Atherosclerosis is a disease characterized by the narrowing of the arteries as a result of plaque buildup. Lipid-rich plaques are hypothesized to be ‘vulnerable’ plaques with higher risks of rupture. In order to identify lipid biomarkers in-vivo, we use an in-house built photoacoustic imaging microscope system in tandem with mass spectrometer imaging for lipid full characterization. We show photoacoustic lipid spectra of sectioned human carotid endarterectomy samples on histological glass slides to unravel a photoacoustic lipid spectral histology ranging from 1140 nm to 1250 nm. We relate the spectral features identified by PAM to lipids found by mass spectrometry imaging.
Space and time controllable drug delivery systems have gained interest due to their increased specificity and selectivity, compared to current cancer treatment methods. We present a novel type of multimodal contrast agents, that enhances contrast both in ultrasound and in photoacoustic imaging, while at the same time being capable of triggered drug delivery. These polymeric microcapsules consist of a biodegradable polymer shell, containing dye that encapsulates an oil core. Upon pulsed laser irradiation, polymeric microparticles can create a cavitation bubble that subsequently emits a strong acoustic wave. We investigated different formulations of these particles, by changing the oil content, dye concentration and probing conditions using a combination of pulsed laser excitation and an ultrasound chirp. As such we tested their applicability for medical imaging purposes. We demonstrated that the formulation containing a low boiling point oil core gives the highest photoacoustic and acoustic response. The laser activation threshold for this particle system, is relatively high but within the medical limits. The same system can produce a stable bubble. US scattering by this stable bubble results in medically relevant frequencies, making the particles of interest for biomedical and pre-clinical imaging. Additionally, the system has potential to be drug-bearing.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.