Photoacoustic-Guided RF Ablation Monitoring

Introduce a novel approach utilizing spectroscopic photoacoustic (PA) imaging to map necrotic regions, with a specific focus on visualizing the extent of ablation-induced necrosis and its distribution within lesions. This real-time visual feedback pertaining to the growth of the ablation necrotic region is anticipated to mitigate the recurrence of abnormalities and reduce procedural complications by avoiding both incomplete and excessive ablation, respectively. Throughout the course of the project, the distinction in spectral characteristics between necrotic tissue and normal tissue was initially demonstrated. Subsequently, a novel algorithm was developed allowing necrotic tissue mapping based on spectroscopic PA imaging, enabling the monitoring of necrosis formation during the ablation procedure. Moreover, an innovative cardiac-gating algorithm based on PA imaging was developed to compensate for motion artifacts in the in vivo beating heart. Multiple miniaturized imaging devices were designed and outfitted to accommodate various applications of cardiac procedure. (Collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, Siemens Healthineers, The Texas Heart Institute, and The University of Texas at Austin)

Relative Publications

• Shang Gao, Yang Wang, Ryo Murakami, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Young-Ho Kim, Mohammad Mehrmohammadi, Henry R. Halperin, Haichong K, Zhang, “Miniaturized Side-Firing Intracardiac Photoacoustic Imaging Catheter for Monitoring Radiofrequency Ablation”, Scientific Reports, 15, 17427 (2025) [Link]

• Shang Gao, Haotian Liu, Allison Post, Lukas Jaworski, Drew Bernard, Mathews John, Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez, Mehdi Razavi, Haichong K. Zhang, “Enhancing Boundary Detection of Radiofrequency Ablation Lesions through Photoacoustic Mapping”, Scientific Reports,  [Link]

• Shang Gao, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Masahito Suzuki, Tommaso Mansi, Young-Ho Kim, Florin-Cristian Ghesu, Jeeun Kang, Emad M. Boctor, Henry R. Halperin, Haichong K. Zhang, “Cardiac-Gated Spectroscopic Photoacoustic Imaging for Ablation-Induced Necrotic Lesion Visualization”, Journal of Biophotonics 2024, e202400126., [Link]

• Shang Gao, Ryo Murakami, Haichong K. Zhang, "Photoacoustic frequency analysis of the ablation-induced necrosis lesion," Proc. SPIE 12842, Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing 2024, 128420V (12 March 2024) [Link] 

• Shang Gao, Allison Post, Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez, Mehdi Razavi, Haichong K. Zhang, "Photoacoustic Mapping of Cardiac Ablation at Three Myocardium Region", Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) 2023 Annual Meeting, Seattle, USA - accepted

• Shang Gao, Ryo Murakami, Yang Wang, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Young-Ho Kim, Mohammad Mehrmohammadi, Henry Halperin, Haichong K. Zhang, “Miniaturized Side-firing Intracardiac Photoacoustic Imaging Catheter”, IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) 2023, Montreal, Canada [accepted]

• Shang Gao, Ryo Murakami, Haichong K. Zhang, “Miniaturized Intracardiac Photoacoustic Imaging Catheter: Below 4 mm Diameter”, International Symposium on Ultrasonic Imaging and Tissue Characterization (UITC), 2023 [Link]

• Shang Gao*, Ashiqur Rahaman*, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Henry R. Halperin, Haichong K. Zhang, “Miniaturized Catheter-Integrated Photoacoustic Ablation Monitoring System: A Feasibility Study”, 2022 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), 2022, pp. 1-4 [Link]

• Shang Gao, H. Ashikaga, T. Mansi, H. R. Halperin and H. K. Zhang, "Photoacoustic Necrotic Region Mapping for Radiofrequency Ablation Guidance," 2021 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS), 2021, pp. 1-4 [Link]

• Shang Gao, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Masahito Suzuki, Tommaso Mansi, Young-Ho Kim, Florin-Cristian Ghesu, Jeeun Kang, Emad M. Boctor, Henry R. Halperin, Haichong K. Zhang, “In Vivo Demonstration of Cardiac-Gated Photoacoustic Ablation-Induced Necrotic Lesion Mapping”, 2022 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS) – Accepted

• Shang Gao, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Masahito Suzuki, Tommaso Mansi, Young-Ho Kim, Florin-Cristian Ghesu, Jeeun Kang, Emad M. Boctor, Henry R. Halperin, Haichong K. Zhang, "In Vivo Ablation-Induced Necrotic Lesion Mapping based on Cardiac-Gated Spectroscopic Photoacoustic Imaging",  International Symposium on Ultrasonic Imaging and Tissue Characterization (UITC), 2022 [Link]

• Shang Gao, Hiroshi Ashikaga, Tommaso Mansi, Henry R. Halperin, Haichong K. Zhang, " Feasibility of photoacoustic-based intraoperative necrotic region visualization for image-guided catheter RF ablation",  International Symposium on Ultrasonic Imaging and Tissue Characterization (UITC), 2021 [Link]