The Effect of Uncertainties in Skin Layers on Photoacoustic Imaging of Skin Cancer

Abstract

Photoacoustic imaging has started to be used as a new modality for imaging cancerous tissues in layered skin tissue consisting of epidermis, dermis and hypodermis layers. In the imaging algorithms used in photoacoustic imaging, the layered environment Green function is calculated by assuming that the thickness of each layer is known and imaging is performed. However, the value of these layer thicknesses varies from person to person and it is not possible to know the actual values during imaging. In this study, what kind of errors in the estimation of skin layer thicknesses will lead to the errors in photoacoustic imaging is investigated by using Back-projection imaging algorithm. For this purpose, the error rates at the site of cancerous tissue were determined due to changes in layer thicknesses in layer structures with different acoustic properties.