Noncontact Laser Ultrasound (NCLUS) Path to Operational Medical System

MIT LL and CURT MGH are developing a novel laser system that acquires ultrasound (US) images from human tissue without patient contact. The system is termed, noncontact laser ultrasound (NCLUS). NCLUS employs a pulsed laser that converts optical energy to US waves at the skin surface via thermoelastic mechanisms. A laser Doppler vibrometer then measures emerging US waves from the tissue interior arriving at the skin surface. NCLUS has potential to advance medical US by overcoming limitations of a contact US probe. Due to its noncontact nature, NCLUS is intended to 1) mitigate operator variability, 2) provide a fixed reference for comparing repeat scans over time, 3) fully automate US image data acquisition, reducing the need for a sonographer, and 4) transmit US in any “array” locations desired. NCLUS can deliver a wide range of array compositions that yield great versatility in acoustic beam shaping and steering in tissue. NCLUS is designed with the goal for multiple applications: anatomical imaging, bone elastography, disease feature tracking, US acquisition through burned or traumatized tissue, neck injuries, open surgical regions, neonatal care, and so forth. We are currently transitioning the NCLUS development from a proof-of-concept system to a risk reduction prototype to determine if NCLUS has a path to meet the requirements of a clinically relevant system.