1380-1394, 2020 [pdf]
  2. Wiacek A, González E, Bell MAL, CohereNet: A Deep Learning Architecture for Ultrasound Spatial Correlation Estimation and Coherence-Based Beamforming, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 67(12):2574-2583, 2020 [featured on journal cover] [pdf]
  3. Wiacek A, Rindal OMH, Falomo E, Myers K, Fabrega-Foster K, Harvey S, Bell MAL, Robust Short-Lag Spatial Coherence Imaging of Breast Ultrasound Data: Initial Clinical Results, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, 66(3):527-540, 2019 [pdf]

Conference Proceedings

  1. Wiacek A, Oluyemi E, Myers K, Mullen L, Bell MAL, Coherence-based beamforming improves the diagnostic certainty of breast ultrasound exams, Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, Virtual, September 6-11, 2020 [pdf]
  2. Wiacek A, González E, Dehak N, Bell MAL, CohereNet: A deep learning approach to coherence-based beamforming, Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, Glasgow, Scotland, October 6-9, 2019 [pdf]
  3. Wiacek A, Myers K, Falomo E, Rindal OMH, Fabrega-Foster K, Harvey S, Bell MAL, Clinical feasibility of coherence-based beamforming to distinguish solid from fluid hypoechoic breast masses, Proceedings of the 2018 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, Kobe, Japan, October 22-25, 2018 [pdf]

Reese Dunne Wins Goldwater Scholarship

Congratulations to Reese Dunne, our 2020 summer REU student, who was recently selected to receive the 2021 Barry S. Goldwater Scholarship! The Goldwater Scholarship Program is one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics in the United States. This program seeks to identify and support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming the nation’s next generation of research leaders.

After completing summer research in the PULSE Lab through our NSF-Funded CSMR REU Program, Reese returned to complete his undergraduate studies at Mississippi State University. Reese is now his university’s only Goldwater Scholar in 2021 and his university’s 6th winner since 2012. Reese’s additional successes since departing from our program and winning the program’s 2nd Best Presentation Award include winning the 2nd place award in the Biological Sciences and Engineering category at his school’s Fall 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium and winning the Best Oral Presentation award in the STEM category at his state-wide Mississippi Honors Undergraduate Conference. Reese presented his summer research with us to secure these outstanding wins.

JHU Hub Story

Mississippi State University News (re: Goldwater)

Mississippi State University News (re: Undergraduate Research Symposium)

Peer-Reviewed Paper Accepted to ICRA

Congratulations to Mardava Gubbi! His paper, Deep Learning-Based Photoacoustic Visual Servoing: Using Outputs from Raw Sensor Data as Inputs to a Robot Controller, was accepted for presentation at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA),  Xi’an, China, May 30 – June 5, 2021. This peer-reviewed paper was also accepted for inclusion in the conference proceedings.

ICRA is the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society’s flagship conference and the premier international forum for robotics researchers to present and discuss their work.

Congrats again on this significant achievement, recognition, and milestone, Mardava!

Welcome to Lingyi Zhao

The PULSE Lab welcomes postdoc Lingyi Zhao. Lingyi received a PhD from the Georgia Tech/Emory/Peking University joint Ph.D. program in Biomedical Engineering. Prior to that, she received a B.S. degree in Physics with a minor in Acoustics from Nanjing University in Nanjing, China. Welcome Lingyi!

Early Career Achievement Award Celebration, Invited Talk, and Five PULSE Lab Abstracts Accepted to SPIE Photonics West 2021

Five PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted to SPIE Photonics West. This conference is taking place virtually, March 6-11, 2021.

  1. Graham M, Creighton F, Bell MAL, Validation of eyelids as acoustic receiver locations for photoacoustic-guided neurosurgery, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, March 6-11, 2021
  2. Wiacek A, Wang KC, Wu H, Bell MAL, Parking sensor-inspired approach to photoacoustic-guided hysterectomy demonstrated with human cadavers, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, March 6-11, 2021
  3. Kempski KM, Graham MT, Wiacek A, Gubbi MR, Bell MAL, Generalized contrast-to-noise ratio as a metric of photoacoustic image quality, Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, March 6-11, 2021

This work spans two tracks within the SPIE Photonics West BiOS Conference:

In addition to these five PULSE Lab contributions:

  1. Prof. Bell was invited to present on the topic Photoacoustic vision for surgical guidance.
  2. Pof. Bell’s Early Career Achievement Award was celebrated in a live presentation by 2021 SPIE President David Andrews. The recording of this presentation will be available soon.

