We present photoacoustic computed tomography through an ergodic relay (PACTER), a method for single-shot 3D imaging of hemodynamics using a single-element detector. Our approach allows for ultrafast volumetric imaging at kilohertz rates without the need for numerous detector elements. We demonstrate PACTER in both human and small animal subjects, emphasizing its potential utility in early detection and monitoring of peripheral vascular diseases. Our single-element detector design aims to offer a more convenient and potentially affordable option, while the concept could also be relevant to other imaging technologies, contributing to various applications in medical imaging.
To extend the depth of field (DOF) in optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM), we propose the needle-shaped beam photoacoustic microscopy (NB-PAM) via customized diffractive optical elements to extend the DOF, featuring a well-maintained beam diameter, a uniform axial intensity distribution, and negligible sidelobes. The advantage of using NB-PAM with an improved DOF has been demonstrated by both histology-like imaging of fresh slide-free organs using 266 nm laser and in vivo mouse brain vasculature imaging using 532 nm laser. Our approach provides new perspectives for slide-free intraoperative pathological imaging and various in vivo organ-level imaging applications.
KEYWORDS: Photoacoustic spectroscopy, Photoacoustic tomography, Acquisition tracking and pointing, Switching, Signal detection, Tissues, Color, Temperature metrology, In vivo imaging, Absorption
SignificanceBased on acoustic detection of optical absorption, photoacoustic tomography (PAT) allows functional and molecular imaging beyond the optical diffusion limit with high spatial resolution. However, multispectral functional and molecular PAT is often limited by decreased spectroscopic accuracy and reduced detection sensitivity in deep tissues, mainly due to wavelength-dependent optical attenuation and inaccurate acoustic inversion.AimPrevious work has demonstrated that reversible color-shifting can drastically improve the detection sensitivity of PAT by suppressing nonswitching background signals. We aim to develop a new color switching-based PAT method using reversibly switchable thermochromics (ReST).ApproachWe developed a family of ReST with excellent water dispersion, biostability, and temperature-controlled color changes by surface modification of commercial thermochromic microcapsules with the hydrophilic polysaccharide alginate.ResultsThe optical absorbance of the ReST was switched on and off repeatedly by modulating the surrounding temperature, allowing differential photoacoustic detection that effectively suppressed the nonswitching background signal and substantially improved image contrast and detection sensitivity. We demonstrate reversible thermal-switching imaging of ReST in vitro and in vivo using three PAT modes at different length scales.ConclusionsReST-enabled PAT is a promising technology for high-sensitivity deep tissue imaging of molecular activity in temperature-related biomedical applications, such as cancer thermotherapy.
KEYWORDS: 3D modeling, Photoacoustic imaging, Autoregressive models, Visual process modeling, In vitro testing, Blood, 3D printing, Visualization, Photoacoustic microscopy, Digital Light Processing
Understanding thrombosis formation is necessary for developing safe and effective treatments. We fabricated sophisticated in vitro models of blood vessels with internal microchannels by using digital light processing-based 3D printing method. Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) offers a useful platform for imaging 3D-printed vascular structures with different patterns of microchannels. Our results show that PAM can provide clear microchannel structures at depths up to 3.6 mm. We further quantified the blood oxygenation in the 3D-printed vascular models, showing that thrombi had much lower oxygenation than the normal blood. Integration of PAM with 3D printing/bioprinting will enable numerous applications in tissue engineering.
The mechanosensitivity of the optic nerve head (ONH) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Characterizing elasticity of the ONH over changing physiological pressure may provide a better understanding of how changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) lead to changes in the mechanical environment of the ONH. Optical coherence elastography (OCE) is an emerging technique that can detect tissue biomechanics noninvasively with both high temporal and spatial resolution compared with conventional ultrasonic elastography. We describe a confocal OCE system in measuring ONH elasticity in vitro, utilizing a pressure inflation setup in which IOP is controlled precisely. We further utilize the Lamb wave model to fit the phase dispersion curve during data postprocessing. We present a reconstruction of Young’s modulus of the ONH by combining our OCE system with a Lamb wave model for the first time. This approach enables the quantification of Young’s modulus of the ONH, which can be fit using a piecewise polynomial to the corresponding IOP.
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