03/07/2024
By Danielle Fretwell

The Francis College of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, invites you to attend a Doctoral Dissertation Proposal defense by Rui Wu on: Optically Generated Ultrasound Fiber System for Biomedical Applications.

Candidate Name: Rui Wu
Degree: Doctoral
Defense Date: Tuesday, March, 19, 2024
Time: 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Perry Hall 215

Committee:

  • Advisor: Xingwei Wang, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, UMass Lowell
  • Xuejun Lu, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, UMass Lowell
  •  Hengyong Yu, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, UMass Lowell

Brief Abstract:

Fiber-generated ultrasound technologies have been widely used in medical and industrial areas. In spinal fusion surgeries, over 20% of the patients suffer from screw misplacement. The orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons performing spinal fusion surgery have an unmet need for a continuous real-time monitoring system. The intraoperative imaging system is desired to be non-ionizing, compact, affordable, and seamlessly integrated into the surgical workflow. In order to overcome these requirements, the fiber optic ultrasonic transducer has been studied for years to overcome challenges brought by the most advanced ultrasound applications. This dissertation proposal discusses a fiber-generated ultrasound probe system for biomedical guidance in spine surgeries. This system includes different structures of the fiber ultrasound generators and is combined with the screwdriver-shaped medical pathfinder. This system features a compact size, non-contact approach, immunity to electromagnetic interference, real-time response, and high precision. The proposal first discusses the characterization of the fiber tip ultrasound generator and further improves its performance by developing the structure of a ball-tip fiber ultra-sound generator. Then different sidewall fiber ultrasound generators including a side polished fiber ultrasound generator and a tapered fiber ultrasound generator are presented. Next, a study of in vitro tissue test is conducted, a slice of the T-bone pork chunk is used as the test sample. The test results demonstrated the capability of tissue differentiation based on the backscattering fiber-generated ultrasound signal. Finally, a classification algorithm for various tissues based on the fiber-generated ultrasound system is under development. The concluding chapter discusses the deliverables and plans.