How does skin tone affect quantitative photoacoustic imaging?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating the effects of skin tone on quantitative photoacoustic imaging
IRAS ID
307166
Contact name
Sarah Bohndiek
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging method which combines light and ultrasound to assess the blood content and oxygenation of the body. Light is absorbed by the blood, leading to the generation of ultrasound, from which the levels of oxygen can be derived. This high sensitivity to blood has seen it applied in multiple clinical trials for the assessment of a number of conditions including breast cancer assessment. However, the accuracy of the measurements and image quality is known to decrease as you look deeper into the body because light intensity decreases. Melanin in the skin is known to absorb light very strongly and so there is considerable concern that this may bias measurements made in people with darker skin tones compared to those with lighter skin tones. In this pilot study, we intend to recruit volunteers with a wide range of skin tones and vitiligo. We will scan a number of blood vessels and muscles using PAI and evaluate the photoacoustic measurements of blood content and oxygenation to identify, and ultimately correct for, biases in advance of further clinical studies.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0019
Date of REC Opinion
20 Feb 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion