Advances in Photoacoustic Endoscopic Imaging Technology for Prostate Cancer Detection

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the application of photoacoustic endoscopy in the early detection of prostate cancer, providing a detailed exposition of the technology from both system and algorithm perspectives, offering future research directions and suggestions for the application of photoacoustic endoscopy in prostate cancer detection. The manuscript is well-structured and written, and can be accepted for publication after addressing the following questions.

 

1. The contents from Line 347 to 351 requires better organization and arrangement to ensure the content is coherent and easy to understand.

 

2. When introducing the photoacoustic endoscopic imaging algorithms, the following literature should be cited:

 

Lin, Y., Zheng, R., Zhang, X., Li, Z., & Li, H. Image enhancement of photoacoustic imaging for early endometrial cancer detection by employing a filtered delay multiply and sum beamforming algorithm. AIP Advances,  (2019), 9(12).

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Please review your English thoroughly.

Author Response

Reviewer #1:

The authors have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the application of photoacoustic endoscopy in the early detection of prostate cancer, providing a detailed exposition of the technology from both system and algorithm perspectives, offering future research directions and suggestions for the application of photoacoustic endoscopy in prostate cancer detection. The manuscript is well-structured and written, and can be accepted for publication after addressing the following questions.

We thank the reviewer for the comments and good suggestions.

1. The contents from Line 347 to 351 requires better organization and arrangement to ensure the content is coherent and easy to understand.

We thank the reviewer for the valuable suggestion. This section is about the importance of applying appropriate PAE reconstruction algorithms to extend the depth of focus. In this revision, we have re-written this part according to the reviewer’s suggestion. Please see the redlined section starting from Line 342 in Section 3.2.

2.When introducing the photoacoustic endoscopic imaging algorithms, the following literature should be cited:

Lin, Y., Zheng, R., Zhang, X., Li, Z., & Li, H. Image enhancement of photoacoustic imaging for early endometrial cancer detection by employing a filtered delay multiply and sum beamforming algorithm. AIP Advances,  (2019), 9(12).

Cited, please see the new Rf. 86.

Please review your English thoroughly.

In this revision, we have checked the English thoroughly and made the revision.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This review article thoroughly explores the advancements and applications of photoacoustic endoscopy technology in the early detection of prostate cancer. It presents a detailed analysis of the systems and algorithms used in photoacoustic endoscopic imaging, emphasizing both the contributions and limitations of the technology. The article also offers valuable insights into future research directions and potential applications for enhancing the use of photoacoustic endoscopy in prostate cancer detection. This comprehensive review provides significant guidance for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer using photoacoustic endoscopic imaging technology, making it a highly valuable resource.

However, a few points need to be addressed before the article can be accepted:

1. The existing literature (references 19-22) has thoroughly analyzed MRI imaging technology, but these sources are relatively outdated. It is recommended to consult more recent studies for a comprehensive understanding.

2. The introduction section on photoacoustic endoscopy technology is overly detailed and could benefit from being more concise.

3. To offer a more complete perspective on the combination of photoacoustic imaging with other medical imaging modalities for the early detection of prostate cancer, the following literature should be cited:

   • Kothapalli, S. R., et al. (2019). Simultaneous transrectal ultrasound and photoacoustic human prostate imaging. Science Translational Medicine, 11(507), eaav2169.
   • Agrawal, S., et al. (2020). Design, development, and multi-characterization of an integrated clinical transrectal ultrasound and photoacoustic device for human prostate imaging. Diagnostics, 10(8), 566.

4. For a better understanding of the fundamental principles of photoacoustic endoscopic reconstruction algorithms, the following literature is recommended:

   • Paul, S., et al. (2022). Simplified-delay-multiply-and-sum-based promising beamformer for real-time photoacoustic imaging. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 71, 1-9.
   • Prakash, R., et al. (2024). Evaluation of 10 current image reconstruction algorithms for linear array photoacoustic imaging. Journal of Biophotonics, 17(3), e202300117.

Once these revisions are made, this review article will be a valuable contribution to the field.

