Intravascular photoacoustic imaging of human coronary atherosclerosis

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Jansen, Krista; van der Steen, Antonius F. W.; Springeling, Geert; van Beusekom, Heleen M. M.; Oosterhuis, J. Wolter; van Soest, Gijs

2011-03-01

We demonstrate intravascular photoacoustic imaging of human coronary atherosclerotic plaque. We specifically imaged lipid content, a key factor in vulnerable plaques that may lead to myocardial infarction. An integrated intravascular photoacoustics (IVPA) and ultrasound (IVUS) catheter with an outer diameter of 1.25 mm was developed. The catheter comprises an angle-polished optical fiber adjacent to a 30 MHz single-element transducer. The ultrasonic transducer was optically isolated to eliminate artifacts in the PA image. We performed measurements on a cylindrical vessel phantom and isolated point targets to demonstrate its imaging performance. Axial and lateral point spread function widths were 110 μm and 550 μm, respectively, for PA and 89 μm and 420 μm for US. We imaged two fresh human coronary arteries, showing different stages of disease, ex vivo. Specific photoacoustic imaging of lipid content, is achieved by spectroscopic imaging at different wavelengths between 1180 and 1230 nm.

Realistic tissue visualization using photoacoustic image

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Seonghee; Managuli, Ravi; Jeon, Seungwan; Kim, Jeesu; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Visualization methods are very important in biomedical imaging. As a technology that understands life, biomedical imaging has the unique advantage of providing the most intuitive information in the image. This advantage of biomedical imaging can be greatly improved by choosing a special visualization method. This is more complicated in volumetric data. Volume data has the advantage of containing 3D spatial information. Unfortunately, the data itself cannot directly represent the potential value. Because images are always displayed in 2D space, visualization is the key and creates the real value of volume data. However, image processing of 3D data requires complicated algorithms for visualization and high computational burden. Therefore, specialized algorithms and computing optimization are important issues in volume data. Photoacoustic-imaging is a unique imaging modality that can visualize the optical properties of deep tissue. Because the color of the organism is mainly determined by its light absorbing component, photoacoustic data can provide color information of tissue, which is closer to real tissue color. In this research, we developed realistic tissue visualization using acoustic-resolution photoacoustic volume data. To achieve realistic visualization, we designed specialized color transfer function, which depends on the depth of the tissue from the skin. We used direct ray casting method and processed color during computing shader parameter. In the rendering results, we succeeded in obtaining similar texture results from photoacoustic data. The surface reflected rays were visualized in white, and the reflected color from the deep tissue was visualized red like skin tissue. We also implemented the CUDA algorithm in an OpenGL environment for real-time interactive imaging.

Transurethral light delivery for prostate photoacoustic imaging

OpenAIRE

Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.; Guo, Xiaoyu; Song, Danny Y.; Boctor, Emad M.

2015-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging has broad clinical potential to enhance prostate cancer detection and treatment, yet it is challenged by the lack of minimally invasive, deeply penetrating light delivery methods that provide sufficient visualization of targets (e.g., tumors, contrast agents, brachytherapy seeds). We constructed a side-firing fiber prototype for transurethral photoacoustic imaging of prostates with a dual-array (linear and curvilinear) transrectal ultrasound probe. A method to calculate ...

Towards optimized naphthalocyanines as sonochromes for photoacoustic imaging in vivo

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Mitchell J. Duffy

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper we establish a methodology to predict photoacoustic imaging capabilities from the structure of absorber molecules (sonochromes. The comparative in vitro and in vivo screening of naphthalocyanines and cyanine dyes has shown a substitution pattern dependent shift in photoacoustic excitation wavelength, with distal substitution producing the preferred maximum around 800 nm. Central ion change showed variable production of photoacoustic signals, as well as singlet oxygen photoproduction and fluorescence with the optimum for photoacoustic imaging being nickel(II. Our approach paves the way for the design, evaluation and realization of optimized sonochromes as photoacoustic contrast agents. Keywords: Naphthalocyanines, Spectroscopy

Photoacoustic tomography of human hepatic malignancies using intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

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Akinori Miyata

Full Text Available Recently, fluorescence imaging following the preoperative intravenous injection of indocyanine green has been used in clinical settings to identify hepatic malignancies during surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green as a contrast agent to produce representative fluorescence images of hepatic tumors by visualizing the spatial distribution of indocyanine green on ultrasonographic images. Indocyanine green (0.5 mg/kg, intravenous was preoperatively administered to 9 patients undergoing hepatectomy. Intraoperatively, photoacoustic tomography was performed on the surface of the resected hepatic specimens (n = 10 under excitation with an 800 nm pulse laser. In 4 hepatocellular carcinoma nodules, photoacoustic imaging identified indocyanine green accumulation in the cancerous tissue. In contrast, in one hepatocellular carcinoma nodule and five adenocarcinoma foci (one intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 4 colorectal liver metastases, photoacoustic imaging delineated indocyanine green accumulation not in the cancerous tissue but rather in the peri-cancerous hepatic parenchyma. Although photoacoustic tomography enabled to visualize spatial distribution of ICG on ultrasonographic images, which was consistent with fluorescence images on cut surfaces of the resected specimens, photoacoustic signals of ICG-containing tissues decreased approximately by 40% even at 4 mm depth from liver surfaces. Photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green also failed to identify any hepatocellular carcinoma nodules from the body surface of model mice with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In conclusion, photoacoustic tomography has a potential to enhance cancer detectability and differential diagnosis by ultrasonographic examinations and intraoperative fluorescence imaging through visualization of stasis of bile-excreting imaging agents in and/or around hepatic tumors. However, further technical