Prof. Bell Co-Authors Cell Commentary, Fund Black Scientists

Prof. Bell co-authored a publication in the scientific journal Cell with fellow colleagues at 15 institutions across the nation to shed light on NIH funding disparities. The publication is entitled Fund Black Scientists. All academics are encouraged to read it, digest the contents, and reflect on what we each want our role to be at this historic moment in time.

JHU Hub Story

University of Washington Newsroom

University of Michigan News

University of Florida News

Washington University in St. Louis News

Prof. Bell Wins SPIE Early Career Achievement Award

Congratulations to Prof. Bell, who was selected to receive the 2021 SPIE Early Career Achievement Award. This award recognizes excellence in academia, particularly with regard to significant and innovative technical contributions in the engineering or scientific fields of relevance to SPIE. The SPIE Awards Committee made this recommendation in recognition of Prof. Bell’s pioneering contributions to photoacoustic imaging for surgical guidance, including innovative technology designs, novel deep learning applications, informative spatial coherence beamforming theory, and visionary clinical possibilities.

Award Details

SPIE Announcement

ECE Announcement

HEMI Announcement

Malone Center Announcement

Journal Paper Accepted to IEEE T-BME

Congratulations to Eduardo González! His first-author journal paper entitled Combined ultrasound and photoacoustic image guidance of spinal pedicle cannulation demonstrated with intact ex vivo specimens was accepted to the journal IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

This paper presents the first known combined ultrasound and photoacoustic image guidance system with software capabilities that are optimized for pedicle cannulation in posterior spinal fusion surgery. We demonstrate that both amplitude- and coherence-based beamforming methods are mutually beneficial for this task. Specifically, coherence-based beamforming of ultrasound images improved the visualization of bone for ultrasound-to-CT registration, while coherence-based beamforming of photoacoustic images improved target localization, which is important for tracking tool tips during pedicle hole creation. As shown in the figure, amplitude-based photoacoustic beamforming differentiated signals associated with an optical fiber place inside a pedicle hole (which is ideal for screw placement) from signals associated with an optical fiber touching cortical bone (which is characteristic of an impending bone breach that needs to be avoided). This proposed combination of imaging modalities and beamforming methods is promising to assist surgeons with identifying and avoiding accidental bone breaches during spinal fusion surgeries.

These new findings nicely complement our previous findings demonstrating that photoacoustic-based differentiation is possible prior to the creation of any holes, which is advantageous for correctly determining an appropriate starting point for hole creation. Together, these findings represent a complete system that can be used prior to and during pedicle hole creation for spinal fusion surgeries.

Citation: González E, Jain A, Bell MAL, Combined ultrasound and photoacoustic image guidance of spinal pedicle cannulation demonstrated with intact ex vivo specimens, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (accepted December 17, 2020) [pdf]

Welcome to Serene Kamal & Joshua Krachman

The PULSE Lab welcomes Serene Kamal and Joshua Krachman.

Serene received the B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.  She will be matriculating as a PhD student in the ECE Department.

Joshua is B.S./M.S.E. student in the BME Department, completing his final year of the 3+1 Dual Degree Program. He will be completing master’s level research as a member of the PULSE Lab.
Welcome Serene and Josh!

Prof. Bell Wins NSF Smart & Connected Health Award

Prof. Bell was awarded $1M from the NSF to advance cardiac procedures with the broader goal of replacing fluoroscopy one day. The objective of this award is to apply theoretical spatial coherence models and experimental optical analyses to understand the limits of a novel, integrated robotic-photoacoustic imaging system for guiding cardiac surgeries and interventions. This work will be completed in collaboration with Jonathan Chrispin, MD at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

More details on the basic principles of the proposed approach are available in our initial journal publication on this topic:

  • Graham M, Assis F, Allman D, Wiacek A, González E, Gubbi M, Dong J, Hou H, Beck S, Chrispin J, Bell MAL, In vivo demonstration of photoacoustic image guidance and robotic visual servoing for cardiac catheter-based interventions, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, 39(4):1015-1029, 2020 [pdf]

This work has also been featured in the following articles and press releases:

We additionally have a pending patent for these ideas.

NSF Award Announcement

ECE Department Announcement

Alycen and Kelley Receive MICCAI Student Participation Award


Alycen Wiacek and Kelley Kemspki were selected to receive the MICCAI Student Participation Award! The MICCAI Society provided 50 of these awards non-author student member registrations to support online participation from diverse members of the global scientific community, considering the virtual nature of the MICCAI 2020 conference this year. The award selection committee included representation from the MICCAI Student Board, the MICCAI Society Diversity Working Group, Women in MICCAI, and the MICCAI 2020 Conference Organization. This selection committee was chaired by the MICCAI awards coordinator. Congrats to Alycen and Kelley on their selection!