Author Response

Reviewer #2:

This review article thoroughly explores the advancements and applications of photoacoustic endoscopy technology in the early detection of prostate cancer. It presents a detailed analysis of the systems and algorithms used in photoacoustic endoscopic imaging, emphasizing both the contributions and limitations of the technology. The article also offers valuable insights into future research directions and potential applications for enhancing the use of photoacoustic endoscopy in prostate cancer detection. This comprehensive review provides significant guidance for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer using photoacoustic endoscopic imaging technology, making it a highly valuable resource. However, a few points need to be addressed before the article can be accepted:

We thank the reviewer for the comments and good suggestions.

1. The existing literature (references 19-22) has thoroughly analyzed MRI imaging technology, but these sources are relatively outdated. It is recommended to consult more recent studies for a comprehensive understanding.

In this revision, we have updated the references and made corresponding revision to the text. Please see the new Refs. 21 and 22.

2. The introduction section on photoacoustic endoscopy technology is overly detailed and could benefit from being more concise.

This is a good suggestion. In this revision, we have re-written this part according to the Reviewer’s suggestion to make the principle of PAE clearer. Please see the redlined revision (Lines 60-68).

3.To offer a more complete perspective on the combination of photoacoustic imaging with other medical imaging modalities for the early detection of prostate cancer, the following literature should be cited:

[1] Kothapalli, S. R., et al. (2019). Simultaneous transrectal ultrasound and photoacoustic human prostate imaging. Science Translational Medicine, 11(507), eaav2169.

[2] Agrawal, S., et al. (2020). Design, development, and multi-characterization of an integrated clinical transrectal ultrasound and photoacoustic device for human prostate imaging. Diagnostics, 10(8), 566.

Cited. Please see the new Refs. 51-52.

4.For a better understanding of the fundamental principles of photoacoustic endoscopic reconstruction algorithms, the following literature is recommended:

[1] Paul, S., et al. (2022). Simplified-delay-multiply-and-sum-based promising beamformer for real-time photoacoustic imaging. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 71, 1-9.

[2]Prakash, R., et al. (2024). Evaluation of 10 current image reconstruction algorithms for linear array photoacoustic imaging. Journal of Biophotonics, 17(3), e202300117.1.

Cited. Please see the new Refs. 87-88.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In this review, the authors have conducted a comparative analysis of existing prostate detection methods and provided a comprehensive exposition of photoacoustic endoscopy imaging technology, offering significant guidance for the development of early prostate cancer detection technology based on photoacoustic endoscopy imaging. The manuscript can be accepted after the authors address the following concerns. 

1. Recently, optical sensing technologies of ultrasounds have been developed for improving photoacoustic imaging because of high sensitivity, broad bandwidth, and miniature size, which could benefit the photoacoustic endoscopic imaging technologies. So, the authors are encouraged to discuss the advantages of the optical sensing approaches and the potentials of these optical sensors for enhancing the photoacoustic endoscopes. 

[1] Westerveld, W.J., Mahmud-Ul-Hasan, M., Shnaiderman, R. et al. Sensitive, small, broadband and scalable optomechanical ultrasound sensor in silicon photonics. Nat. Photonics 15, 341–345 (2021).

[2] Shnaiderman, R., Wissmeyer, G., Ülgen, O. et al. A submicrometre silicon-on-insulator resonator for ultrasound detection. Nature 585, 372–378 (2020).

[3] Pan, J., Li, Q., Feng, Y. et al. Parallel interrogation of the chalcogenide-based micro-ring sensor array for photoacoustic tomography. Nat Commun 14, 3250 (2023).

[4] W. Song, F. Yang, C. Min, S. Zhu, X. Yuan, Toward Ultrasensitive, Broadband, Reflection-Mode In Vivo Photoacoustic Microscopy Using a Bare Glass. Laser Photonics Rev 2022, 17, 2200030. 

2. Lines 397-407: The term FBP mentioned in this section is an English abbreviation, but its corresponding full English name is not seen throughout the text. To standardize the use of professional terms, it is recommended to add the full English name of FBP in an appropriate place. 