Photoacoustic tomography of human hepatic malignancies using intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyata, Akinori; Ishizawa, Takeaki; Kamiya, Mako; Shimizu, Atsushi; Kaneko, Junichi; Ijichi, Hideaki; Shibahara, Junji; Fukayama, Masashi; Midorikawa, Yutaka; Urano, Yasuteru; Kokudo, Norihiro

2014-01-01

Recently, fluorescence imaging following the preoperative intravenous injection of indocyanine green has been used in clinical settings to identify hepatic malignancies during surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green as a contrast agent to produce representative fluorescence images of hepatic tumors by visualizing the spatial distribution of indocyanine green on ultrasonographic images. Indocyanine green (0.5 mg/kg, intravenous) was preoperatively administered to 9 patients undergoing hepatectomy. Intraoperatively, photoacoustic tomography was performed on the surface of the resected hepatic specimens (n = 10) under excitation with an 800 nm pulse laser. In 4 hepatocellular carcinoma nodules, photoacoustic imaging identified indocyanine green accumulation in the cancerous tissue. In contrast, in one hepatocellular carcinoma nodule and five adenocarcinoma foci (one intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 4 colorectal liver metastases), photoacoustic imaging delineated indocyanine green accumulation not in the cancerous tissue but rather in the peri-cancerous hepatic parenchyma. Although photoacoustic tomography enabled to visualize spatial distribution of ICG on ultrasonographic images, which was consistent with fluorescence images on cut surfaces of the resected specimens, photoacoustic signals of ICG-containing tissues decreased approximately by 40% even at 4 mm depth from liver surfaces. Photoacoustic tomography using indocyanine green also failed to identify any hepatocellular carcinoma nodules from the body surface of model mice with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In conclusion, photoacoustic tomography has a potential to enhance cancer detectability and differential diagnosis by ultrasonographic examinations and intraoperative fluorescence imaging through visualization of stasis of bile-excreting imaging agents in and/or around hepatic tumors. However, further technical advances are needed

Optical drug monitoring: photoacoustic imaging of nanosensors to monitor therapeutic lithium in vivo.

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Cash, Kevin J; Li, Chiye; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V; Clark, Heather A

2015-02-24

Personalized medicine could revolutionize how primary care physicians treat chronic disease and how researchers study fundamental biological questions. To realize this goal, we need to develop more robust, modular tools and imaging approaches for in vivo monitoring of analytes. In this report, we demonstrate that synthetic nanosensors can measure physiologic parameters with photoacoustic contrast, and we apply that platform to continuously track lithium levels in vivo. Photoacoustic imaging achieves imaging depths that are unattainable with fluorescence or multiphoton microscopy. We validated the photoacoustic results that illustrate the superior imaging depth and quality of photoacoustic imaging with optical measurements. This powerful combination of techniques will unlock the ability to measure analyte changes in deep tissue and will open up photoacoustic imaging as a diagnostic tool for continuous physiological tracking of a wide range of analytes.

Photoacoustic imaging of hidden dental caries by using a fiber-based probing system

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Koyama, Takuya; Kakino, Satoko; Matsuura, Yuji

2017-04-01

Photoacoustic method to detect hidden dental caries is proposed. It was found that high frequency ultrasonic waves are generated from hidden carious part when radiating laser light to occlusal surface of model tooth. By making a map of intensity of these high frequency components, photoacoustic images of hidden caries were successfully obtained. A photoacoustic imaging system using a bundle of hollow optical fiber was fabricated for using clinical application, and clear photoacoustic image of hidden caries was also obtained by this system.

Multiple speckle illumination for optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging

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Poisson, Florian; Stasio, Nicolino; Moser, Christophe; Psaltis, Demetri; Bossy, Emmanuel

2017-03-01

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy offers exquisite and specific contrast to optical absorption. Conventional approaches generally involves raster scanning a focused spot over the sample. Here, we demonstrate that a full-field illumination approach with multiple speckle illumination can also provide diffraction-limited optical-resolution photoacoustic images. Two different proof-of-concepts are demonstrated with micro-structured test samples. The first approach follows the principle of correlation/ghost imaging,1, 2 and is based on cross-correlating photoacoustic signals under multiple speckle illumination with known speckle patterns measured during a calibration step. The second approach is a speckle scanning microscopy technique, which adapts the technique proposed in fluorescence microscopy by Bertolotti and al.:3 in our work, spatially unresolved photoacoustic measurements are performed for various translations of unknown speckle patterns. A phase-retrieval algorithm is used to reconstruct the object from the knowledge of the modulus of its Fourier Transform yielded by the measurements. Because speckle patterns naturally appear in many various situations, including propagation through biological tissue or multi-mode fibers (for which focusing light is either very demanding if not impossible), speckle-illumination-based photoacoustic microscopy provides a powerful framework for the development of novel reconstruction approaches, well-suited to compressed sensing approaches.2

Photoacoustic imaging at 1064nm wavelength with exogenous contrast agents

Science.gov (United States)

Upputuri, Paul Kumar; Jiang, Yuyan; Pu, Kanyi; Pramanik, Manojit

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a promising imaging modality for both preclinical research and clinical practices. Laser wavelengths in the first near infrared window (NIR-I, 650-950 nm) have been widely used for photoacoustic imaging. As compared with NIR-I window, scattering of photons by biological tissues is largely reduced in the second NIR (NIR-II) window, leading to enhanced imaging fidelity. However, the lack of biocompatible NIR-II absorbing exogenous agents prevented the use of this window for in vivo imaging. In recent years, few studies have been reported on photoacoustic imaging in NIR-II window using exogenous contrast agents. In this work, we discuss the recent work on PA imaging using 1064 nm wavelength, the fundamental of Nd:YAG laser, as an excitation wavelength. The PA imaging at 1064 nm is advantageous because of the low and homogeneous signal from tissue background, enabling high contrast in PA imaging when NIR-II absorbing contrast agents are employed.

