Quantitative Functional Imaging and Dosimetry of Photodynamic Therapy: Clinical Feasibility of Performing Dosimetric Measurements in Non-melanoma Skin Cancer Patients

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional treatment regimes in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer. However, approximately 20-25% of patients receiving PDT exhibit heterogeneous response or tumour recurrence. This inconsistency can be attributed to generic treatment protocols and lack of planning, monitoring, and assessment of treatment response. A personalized approach is required to increase treatment efficacy and reduce response variability. To this effect, the work presented in this thesis outlines the development and characterization of: (a) fluorescence- enabled spatial frequency domain imaging system for monitoring the photobleaching response of PpIX; and (b) statistical variance method for monitoring the vascular response in high-frequency ultrasound imaging. Preliminary results from the clinical implementation of this quantitative functional imaging system are also presented. With time, this system can be integrated into the clinical workflow to enable the creation of a personalized treatment plan – improving treatment efficacy and clinical outcomes.M.A.S