3 When introducing the transurethral optical transmission photoacoustic endoscopy imaging technology for the prostate, a more comprehensive explanation of its principles should be provided by reviewing the following literatures. 

[1] Ai, M., Youn, J. I., Salcudean, S. E., Rohling, R., Abolmaesumi, P., & Tang, S. Photoacoustic tomography for imaging the prostate: a transurethral illumination probe design and application. Biomedical optics express, 2019, 10(5), 2588-2605.

[2] Singh, N. , Cherin, E. , Soenjaya, Y. , Matharoo, M. , & Demore, C. E. M. A new photoacoustic imaging platform for potential applications in prostate cancer. 2020 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS). IEEE. 2020.

Author Response

Reviewer #3:

In this review, the authors have conducted a comparative analysis of existing prostate detection methods and provided a comprehensive exposition of photoacoustic endoscopy imaging technology, offering significant guidance for the development of early prostate cancer detection technology based on photoacoustic endoscopy imaging. The manuscript can be accepted after the authors address the following concerns.

We thank the reviewer for the comments and good suggestions.

1.Recently, optical sensing technologies of ultrasounds have been developed for improving photoacoustic imaging because of high sensitivity, broad bandwidth, and miniature size, which could benefit the photoacoustic endoscopic imaging technologies. So, the authors are encouraged to discuss the advantages of the optical sensing approaches and the potentials of these optical sensors for enhancing the photoacoustic endoscopes.

[1] Westerveld, W.J., Mahmud-Ul-Hasan, M., Shnaiderman, R. et al. Sensitive, small, broadband and scalable optomechanical ultrasound sensor in silicon photonics. Nat. Photonics 15, 341–345 (2021).

[2] Shnaiderman, R., Wissmeyer, G., Ülgen, O. et al. A submicrometre silicon-on-insulator resonator for ultrasound detection. Nature 585, 372–378 (2020).

[3] Pan, J., Li, Q., Feng, Y. et al. Parallel interrogation of the chalcogenide-based micro-ring sensor array for photoacoustic tomography. Nat Commun 14, 3250 (2023).

[4] W. Song, F. Yang, C. Min, S. Zhu, X. Yuan, Toward Ultrasensitive, Broadband, Reflection-Mode In Vivo Photoacoustic Microscopy Using a Bare Glass. Laser Photonics Rev 2022, 17, 2200030.

This is an excellent suggestion. In this revision, we have incorporated a discussion on optical ultrasonic sensors, which are characterized by their miniaturization and transparency to excitation light, making them highly suitable for photoacoustic endoscopic imaging requirements. Moreover, these sensors boast a wide bandwidth and high sensitivity, which offer significant benefits for photoacoustic endoscopic imaging and hold great promise for the future. Thus, we have specifically added a new section to explore the technology of optical ultrasonic sensors in PAE. Please refer to the newly introduced Section 3.3.

2.Lines 397-407: The term FBP mentioned in this section is an English abbreviation, but its corresponding full English name is not seen throughout the text. To standardize the use of professional terms, it is recommended to add the full English name of FBP in an appropriate place.

We thank the reviewer for the suggestion. In this revision, we have elected to remove the section on the FBP method, as it was deemed not essential to the core content of our paper. However, we have checked through the paper for other abbreviations and have added the necessary annotations accordingly.

3.When introducing the transurethral optical transmission photoacoustic endoscopy imaging technology for the prostate, a more comprehensive explanation of its principles should be provided by reviewing the following literatures.

[1] Ai, M., Youn, J. I., Salcudean, S. E., Rohling, R., Abolmaesumi, P., & Tang, S. Photoacoustic tomography for imaging the prostate: a transurethral illumination probe design and application. Biomedical optics express, 2019, 10(5), 2588-2605.

[2]Singh, N. , Cherin, E. , Soenjaya, Y. , Matharoo, M. , & Demore, C. E. M. A new photoacoustic imaging platform for potential applications in prostate cancer. 2020 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS). IEEE. 2020.

This is a good suggestion. In this revision, we have been added the suggested References into the text. Please see the new Refs. 64 and 74.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors have addressed all my concerns, and I recommend the acceptance of the manuscript in the journal.