Sulfates as chromophores for multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging phantoms

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Martina; An, Lu; Beard, Paul; Cox, Ben

2017-12-01

As multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging becomes increasingly widely used to obtain quantitative estimates, the need for validation studies conducted on well-characterized experimental phantoms becomes ever more pressing. One challenge that such studies face is the design of stable, well-characterized phantoms and absorbers with properties in a physiologically realistic range. This paper performs a full experimental characterization of aqueous solutions of copper and nickel sulfate, whose properties make them close to ideal as chromophores in multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging phantoms. Their absorption varies linearly with concentration, and they mix linearly. The concentrations needed to yield absorption values within the physiological range are below the saturation limit. The shape of their absorption spectra makes them useful analogs for oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin. They display long-term photostability (no indication of bleaching) as well as resistance to transient effects (no saturable absorption phenomena), and are therefore suitable for exposure to typical pulsed photoacoustic light sources, even when exposed to the high number of pulses required in scanning photoacoustic imaging systems. In addition, solutions with tissue-realistic, predictable, and stable scattering can be prepared by mixing sulfates and Intralipid, as long as an appropriate emulsifier is used. Finally, the Grüneisen parameter of the sulfates was found to be larger than that of water and increased linearly with concentration.

Near-Infrared Squaraine Dye Encapsulated Micelles for in Vivo Fluorescence and Photoacoustic Bimodal Imaging.

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Sreejith, Sivaramapanicker; Joseph, James; Lin, Manjing; Menon, Nishanth Venugopal; Borah, Parijat; Ng, Hao Jun; Loong, Yun Xian; Kang, Yuejun; Yu, Sidney Wing-Kwong; Zhao, Yanli

2015-06-23

Combined near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging techniques present promising capabilities for noninvasive visualization of biological structures. Development of bimodal noninvasive optical imaging approaches by combining NIR fluorescence and photoacoustic tomography demands suitable NIR-active exogenous contrast agents. If the aggregation and photobleaching are prevented, squaraine dyes are ideal candidates for fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging. Herein, we report rational selection, preparation, and micelle encapsulation of an NIR-absorbing squaraine dye (D1) for in vivo fluorescence and photoacoustic bimodal imaging. D1 was encapsulated inside micelles constructed from a biocompatible nonionic surfactant (Pluoronic F-127) to obtain D1-encapsulated micelles (D1(micelle)) in aqueous conditions. The micelle encapsulation retains both the photophysical features and chemical stability of D1. D1(micelle) exhibits high photostability and low cytotoxicity in biological conditions. Unique properties of D1(micelle) in the NIR window of 800-900 nm enable the development of a squaraine-based exogenous contrast agent for fluorescence and photoacoustic bimodal imaging above 820 nm. In vivo imaging using D1(micelle), as demonstrated by fluorescence and photoacoustic tomography experiments in live mice, shows contrast-enhanced deep tissue imaging capability. The usage of D1(micelle) proven by preclinical experiments in rodents reveals its excellent applicability for NIR fluorescence and photoacoustic bimodal imaging.

Magneto-optical nanoparticles for cyclic magnetomotive photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Arnal, Bastien; Yoon, Soon Joon; Li, Junwei; Gao, Xiaohu; O'Donnell, Matthew

2018-05-01

Photoacoustic imaging is a highly promising tool to visualize molecular events with deep tissue penetration. Like most other modalities, however, image contrast under in vivo conditions is far from optimal due to background signals from tissue. Using iron oxide-gold core-shell nanoparticles, we previously demonstrated that magnetomotive photoacoustic (mmPA) imaging can dramatically reduce the influence of background signals and produce high-contrast molecular images. Here we report two significant advances toward clinical translation of this technology. First, we introduce a new class of compact, uniform, magneto-optically coupled core-shell nanoparticle, prepared through localized copolymerization of polypyrrole (PPy) on an iron oxide nanoparticle surface. The resulting iron oxide-PPy nanoparticles solve the photo-instability and small-scale synthesis problems previously encountered by the gold coating approach, and extend the large optical absorption coefficient of the particles beyond 1000 nm in wavelength. In parallel, we have developed a new generation of mmPA imaging featuring cyclic magnetic motion and ultrasound speckle tracking, with an image capture frame rate several hundred times faster than the photoacoustic speckle tracking method demonstrated previously. These advances enable robust artifact elimination caused by physiologic motion and first application of the mmPA technology in vivo for sensitive tumor imaging.

DATA QUALITY EVALUATION AND APPLICATION POTENTIAL ANALYSIS OF TIANGONG-2 WIDE-BAND IMAGING SPECTROMETER

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B. Qin

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Tiangong-2 is the first space laboratory in China, which launched in September 15, 2016. Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer is a medium resolution multispectral imager on Tiangong-2. In this paper, the authors introduced the indexes and parameters of Wideband Imaging Spectrometer, and made an objective evaluation about the data quality of Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer in radiation quality, image sharpness and information content, and compared the data quality evaluation results with that of Landsat-8. Although the data quality of Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has a certain disparity with Landsat-8 OLI data in terms of signal to noise ratio, clarity and entropy. Compared with OLI, Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has more bands, narrower bandwidth and wider swath, which make it a useful remote sensing data source in classification and identification of large and medium scale ground objects. In the future, Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer data will be widely applied in land cover classification, ecological environment assessment, marine and coastal zone monitoring, crop identification and classification, and other related areas.