Invited Perspective Published in Journal of Applied Physics

Prof. Bell shares her thoughts on Photoacoustic imaging for surgical guidance: Principles, applications, and outlook in an invited Perspective that was recently published in the Journal of Applied Physics. According to the journal’s website: Perspective articles are written to present an expert viewpoint on topics currently generating a lot of interest in the research community. While perspectives generally provide a brief overview of the topic, their main purpose is to provide a forward looking view on where progress in a particular research area is heading. 

Citation: Bell MAL, Photoacoustic imaging for surgical guidance: Principles, applications, and outlook, Journal of Applied Physics, 128(6):060904, 2020 [pdf]

Journal Paper Published in Biomedical Optics Express

Congratulations to Kelley Kempski! Her first-author journal paper entitled Application of the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio to assess photoacoustic image quality was published in Biomedical Optics Express.

This paper investigates a newly developed, probability-based, generalized contrast-to-noise (gCNR) when applied to photoacoustic images. More traditional metrics experience large variations when a target is fully detectable with additional increases bearing no impact on photoacoustic target detectability. In addition, gCNR is robust to changes in traditional metrics introduced by applying a minimum threshold to image amplitudes. Therefore, gCNR has promising potential to provide additional insight, particularly when designing new beamformers and image formation techniques and when reporting quantitative performance without an opportunity to qualitatively assess corresponding images (e.g., in text-only abstracts). We recommend gCNR as a new standard for assessment of novel photoacoustic beamforming and image formation techniques.

Citation: Kempski KM, Graham MT, Gubbi MR, Palmer T, Bell MAL, Application of the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio to assess photoacoustic image quality, Biomedical Optics Express, 11(7), 3684-3698, 2020 [pdf]

Paper Published in Journal of Biomedical Optics

Congratulations to Eduardo González! His first-author journal paper entitled GPU implementation of photoacoustic short-lag spatial coherence imaging for improved image-guided interventions was accepted to Journal of Biomedical Optics.

This paper introduces the first known real-time implementation of short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) beamforming for photoacoustic imaging and applies this real-time algorithm to improve signal segmentation during photoacoustic-based visual servoing with low-energy lasers. Results are promising for the use of low-energy, miniaturized lasers to perform GPU-SLSC photoacoustic-based visual servoing in the operating room with laser pulse repetition frequencies as high as 41.2 Hz.

Citation: González E, Bell MAL, GPU implementation of photoacoustic short-lag spatial coherence imaging for improved image-guided interventions, Journal of BiomedicalOptics, 25(7):077002, 2020 [pdf]

Eight Abstracts Accepted to IEEE IUS 2020 and Invited Talk by Prof. Bell

The following PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted for presentation during the 2020 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) to be held on September 6-11, 2020 online (due to COVID-19).

  1. Theory-Based Predictions of Generalized Contrast-to-Noise Ratios for Photoacoustic Images to be presented by Mardava Gubbi in the session entitled Technical Advances in Photoacoustic Imaging on Tuesday, September 8, 11:30 – 1:30 PM (PDT), 2:30 – 4:30 PM (EDT)
  2. Multi-task learning for ultrasound image formation and segmentation directly from raw in vivo data to be presented by Kelley Kempski in the session entitled Segmentation & Registration on Wednesday, September 9, 4:15 – 6:15 AM (PDT), 7:15 – 9:15 AM (EDT)
  3. Dual-Wavelength Photoacoustic-Guided Hysterectomy Demonstration with a Human Cadaver to be presented by Alycen Wiacek in the session entitled Photoacoustic Ultrasound Frequency Analysis & Image Guided Interventions on Wednesday, September 9, 4:15 – 6:15 AM (PDT), 7:15 – 9:15 AM (EDT)
  4. Experimental Cadaver Investigation of Ocular Receiver Location for Photoacoustic Imaging of Intracranial Blood Vessels  to be presented by Michelle Graham in the session entitled Photoacoustic Ultrasound Frequency Analysis & Image Guided Interventions on Wednesday, September 9, 4:15 – 6:15 AM (PDT), 7:15 – 9:15 AM (EDT)
  5. Acoustic Frequency-Based Multispectral Differentiation of Photoacoustic Signals from Surgical Biomarkers to be presented by Eduardo González in the session entitled Photoacoustic Ultrasound Frequency Analysis & Image Guided Interventions on Wednesday, September 9, 4:15 – 6:15 AM (PDT), 7:15 – 9:15 AM (EDT)
  6. Coherence-Based Beamforming Improves the Diagnostic Certainty of Breast Ultrasound Exams to be presented by Alycen Wiacek in the session entitled Machine Learning Approaches & Applications on Thursday, September 10, 7:45 AM (PDT), 10:45 AM (EDT)

Congrats to Alycen, Eduardo, Michelle, Kelley, and Mardava!

