arXiv subjects

Yousuf Aborahama

Publications and source records attributed to Yousuf Aborahama.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Physics-Aware Neural Operators for Direct Inversion in 3D Photoacoustic Tomography

Learning physics-constrained inverse operators-rather than post-processing physics-based reconstructions-is a broadly applicable strategy for problems with expensive forward models. We demonstrate this principle in three-dimensional photoacoustic computed tomography (3D PACT), where current systems demand dense transducer arrays and prolonged scans, restricting clinical translation. We introduce PANO (PACT imaging neural operator), an end-to-end physics-aware neural operator-a deep learning architecture that generalizes across input sampling densities without retraining-that directly learns the inverse mapping from raw sensor measurements to a 3D volumetric image. Unlike two-step methods that reconstruct then denoise, PANO performs direct inversion in a single pass, jointly embedding physics and data priors. It employs spherical discrete-continuous convolutions to respect hemispherical sensor geometry and Helmholtz equation constraints to ensure physical consistency. PANO reconstructs high-quality images from both simulated and real data across diverse sparse acquisition settings, achieves real-time inference and outperforms the widely-used UBP algorithm by approximately 33 percentage points in cosine similarity on simulated data and 14 percentage points on real phantom data. These results establish a pathway toward more accessible 3D PACT systems for preclinical research, and motivate future in-vivo validation for clinical translation.

eess.IV↗

arXiv2025

Whole Cross-Sectional Human Ultrasound Tomography

Ultrasonography is a vital component of modern clinical care, with handheld probes routinely used for diagnostic imaging and procedural guidance. However, handheld ultrasound imaging is limited by factors such as the partial-cross-sectional field of view, operator dependency, contact-induced distortion, and lack of transmission contrast. Here, we demonstrate a new system enabling whole cross-sectional ultrasound tomography of humans in reflection and transmission modes. We generate 2D images of the entire in vivo human cross-section with uniform in-plane resolution using a custom 512-element circular ultrasound receiver array and a rotating ultrasonic transmitter. We demonstrate this technique in regions such as the abdomen and legs in healthy volunteers. To address unmet clinical needs, we explore two key applications. First, we readily observe abdominal adipose distributions in our images, enabling adipose thickness assessment over the body without ionizing radiation or mechanical deformation. Second, we demonstrate an approach for video-rate (30 frame-per-second) biopsy needle localization with respect to internal tissue features. These capabilities make whole cross-sectional ultrasound tomography a potential practical tool for clinical needs not currently met by other modalities.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2025

De-aberration for transcranial photoacoustic computed tomography through an adult human skull

Noninvasive transcranial photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) of the human brain, despite its clinical potential as a complementary technology to functional MRI, remains impeded by the acoustic distortion induced by the human skull. The distortion, which is attributed to the markedly different material properties of the skull relative to soft tissue, results in heavily aberrated PACT images -- a problem that has remained unsolved for the past two decades. Herein, we report the first successful experimental demonstration of the de-aberration of PACT images through an ex-vivo adult human skull using a homogeneous elastic model for the skull. Using only the geometry, position, and orientation of the skull, we faithfully de-aberrate the PACT images of light-absorbing phantoms acquired through an ex-vivo human skull for different levels of phantom complexity and positions. We also demonstrate the generality of our results by attaining a similar extent of de-aberration through a second ex-vivo human skull. Our work addresses the longstanding challenge of skull-induced aberrations in transcranial PACT and advances the field towards unlocking the full potential of transcranial human brain PACT.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2023

Single-shot 3D photoacoustic computed tomography with a densely packed array for transcranial functional imaging

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is emerging as a new technique for functional brain imaging, primarily due to its capabilities in label-free hemodynamic imaging. Despite its potential, the transcranial application of PACT has encountered hurdles, such as acoustic attenuations and distortions by the skull and limited light penetration through the skull. To overcome these challenges, we have engineered a PACT system that features a densely packed hemispherical ultrasonic transducer array with 3072 channels, operating at a central frequency of 1 MHz. This system allows for single-shot 3D imaging at a rate equal to the laser repetition rate, such as 20 Hz. We have achieved a single-shot light penetration depth of approximately 9 cm in chicken breast tissue utilizing a 750 nm laser (withstanding 3295-fold light attenuation and still retaining an SNR of 74) and successfully performed transcranial imaging through an ex vivo human skull using a 1064 nm laser. Moreover, we have proven the capacity of our system to perform single-shot 3D PACT imaging in both tissue phantoms and human subjects. These results suggest that our PACT system is poised to unlock potential for real-time, in vivo transcranial functional imaging in humans.

physics.med-ph↗