Data Quality Evaluation and Application Potential Analysis of TIANGONG-2 Wide-Band Imaging Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, B.; Li, L.; Li, S.

2018-04-01

Tiangong-2 is the first space laboratory in China, which launched in September 15, 2016. Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer is a medium resolution multispectral imager on Tiangong-2. In this paper, the authors introduced the indexes and parameters of Wideband Imaging Spectrometer, and made an objective evaluation about the data quality of Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer in radiation quality, image sharpness and information content, and compared the data quality evaluation results with that of Landsat-8. Although the data quality of Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has a certain disparity with Landsat-8 OLI data in terms of signal to noise ratio, clarity and entropy. Compared with OLI, Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has more bands, narrower bandwidth and wider swath, which make it a useful remote sensing data source in classification and identification of large and medium scale ground objects. In the future, Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer data will be widely applied in land cover classification, ecological environment assessment, marine and coastal zone monitoring, crop identification and classification, and other related areas.

Semiconducting polymer dot as a highly effective contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Zhen; Zhang, Jian

2018-02-01

In this study, we developed a novel PIID-DTBT based semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) that have broad and strong optical absorption in the visible-light region (500 nm - 700 nm). Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and gold nanorods (GNRs) that have been verified as an excellent photoacoustic contrast agent were compared with Pdots based on photoacoustic imaging method. Both ex vivo and in vivo experiment demonstrated Pdots have a better photoacoustic conversion efficiency at 532 nm than GNPs and similar photoacoustic performance with GNRs at 700 nm at the same mass concentration. Our work demonstrates the great potential of Pdots as a highly effective contrast agent for precise localization of lesions relative to the blood vessels based on photoacoustic tomography imaging.

Quantitative ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging for the assessment of vascular parameters

CERN Document Server

Meiburger, Kristen M

2017-01-01

This book describes the development of quantitative techniques for ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging in the assessment of architectural and vascular parameters. It presents morphological vascular research based on the development of quantitative imaging techniques for the use of clinical B-mode ultrasound images, and preclinical architectural vascular investigations on quantitative imaging techniques for ultrasounds and photoacoustics. The book is divided into two main parts, the first of which focuses on the development and validation of quantitative techniques for the assessment of vascular morphological parameters that can be extracted from B-mode ultrasound longitudinal images of the common carotid artery. In turn, the second part highlights quantitative imaging techniques for assessing the architectural parameters of vasculature that can be extracted from 3D volumes, using both contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging and photoacoustic imaging without the addition of any contrast agent. Sharing and...

A strategy to measure electrophysiological changes with photoacoustic imaging (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Sepela, Rebecka J.; Sherlock, Benjamin E.; Tian, Lin; Marcu, Laura; Sack, Jon

2017-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging technology capable of both functional and structural biological imaging. Absorption and scattering in tissue limit the penetration depth of conventional microscopy techniques to live cell imaging. This technology could permit photoacoustic imaging of electrophysiological dynamics in deep tissue, such as the brain. Further optimization of this technology could lead to concurrent imaging of neural activity and hemodynamic responses, a crucial step towards understanding neurovascular coupling in the brain.

Detection of Melanoma Metastases in Resected Human Lymph Nodes by Noninvasive Multispectral Photoacoustic Imaging

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Gerrit Cornelis Langhout

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. Sentinel node biopsy in patients with cutaneous melanoma improves staging, provides prognostic information, and leads to an increased survival in node-positive patients. However, frozen section analysis of the sentinel node is not reliable and definitive histopathology evaluation requires days, preventing intraoperative decision-making and immediate therapy. Photoacoustic imaging can evaluate intact lymph nodes, but specificity can be hampered by other absorbers such as hemoglobin. Near infrared multispectral photoacoustic imaging is a new approach that has the potential to selectively detect melanin. The purpose of the present study is to examine the potential of multispectral photoacoustic imaging to identify melanoma metastasis in human lymph nodes. Methods. Three metastatic and nine benign lymph nodes from eight melanoma patients were scanned ex vivo using a Vevo LAZR© multispectral photoacoustic imager and were spectrally analyzed per pixel. The results were compared to histopathology as gold standard. Results. The nodal volume could be scanned within 20 minutes. An unmixing procedure was proposed to identify melanoma metastases with multispectral photoacoustic imaging. Ultrasound overlay enabled anatomical correlation. The penetration depth of the photoacoustic signal was up to 2 cm. Conclusion. Multispectral three-dimensional photoacoustic imaging allowed for selective identification of melanoma metastases in human lymph nodes.