Prof. Bell also collaborated with colleagues on the following work that will be presented at IEEE IUS 2020:

  • Enhancing the Detectability of Highly Coherent Targets in Short-Lag Spatial Coherence Images with Multi-Line Transmission by Giulia Matrone[3}, Muyinatu Lediju Bell{1}, Alessandro Ramalli{2}
    {1}Johns Hopkins University, United States; {2}University of Florence, Italy; {3}University of Pavia, Italy to be presented in the session entitled Enhancing Images Through Novel Beamforming II on Thursday, September 10, 4:15 – 6:15 AM (PDT), 7:15 – 9:15 AM (EDT)
  • Challenge on Ultrasound Beamforming with Deep Learning (CUBDL) by Muyinatu Bell{2}, Jiaqi Huang{2}, Dongwoon Hyun{3}, Yonina Eldar{4}, Ruud van Sloun{1}, Massimo Mischi{1}
    {1}Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands; {2}Johns Hopkins University, United States; {3}Stanford University, United States; {4}Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel to be presented in the session entitled Deep Learning in Beamforming on Thursday, September 10, 4:15 – 6:15 AM (PDT), 7:15 – 9:15 AM (EDT)
  • CUBDL Live Session (winner announcement) on Friday, September 11, 9:45 – 10:15 AM (PDT), 12:45 – 1:15 PM (EDT)

In addition to the above presentations, Prof. Bell will give an invited lecture on the topic:

  • Photoacoustic Vision for Surgical Guidance in the Advanced Imaging Technologies and Techniques Special Session on Wednesday, September 9, 6:30 – 8:00 AM (PDT), 9:30 AM – noon (EDT) [full list of invited speakers]

Symposium website: https://2020.ieee-ius.org

Prof. Bell Presents JBO Webinar on Photoacoustic Imaging

JBO webinars were created after the world switched to virtual activities. They help to keep us connected, featuring talks and discussions about some of the hottest technologies in biomedical optics. Brian Pogue, MacLean Professor of Engineering at Dartmouth and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Biomedical Optics is the host of this webinar series, with luminaries Lihong Wang and Paul Beard as the moderators for the invited session featuring Dr. Bell.

A replay of this webinar on Photoacoustic Imaging: The Next Generation includes Dr. Bell’s invited presentation on Photoacoustic imaging for Surgical and Interventional Guidance. Dr. Bell’s presentation starts at the 40 min mark (although viewing of all presentations is encouraged to gain a broader perspective of the current state of the field).

SPIE Newsroom Announcement

Journal Paper Accepted to Photoacoustics

Congratulations to Michelle Graham! Her first-author journal paper entitled Simulations and human cadaver head studies to identify optimal acoustic receiver locations for minimally invasive photoacoustic-guided neurosurgery was accepted to the journal Photoacoustics.

This paper presents simulation and experimental studies performed with both an intact human skull (which was cleaned from tissue attachments) and a complete human cadaver head (with contents and surrounding tissue intact) to investigate optimal locations for ultrasound probe placement during photoacoustic-guided surgeries of the skull base. The combined simulation and experimental results newly introduce the eye as a suitable acoustic window for surgical guidance. We also demonstrate a light delivery design that is suitable for patient use. Results are generally promising toward identifying, quantifying, and overcoming major system design barriers for progression to future patient testing.

Citation: Graham MT, Huang J, Creighton FX, Bell MAL, Simulations and human cadaver head studies to identify optimal acoustic receiver locations for minimally invasive photoacoustic-guided neurosurgery, Photoacoustics, 19:100183, 2020 [pdf]

Journal Paper Accepted to IEEE T-UFFC

Congratulations to Michelle Graham! Her first-author journal paper entitled Photoacoustic Spatial Coherence Theory and Applications to Coherence-Based Image Contrast and Resolution was accepted to the journal IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control.