The characterization of an economic and portable LED-based photoacoustic imaging system to facilitate molecular imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Hariri

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Photoacoustic imaging (PAI is a non-invasive, high-resolution hybrid imaging modality that combines optical excitation and ultrasound detection. PAI can image endogenous chromophores (melanin, hemoglobin, etc. and exogenous contrast agents in different medical applications. However, most current equipment uses sophisticated and complicated OPO lasers with tuning and stability features inconsistent with broad clinical deployment. As the number of applications of PAI in medicine increases, there is an urgent need to make the imaging equipment more compact, portable, and affordable. Here, portable light emitting diode – based photoacoustic imaging (PLED-PAI was introduced and characterized in terms of system specifications, light source characterizations, photoacoustic spatial/temporal resolution, and penetration. The system uses two LED arrays attached to the sides of a conventional ultrasound transducer. The LED pulse repetition rate is tunable between 1 K Hz, 2 K Hz, 3 K Hz, and 4 K Hz. The axial resolution was 0.268 mm, and the lateral resolution was between 0.55 and 0.59 mm. The system could detect optical absorber (pencil lead at a depth of 3.2 cm and the detection limits of indocyanine green (ICG and methylene blue (MB were 9 μM and 0.78 mM. In vivo imaging of labeled human mesenchymal stem cells was achieved to confirm compatibility with small animal imaging. The characterization we report here may have value to other groups evaluating commercially available photoacoustic imaging equipment. Keywords: Portable photoacoustic imaging, LED, Optoacoustic imaging, Molecular imaging

Photo-Acoustic Ultrasound Imaging to Distinguish Benign from Malignant Prostate Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

tissue phantoms and animal models of disease . 15. SUBJECT TERMS Photoacoustic, Ultrasound imaging, transurethral probe 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...visible, ultrasound images are unable to discriminate between benign or malignant cancers. In photoacoustic imaging, laser energy is transmitted ...40 g/L concentration of sea plaque agarose into DI water heated to approximately 80°C. A 10 g/L concentration of silica powder was then added to

Singular value decomposition analysis of a photoacoustic imaging system and 3D imaging at 0.7 FPS.

Science.gov (United States)

Roumeliotis, Michael B; Stodilka, Robert Z; Anastasio, Mark A; Ng, Eldon; Carson, Jeffrey J L

2011-07-04

Photoacoustic imaging is a non-ionizing imaging modality that provides contrast consistent with optical imaging techniques while the resolution and penetration depth is similar to ultrasound techniques. In a previous publication [Opt. Express 18, 11406 (2010)], a technique was introduced to experimentally acquire the imaging operator for a photoacoustic imaging system. While this was an important foundation for future work, we have recently improved the experimental procedure allowing for a more densely populated imaging operator to be acquired. Subsets of the imaging operator were produced by varying the transducer count as well as the measurement space temporal sampling rate. Examination of the matrix rank and the effect of contributing object space singular vectors to image reconstruction were performed. For a PAI system collecting only limited data projections, matrix rank increased linearly with transducer count and measurement space temporal sampling rate. Image reconstruction using a regularized pseudoinverse of the imaging operator was performed on photoacoustic signals from a point source, line source, and an array of point sources derived from the imaging operator. As expected, image quality increased for each object with increasing transducer count and measurement space temporal sampling rate. Using the same approach, but on experimentally sampled photoacoustic signals from a moving point-like source, acquisition, data transfer, reconstruction and image display took 1.4 s using one laser pulse per 3D frame. With relatively simple hardware improvements to data transfer and computation speed, our current imaging results imply that acquisition and display of 3D photoacoustic images at laser repetition rates of 10Hz is easily achieved.

Photoacoustic imaging in both soft and hard biological tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, T; Dewhurst, R J

2010-01-01

To date, most Photoacoustic (PA) imaging results have been from soft biotissues. In this study, a PA imaging system with a near-infrared pulsed laser source has been applied to obtain 2-D and 3-D images from both soft tissue and post-mortem dental samples. Imaging results showed that the PA technique has the potential to image human oral disease, such as early-stage teeth decay. For non-invasive photoacoustic imaging, the induced temperature and pressure rises within biotissues should not cause physical damage to the tissue. Several simulations based on the thermoelastic effect have been applied to predict initial temperature and pressure fields within a tooth sample. Predicted initial temperature and pressure rises are below corresponding safety limits.

Feasibility evaluation of 3D photoacoustic imaging of blood vessel structure using multiple wavelengths with a handheld probe

Science.gov (United States)

Uchimoto, Yo; Namita, Takeshi; Kondo, Kengo; Yamakawa, Makoto; Shiina, Tsuyoshi

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic imaging is anticipated for use in portraying blood vessel structures (e.g. neovascularization in inflamed regions). To reduce invasiveness and enhance ease handling, we developed a handheld photoacoustic imaging system using multiple wavelengths. The usefulness of the proposed system was investigated in phantom experiments and in vivo measurements. A silicon tube was embedded into chicken breast meat to simulate the blood vessel. The tube was filled with ovine blood. Then laser light was guided to the phantom surface by an optical fiber bundle close to the linear ultrasound probe. Photoacoustic images were obtained at 750-950 nm wavelengths. Strong photoacoustic signals from the boundary between blood and silicon tube are observed in these images. The shape of photoacoustic spectrum at the boundary resembles that of the HbO2 absorption spectrum at 750-920 nm. In photoacoustic images, similarity between photoacoustic spectrum and HbO2 absorption spectrum was evaluated by calculating the normalized correlation coefficient. Results show high correlation in regions of strong photoacoustic signals in photoacoustic images. These analyses demonstrate the feasibility of portraying blood vessel structures under practical conditions. To evaluate the feasibility of three-dimensional vascular imaging, in vivo experiments were conducted using three wavelengths. A right hand and ultrasound probe were set in degassed water. By scanning a probe, cross-sectional ultrasound and photoacoustic images were obtained at each location. Then, all ultrasound or photoacoustic images were piled up respectively. Then three-dimensional images were constructed. Resultant images portrayed blood vessel-like structures three-dimensionally. Furthermore, to distinguish blood vessels from other tissues (e.g. skin), distinguishing images of them were constructed by comparing photoacoustic signal intensity among three wavelengths. The resultant image portrayed blood vessels as

Photoacoustic imaging to detect rat brain activation after cocaine hydrochloride injection

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Janggun; Yang, Xinmai

2011-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) was employed to detect small animal brain activation after the administration of cocaine hydrochloride. Sprague Dawley rats were injected with different concentrations (2.5, 3.0, and 5.0 mg per kg body) of cocaine hydrochloride in saline solution through tail veins. The brain functional response to the injection was monitored by photoacoustic tomography (PAT) system with horizontal scanning of cerebral cortex of rat brain. Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was also used for coronal view images. The modified PAT system used multiple ultrasonic detectors to reduce the scanning time and maintain a good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The measured photoacoustic signal changes confirmed that cocaine hydrochloride injection excited high blood volume in brain. This result shows PAI can be used to monitor drug abuse-induced brain activation.

Photoacoustic imaging of human lymph nodes with endogenous lipid and hemoglobin contrast

Science.gov (United States)

Guggenheim, James A.; Allen, Thomas J.; Plumb, Andrew; Zhang, Edward Z.; Rodriguez-Justo, Manuel; Punwani, Shonit; Beard, Paul C.

2015-05-01

Lymph nodes play a central role in metastatic cancer spread and are a key clinical assessment target. Abnormal node vascularization, morphology, and size may be indicative of disease but can be difficult to visualize with sufficient accuracy using existing clinical imaging modalities. To explore the potential utility of photoacoustic imaging for the assessment of lymph nodes, images of ex vivo samples were obtained at multiple wavelengths using a high-resolution three-dimensional photoacoustic scanner. These images showed that hemoglobin based contrast reveals nodal vasculature and lipid-based contrast reveals the exterior node size, shape, and boundary integrity. These two sources of complementary contrast may allow indirect observation of cancer, suggesting a future role for photoacoustic imaging as a tool for the clinical assessment of lymph nodes.

Photoacoustic imaging in scattering media by combining a correlation matrix filter with a time reversal operator.

Science.gov (United States)

Rui, Wei; Tao, Chao; Liu, Xiaojun

2017-09-18

Acoustic scattering medium is a fundamental challenge for photoacoustic imaging. In this study, we reveal the different coherent properties of the scattering photoacoustic waves and the direct photoacoustic waves in a matrix form. Direct waves show a particular coherence on the antidiagonals of the matrix, whereas scattering waves do not. Based on this property, a correlation matrix filter combining with a time reversal operator is proposed to preserve the direct waves and recover the image behind a scattering layer. Both numerical simulations and photoacoustic imaging experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively increases the image contrast and decreases the background speckles in a scattering medium. This study might improve the quality of photoacoustic imaging in an acoustic scattering environment and extend its applications.

Quantitative comparison of PZT and CMUT probes for photoacoustic imaging: Experimental validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallet, Maëva; Varray, François; Boutet, Jérôme; Dinten, Jean-Marc; Caliano, Giosuè; Savoia, Alessandro Stuart; Vray, Didier

2017-12-01

Photoacoustic (PA) signals are short ultrasound (US) pulses typically characterized by a single-cycle shape, often referred to as N-shape. The spectral content of such wideband signals ranges from a few hundred kilohertz to several tens of megahertz. Typical reception frequency responses of classical piezoelectric US imaging transducers, based on PZT technology, are not sufficiently broadband to fully preserve the entire information contained in PA signals, which are then filtered, thus limiting PA imaging performance. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUT) are rapidly emerging as a valid alternative to conventional PZT transducers in several medical ultrasound imaging applications. As compared to PZT transducers, CMUTs exhibit both higher sensitivity and significantly broader frequency response in reception, making their use attractive in PA imaging applications. This paper explores the advantages of the CMUT larger bandwidth in PA imaging by carrying out an experimental comparative study using various CMUT and PZT probes from different research laboratories and manufacturers. PA acquisitions are performed on a suture wire and on several home-made bimodal phantoms with both PZT and CMUT probes. Three criteria, based on the evaluation of pure receive impulse response, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) respectively, have been used for a quantitative comparison of imaging results. The measured fractional bandwidths of the CMUT arrays are larger compared to PZT probes. Moreover, both SNR and CNR are enhanced by at least 6 dB with CMUT technology. This work highlights the potential of CMUT technology for PA imaging through qualitative and quantitative parameters.

Photoacoustic Imaging of Port-Wine Stains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kolkman, R.G.M.; Mulder, M.J.; Mulder, Miranda J.; Glade, Conrad P.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; van Leeuwen, Ton

2008-01-01

Background and Objective: To optimize laser therapy of port-wine stains (PWSs), information about the vasculature as well as lesion depth is valuable. In this study we investigated the use of photoacoustic imaging (PAI) to obtain this information. - Study Design/Materials and Methods: PAI uses

Adaptive photoacoustic imaging using the Mallart-Fink focusing factor

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Meng-Lin

2008-02-01

Focusing errors caused by sound velocity heterogeneities widen the mainlobe and elevate the sidelobes, thus degrading both spatial and contrast resolutions in photoacoustic imaging. We propose an adaptive array-based photoacoustic imaging technique that uses the Mallart-Fink (MF) focusing factor weighting to reduce the effect of such focusing errors. The definition of the MF focusing factor indicates that the MF focusing factor at the main lobe of the point-spread function is high (close to 1, without speckle noise being present, which is the case in photoacoustic imaging), whereas it is low at the sidelobes. Based on this property, the elevated sidelobes caused by sound velocity heterogeneities in the tissue can be suppressed after being multiplied by the corresponding map of the MF focusing factor on each imaging point; thus the focusing quality can be improved. This technique makes no assumption of sources of focusing errors and directly suppresses the unwanted sidelobe contributions. Numerical experiments with near field phase screen and displaced phase screen models were performed here to verify the proposed adaptive weighting technique. The effect of the signal-to-noise ratio on the MF focusing factor is also discussed.