This paper presents the first known theoretical derivation for photoacoustic spatial coherence functions, demonstrating excellent agreement with experimental results, particularly in the short spatial lag region, which is represented as a percentage of the receive aperture (click on the .gif to see for yourself). The coherence functions theory can be described by relating the van Cittert Zernike theorem to photoacoustics. We achieved the associated incoherent source requirement by modeling a photoacoustic target as a collection of spatially incoherent absorbers. This theory was then used to hypothesize and test previously unexplored principles for optimizing photoacoustic short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) images, including the influence of the incident light profile on photoacoustic spatial coherence functions and associated SLSC image contrast and resolution.

Citation: Graham MT, Bell MAL, Photoacoustic Spatial Coherence Theory and Applications to Coherence-Based Image Contrast and Resolution, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control (accepted May 26, 2020) [pdf]

PULSE Lab REU Student Wins 2nd Place Presentation Award

Congrats to Reese Dunne! He was our summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) student who conducted the first ever virtual summer research project with us. His research topic was centered on a comparison of compressional and elastic wave simulations for presurgical planning of photoacoustic guided neurosurgery, building on recently published paper from the PULSE Lab. His outstanding work earned him a second place presentation award at the 2020 Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics (CSMR) REU Final Presentations Award Ceremony. He joins a long list of PULSE Lab REU students to win this award.

Special thanks to Reese’s graduate student mentor, Michelle Graham.

Prof. Bell Presents Keynote Lecture at King’s College London

Prof. Bell was invited to give a keynote presentation at the annual King’s College London School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS) Postgraduate Research (PGR) Symposium. Her presentation was delivered via Microsoft Teams on the topic “Photoacoustic Imaging for Surgical and Interventional Guidance,” which included a discussion of her career path. After this presentation, she received a thoughtful appreciation award for her participation:

King’s College London News

Welcome to Our Summer Research Students

The PULSE Lab welcomes two students who will be working with us this summer:

Reese Dunn

  • Mississippi State University
  • Mechanical Engineering major
  • NSF REU in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics

Zehua (Eric) Li

  • Johns Hopkins University
  • M.S.E. student, Electrical and Computer Engineering

These students will be working with us for 10 weeks or more on various projects in the areas of ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging. Projects will be completed remotely in light of our current ban on in-person laboratory research due to COVID-19. Welcome Reese and Zehua!

Journal Paper Accepted to IEEE T-UFFC

Congratulations to Arun Nair! His first-author journal paper entitled Deep learning to obtain simultaneous ultrasound image and segmentation outputs from a single input of raw channel data was accepted to IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control. The paper will appear in the journal’s special issue on Deep Learning in Medical Ultrasound – from image formation to image analysis.

This paper explores the use of deep neural network (DNNs) as alternatives to delay-and-sum beamforming. The DNNs learned information directly from raw channel data to simultaneously generate both a segmentation map for automated ultrasound tasks and a corresponding ultrasound B-mode image for interpretable supervision of the automation. Although the focus was visualization and segmentation of anechoic targets surrounded by tissue, the concept can be adapted to any specific task of interest. Overall, the DNNs successfully translated feature representations learned from simulated data to phantom and in vivo data, which is promising for this novel approach to simultaneous ultrasound image formation and segmentation.

Citation: Nair AA, Washington K, Tran T, Reiter A, Bell MAL, Deep learning to obtain simultaneous ultrasound image and segmentation outputs from a single input of raw channel data, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control (accepted May 6, 2020) [pdf]

Journal Paper Accepted to IEEE T-UFFC

Congratulations to Alycen Wiacek! Her first-author journal paper entitled CohereNet: A Deep Learning Architecture for Ultrasound Spatial Correlation Estimation and Coherence-Based Beamforming was accepted to IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control. The paper will appear in the journal’s special issue on Deep Learning in Medical Ultrasound – from image formation to image analysis.

This paper presents details of a novel deep neural network (DNN) architecture, named CohereNet, that was trained to estimate spatial correlation functions. The DNN-estimated correlation functions were then used to create short-lag spatial coherence ultrasound images at a faster rate than a CPU approach and with more accuracy than a GPU approach. Results were generalizable across multiple phantoms, in vivo datasets, ultrasound transducers, and ultrasound system manufacturers not included during training. CohereNet has additional potential benefits in low-power DNN-based FPGA implementations of coherence-based beamforming for miniaturized ultrasound imaging systems. In addition, CohereNet has potential utility in other areas of ultrasound imaging that require fundamental cross-correlation calculations, including elastography, speckle tracking, sound speed correction, and other advanced beamforming algorithms, such as minimum variance beamforming.

Citation: A. Wiacek, E. González and M. A. L. Bell, “CohereNet: A Deep Learning Architecture for Ultrasound Spatial Correlation Estimation and Coherence-Based Beamforming,” IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, accepted March 20, 2020 [pdf]

Welcome to Manish Bhatt

The PULSE Lab welcomes postdoc Manish Bhatt. Manish received a PhD from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and a B.Tech from National Institute of Technology. Welcome Manish!

Journal Paper Accepted to Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology

Congratulations to Alycen Wiacek! Her first-author journal paper entitled Coherence-based beamforming increases the diagnostic certainty of distinguishing fluid from solid masses in breast ultrasound exams was accepted to Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. A major highlight of this paper is the inclusion of a task-based user study to determine the ability of coherence-based beamforming, specifically robust short-lag spatial coherence (R-SLSC) imaging, to assess breast mass content and ultimately impact clinical care.

The information from R-SLSC images reduced the uncertainty of fluid mass content from 47.5% to 15.8%, and the number of fluid-filled masses recommended for biopsy was reduced from 43.3% to 13.3%. This work is the first to investigate coherence-based beamforming in breast ultrasound to inform clinical decision making, highlighting the potential of this novel technique to improve diagnostic certainty and to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies of of fluid-filled breast masses.

Citation: A Wiacek, E Oluyemi, K Myers, L Mulen, MAL Bell, Coherence-based beamforming increases the diagnostic certainty of distinguishing fluid from solid masses in breast ultrasound exams, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, accepted January 20, 2020 [pdf]

SPIE Photonics West Recap

The PULSE Lab recently returned from SPIE Photonics West 2020, after enjoying multiple opportunities for exposure throughout various aspects of this grand annual event with 23,000+ attendees. First, Professor Bell was invited to give a Hot Topics presentation during the conference Plenary session. She was selected as the inaugural Journal of Biomedical Optics speaker for having the most impactful paper in 2019.

We are live at the 2020 #SPIEBiOS Hot Topics with Muyinatu Lediju Bell (Johns Hopkins University)! Watch her tech talk on photoacoustic imaging assistants for minimally invasive surgeries, sponsored by the Journal of Biomedical Optics.

Posted by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics on Saturday, February 1, 2020

Three PULSE Lab students additionally presented aspects of their work on this hot topic.

Michelle Graham presented “Photoacoustic image guidance and robotic visual servoing to mitigate fluoroscopy during cardiac catheter interventions”

Alycen Wiacek presented “Dual-wavelength photoacoustic imaging for guidance of hysterectomy procedures”

Eduardo Gonzalez presented “A GPU approach to real-time coherence-based photoacoustic imaging and its application to photoacoustic visual servoing”

In addition to these four technical presentations, PULSE Lab members who were involved in the first known in vivo demonstration of photoacoustic image guidance for abdominal surgeries were featured in the Show Daily Weekend Edition (see pg. 3).

SPIE Event Highlights

Optics Show Daily

ECE Department Announcement

LaserFocusWorld Announcement (see first paragraph & “Hot Topics and Other Plenaries” section)

SPIE Newsroom

Prof. Bell Wins Inaugural IEEE UFFC Star Ambassador Lectureship Award

Congratulations to Prof. Bell for being selected to receive the inaugural IEEE UFFC Star Ambassador Lectureship Award! This award from the IEEE Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society is intended to support early career professionals with the delivery of technical talks highlighting their research.  Up to $2,500 of support is provided to create new contacts and promote new collaborations with colleagues and students at academic institutions, national laboratories and local industry.

HEMI Announcement

Hot Topics Plenary Talk by Prof. Bell & Three PULSE Lab Abstracts Accepted to SPIE Photonics West 2020

Three PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted to SPIE Photonics West. This conference will take place February 1-6, 2019 at the The Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

  1. A GPU approach to real-time coherence-based photoacoustic imaging and its application to photoacoustic visual servoing
    Eduardo Gonzalez, Mardava Gubbi, Muyinatu Bell
    4 February 2020 • 6:00 – 8:00 PM
  2. Dual-wavelength photoacoustic approach to guide hysterectomies
    Alycen Wiacek, Karen C. Wang, Muyinatu Bell
    4 February 2020 • 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM
  3. Photoacoustic image guidance and robotic visual servoing to mitigate fluoroscopy during cardiac catheter interventions
    Michelle Graham, Fabrizio Assis, Derek Allman, Alycen Wiacek, Eduardo Gonzalez, Mardava Gubbi, Huayu Hou, Jinxin Dong, Sarah Beck, Jonathan Chrispin, Muyinatu Bell
    4 February 2020 • 12:00 – 12:20 PM

This work spans two tracks within the SPIE Photonics West BiOS Conference:

In addition to these three PULSE Lab contributions, Prof. Bell was invited to present her research during the BiOS Hot Topics Plenary Event on Saturday, February 1, 2020.

8:15 PM – 8:25 PM
Photoacoustic Imaging Assistants for Minimally Invasive Surgeries and Procedures

LaserFocusWorld Announcement (see first paragraph & “Hot Topics and Other Plenaries” section)

ECE Department Announcement

Show Daily Weekend Edition

Prof. Bell Elevated to Senior Member of IEEE

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional society and serves professionals involved in all aspects of the electrical, electronic, and computing fields and related areas of science and technology. Congratulations to Prof. Muyinatu Bell, who was elevated to the grade of IEEE Senior Member this year, an honor that is only bestowed on those who have made significant contributions to the profession. 

IEEE Senior Members are eligible to hold executive IEEE volunteer positions, can serve as a reference for other applicants for Senior Membership, and are invited to participate on the panel to review Senior Member applications.

The full IEEE criteria for elevating members to the Senior Member grade includes ten years of professional experience, five years of significant performance, and three references from current IEEE members holding Senior Member, Fellow, or Honorary Member grades. 

 

ECE Department Announcement

IEEE RAS Newsletter Announcement

IEEE IUS 2019 Recap

The PULSE Lab recently returned from an inspiring and memorable 2019 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), which took place in Glasgow, Scotland this year.

The following highlights from our trip include a series of oral and poster presentations, contributions to a panel discussion with legendary photoacoustic experts, and a wonderful dose of Scottish cultural immersion during the Gala Dinner at Merchant Square:

  • Alycen Wiacek presented “CohereNet: A Deep Learning Approach to Coherence-Based Beamforming”
  • Arun Nair presented “One-Step Deep Learning Approach to Ultrasound Image Formation and Image Segmentation with a Fully Convolutional Neural Network”
  • Eduardo González presented “GPU Implementation of Coherence-Based Photoacoustic Beamforming for Autonomous Visual Servoing” 
  • Michelle Graham presented “Simulations and experimental assessment of optimal receiver locations for Photoacoustic image guidance during minimally invasive neurosurgeries”
  • Prof. Bell contributed her perspectives on surgery and deep learning applications for photoacoustic imaging in a one-of-a-kind panel discussion with an international swath of photoacoustic pioneers, including Paul Beard from University College London, Lihong Wang from California Institute of Technology, Stanislav Emelianov from Georgia Institute of Technology, and Matthew O’Donnell from University of Washington. The discussion was moderated by Michael Kolios from Ryerson University

Thanks to Kelsey Kubick from Georgia Institute of Technology and Eno Hysi from Ryerson University for providing pictures of the panel discussion!

Journal Paper Accepted to IEEE TMI

A large collaborative effort between PULSE Lab members and collaborators at the School of Medicine culminated with a journal paper that was recently accepted to IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.  The paper is entitled, In vivo demonstration of photoacoustic image guidance and robotic visual servoing for cardiac catheter-based interventions.

This work is the first known in vivo demonstration of any type of cardiac photoacoustic application, including an in vivo example that pairs robotic assistance with photoacoustic image guidance to find and constantly visualize cardiac catheter tips. We also show the first known photoacoustic images of cardiac catheter tips within an in vivo heart. These catheter tips were visualized at depths as large as 9 cm from the chest wall with photoacoustic imaging in cases where ultrasound imaging failed (due to the similar echogenicity of catheter tips and nearby cardiac tissue). Results show promise toward reducing the use of fluoroscopy during cardiac catheter-based interventions, which is desirable because fluoroscopy exposes both patients and operators to harmful ionizing radiation.

Citation: Graham M, Assis F, Allman D, Wiacek A, González E, Gubbi M, Dong J, Hou H, Beck S, Chrispin J, Bell MAL, In vivo demonstration of photoacoustic image guidance and robotic visual servoing for cardiac catheter-based interventions, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging (accepted) [pdf]

REU Abstract Accepted to BMES

Congratulations to Kendra Washington, our summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) student and Leadership Alliance Scholar from Georgia Institute of Technology. Her first-author abstract to the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) meeting was accepted as as part of the Undergraduate Research & Design track. She will present in the Biomedical Imaging and Instrumentation session.

Title:
Effect of Raw Ultrasound Data Downsampling on Small Cyst Segmentation with Deep Neural Networks
Authors:
Kendra Washington, Arun Nair, Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell

https://www.bmes.org/program_agenda

Eduardo González Receives Student Travel Award to IEEE IUS 2019

PULSE Lab grad student Eduardo González was selected by the IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium Organization Committee to receive a Student Travel Award to attend the 2019 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium taking place October 6-9, 2019 at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Scotland. Eduardo will give an oral presentation on his work entitled GPU implementation of coherence-based photoacoustic beamforming for autonomous visual servoing of a needle tip. Congratulations Eduardo!

Paper Accepted to Journal of Biomedical Optics

Congratulations to Kelley Kempski! Her first author paper entitled, In vivo photoacoustic imaging of major blood vessels in the pancreas and liver during surgery, was accepted to the Journal of Biomedical Optics. This work is the first to demonstrate in vivo blood vessel visualization with possible applications to a range of photoacoustic-guided pancreatic and liver surgeries.

Special thanks to Alycen Wiacek, who mentored Kelley on this project in her role as Kelley’s graduate student mentor through the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics (CSMR) summer program. This program was recently renewed with 3 more years of funding support from the National Science Foundation.

Citation: Kempski K, Wiacek A, Graham M, González E, Goodson B, Allman D, Palmer J, Hou H, Beck S, He J, Bell MAL, In vivo photoacoustic imaging of major blood vessels in the pancreas and liver during surgery, Journal of Biomedical Optics, 24(12):121905, 2019 [pdf]

Related News:

Kelley Kempski Wins Best Presentation Award

SPIE Photonics West 2019 Recap

Kelley Kempski Wins NSF GRFP Fellowship

The Research Experience for Undergraduates in Computational Sensing and Medical Robotics program receives a three-year grant from NSF

Prof. Bell Invited to Speak at AAPM in San Antonio, TX

Prof. Muyinatu Bell will present an invited talk on in the Advanced Ultrasound Imaging in Clinical Applications session at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) annual meeting in San Antonio, TX, July 14-18, 2019. The title of her talk is Novel Ultrasound Imaging Methods to Distinguish Cancer and Improve Surgery. A recording of this talk will be available after the conference.

Prof. Bell to Deliver Keynote Presentation at Medical Imaging with Deep Learning Conference in London, UK

Prof. Muyinatu Bell will travel to London, UK to deliver a keynote presentation at the International Conference on Medical Imaging with Deep Learning, taking place July 8-10, 2019 at Imperial College’s South Kensington Campus. Her talk, entitled Ultrasound Image Formation in the Deep Learning Age, will take place on Day 2 of the conference (Tuesday, July 9) and will be live streamed on YouTube.

Four Abstracts Accepted to IEEE IUS 2019

Four PULSE Lab abstracts were accepted for presentation during the 2019 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) to be held on October 6-9, 2019, at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Scotland.

  1. CohereNet: A deep learning approach to coherence-based beamforming to be presented by Alycen Wiacek in the session entitled Deep Learning Beamformers on Monday, October 7, 4:00-4:15pm
  2. GPU implementation of coherence-based photoacoustic beamforming for autonomous visual servoing of a needle tip to be presented by Eduardo Gonzalez in the session entitled Hardware Acceleration on Monday October 7, 11:00-11:15am
  3. Simulation and experimental assessment of optimal receiver locations for photoacoustic image guidance during minimally invasive neurosurgeries  to be presented by Michelle Graham in the session entitled Machine Learning and Image Reconstruction Approaches in Photoacoustics on Monday, October 7, 9:30am-4:00pm
  4. One-Step Deep Learning Approach to Ultrasound Image Formation and Image Segmentation with a Generative Adversarial Network to be presented by Arun Nair in the session entitled Image Fusion and Registration on Tuesday, October 8, 9:30am-4:00pm

Congrats to Alycen, Eduardo, Michelle, and Arun!

Symposium website: https://attend.ieee.org/ius-2019/

Welcome to Our Summer Research Students

The PULSE Lab welcomes two undergraduate students and one BME Master’s degree student who will be working with us this summer:

Kendra Washington

  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Biomedical Engineering major with a minor in Computer Science
  • Leadership Alliance Scholar

Jessica Su

  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Biomedical Engineering major
  • NSF-funded REU student

Jiaqi (Justina) Huang

  • Johns Hopkins University
  • M.S.E. student, Biomedical Engineering

Each student will be working with us for 10 weeks or more on various projects in the areas of ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging. Welcome Kendra, Jessica, and Justina!