Photoacoustic imaging of port-wine stains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kolkman, Roy G. M.; Mulder, Miranda J.; Glade, Conrad P.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; van Leeuwen, Ton G.

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To optimize laser therapy of port-wine stains (PWSs), information about the vasculature as well as lesion depth is valuable. In this study we investigated the use of photoacoustic imaging (PAI) to obtain this information. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: PAI uses pulsed

Toward in-vivo photoacoustic imaging of human ovarian tissue for cancer detection

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre, Andres; Kumavor, Patrick; Ardeshirpour, Yasaman; Sanders, Mary M.; Brewer, Molly; Zhu, Quing

2011-03-01

Currently, most of the cancers in the ovary are detected when they have already metastasized to other parts of the body. As a result, ovarian cancer has the highest mortality of all gynecological cancers with a 5-year survival rate of 30% or less [1]. The reason is the lack of reliable symptoms as well as the lack of efficacious screening techniques [2,3]. Thus, there is an urgent need to improve the current diagnostic techniques. We have investigated the potential role of co-registered photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging in ovarian cancer detection. In an effort to bring this technique closer to clinical application, we have developed a co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic transvaginal probe. A fiber coupling assembly has been developed to deliver the light from around the transducer for reflection geometry imaging. Co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic images of swine ovaries through vagina wall muscle and human ovaries using the aforementioned probe, demonstrate the potential of photoacoustic imaging to non-invasively detect ovarian cancer in vivo.

Rationally encapsulated gold nanorods improving both linear and nonlinear photoacoustic imaging contrast in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Fei; Bai, Linyi; Liu, Siyu; Zhang, Ruochong; Zhang, Jingtao; Feng, Xiaohua; Zheng, Yuanjin; Zhao, Yanli

2017-01-07

Photoacoustic tomography has emerged as a promising non-invasive imaging technique that integrates the merits of high optical contrast with high ultrasound resolution in deep scattering medium. Unfortunately, the blood background in vivo seriously impedes the quality of imaging due to its comparable optical absorption with contrast agents, especially in conventional linear photoacoustic imaging modality. In this study, we demonstrated that two hybrids consisting of gold nanorods (Au NRs) and zinc tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin (ZnTPP) exhibited a synergetic effect in improving optical absorption, conversion efficiency from light to heat, and thermoelastic expansion, leading to a notable enhancement in both linear (four times greater) and nonlinear (more than six times) photoacoustic signals as compared with conventional Au NRs. Subsequently, we carefully investigated the interesting factors that may influence photoacoustic signal amplification, suggesting that the coating of ZnTPP on Au NRs could result in the reduction of gold interfacial thermal conductance with a solvent, so that the heat is more confined within the nanoparticle clusters for a significant enhancement of local temperature. Hence, both the linear and nonlinear photoacoustic signals are enhanced on account of better thermal confinement. The present work not only shows that ZnTPP coated Au NRs could serve as excellent photoacoustic nanoamplifiers, but also brings a perspective for photoacoustic image-guided therapy.

An algorithm for total variation regularized photoacoustic imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dong, Yiqiu; Görner, Torsten; Kunis, Stefan

2014-01-01

Recovery of image data from photoacoustic measurements asks for the inversion of the spherical mean value operator. In contrast to direct inversion methods for specific geometries, we consider a semismooth Newton scheme to solve a total variation regularized least squares problem. During the iter......Recovery of image data from photoacoustic measurements asks for the inversion of the spherical mean value operator. In contrast to direct inversion methods for specific geometries, we consider a semismooth Newton scheme to solve a total variation regularized least squares problem. During...... the iteration, each matrix vector multiplication is realized in an efficient way using a recently proposed spectral discretization of the spherical mean value operator. All theoretical results are illustrated by numerical experiments....

Photoacoustic Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lihong V.

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) refers to imaging that is based on the photoacoustic effect. Although the photoacoustic effect as a physical phenomenon was first reported on by Alexander Graham Bell in 1880 [1], PAT as an imaging technology was developed only after the advent of ultrasonic transducers, computers, and lasers [2-31]. A review on biomedical photoacoustics is available [32]. The motivation for PAT is to combine optical-absorption contrast with ultrasonic spatial resolution for deep imaging in the optical quasi-diffusive or diffusive regime. In PAT, the tissue is irradiated by usually a short-pulsed laser beam to achieve a thermal and acoustic impulse response (Fig. 19.1). Locally absorbed light is converted into heat, which is further converted to a pressure rise via thermo-elastic expansion. The initial pressure rise - determined by the local optical absorption coefficient (μ â ), fluence (ψ) and other thermal and mechanical properties - propagates as an ultrasonic wave, which is referred to as a photoacoustic wave.

In vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Targeted Contrast Agent

Science.gov (United States)

2016-11-01

AD______________ AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0242 TITLE: In Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Targeted Contrast Agent PRINCIPAL...TITLE AND SUBTITLE In vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using T argeted Contrast Agent 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0242 5b. GRANT...diagnose prostate cancer based on the near-infrared optical absorption of either endogenous tissue constituents or exogenous contrast agents . Although

Model-Based Photoacoustic Image Reconstruction using Compressed Sensing and Smoothed L0 Norm

OpenAIRE

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Orooji, Mahdi

2018-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a novel medical imaging modality that uses the advantages of the spatial resolution of ultrasound imaging and the high contrast of pure optical imaging. Analytical algorithms are usually employed to reconstruct the photoacoustic (PA) images as a result of their simple implementation. However, they provide a low accurate image. Model-based (MB) algorithms are used to improve the image quality and accuracy while a large number of transducers and data acquisition a...

Integrated photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging: applications and new techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, P.J.

2017-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a unique combination of optical sensitivity to tissue chromophores like hemoglobin, and ultrasonic resolution. Research in this PhD thesis is made possible by the development of a probe that combines PAI with regular ultrasound imaging. This probe is handheld and

A photoacoustic tomography system for imaging of biological tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Yixiong; Zhang Fan; Xu Kexin; Yao Jianquan; Wang, Ruikang K

2005-01-01

Non-invasive laser-induced photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a promising imaging modality in the biomedical optical imaging field. This technology, based on the intrinsic optical properties of tissue and ultrasonic detection, overcomes the resolution disadvantage of pure-optical imaging caused by strong light scattering and the contrast and speckle disadvantages of pure ultrasonic imaging. Here, we report a PAT experimental system constructed in our laboratory. In our system, a Q-switched Nd : YAG pulse laser operated at 532 nm with a 8 ns pulse width is used to generate a photoacoustic signal. By using this system, the two-dimensional distribution of optical absorption in the tissue-mimicking phantom is reconstructed and has an excellent agreement with the original ones. The spatial resolution of the imaging system approaches 100 μm through about 4 cm of highly scattering medium

In vivo imaging of cell nuclei by photoacoustic microscopy without staining

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Da-Kang; Chen, Ruimin; Maslov, Konstantin; Zhou, Qifa; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-02-01

Ultraviolet photoacoustic microscopy (UVPAM) can image cell nuclei in vivo with high contrast and resolution noninvasively without staining. Here, we used UV light at wavelengths of 210-310 nm for excitation of DNA and RNA to produce photoacoustic waves. We applied the UVPAM to in vivo imaging of cell nuclei in mouse skin, and obtained UVPAM images of the unstained cell nuclei at wavelengths of 245-282 nm as ultrasound gel was used for acoustic coupling. The largest ratio of contrast to noise was found for the images of cell nuclei at a 250 nm wavelength.

The characterization of an economic and portable LED-based photoacoustic imaging system to facilitate molecular imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Hariri, Ali; Lemaster, Jeanne; Wang, Junxin; Jeevarathinam, AnanthaKrishnan S; Chao, Daniel L; Jokerst, Jesse V

2018-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a non-invasive, high-resolution hybrid imaging modality that combines optical excitation and ultrasound detection. PAI can image endogenous chromophores (melanin, hemoglobin, etc.) and exogenous contrast agents in different medical applications. However, most current equipment uses sophisticated and complicated OPO lasers with tuning and stability features inconsistent with broad clinical deployment. As the number of applications of PAI in medicine increases, there is an urgent need to make the imaging equipment more compact, portable, and affordable. Here, portable light emitting diode - based photoacoustic imaging (PLED-PAI) was introduced and characterized in terms of system specifications, light source characterizations, photoacoustic spatial/temporal resolution, and penetration. The system uses two LED arrays attached to the sides of a conventional ultrasound transducer. The LED pulse repetition rate is tunable between 1 K Hz, 2 K Hz, 3 K Hz, and 4 K Hz. The axial resolution was 0.268 mm, and the lateral resolution was between 0.55 and 0.59 mm. The system could detect optical absorber (pencil lead) at a depth of 3.2 cm and the detection limits of indocyanine green (ICG) and methylene blue (MB) were 9 μM and 0.78 mM. In vivo imaging of labeled human mesenchymal stem cells was achieved to confirm compatibility with small animal imaging. The characterization we report here may have value to other groups evaluating commercially available photoacoustic imaging equipment.

Hybrid Photoacoustic/Ultrasound Tomograph for Real-Time Finger Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Oeri, Milan; Bost, Wolfgang; Sénégond, Nicolas; Tretbar, Steffen; Fournelle, Marc

2017-10-01

We report a target-enclosing, hybrid tomograph with a total of 768 elements based on capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer technology and providing fast, high-resolution 2-D/3-D photoacoustic and ultrasound tomography tailored to finger imaging. A freely programmable ultrasound beamforming platform sampling data at 80 MHz was developed to realize plane wave transmission under multiple angles. A multiplexing unit enables the connection and control of a large number of elements. Fast image reconstruction is provided by GPU processing. The tomograph is composed of four independent and fully automated movable arc-shaped transducers, allowing imaging of all three finger joints. The system benefits from photoacoustics, yielding high optical contrast and enabling visualization of finger vascularization, and ultrasound provides morphologic information on joints and surrounding tissue. A diode-pumped, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and an optical parametric oscillator are used to broaden the spectrum of emitted wavelengths to provide multispectral imaging. Custom-made optical fiber bundles enable illumination of the region of interest in the plane of acoustic detection. Precision in positioning of the probe in motion is ensured by use of a motor-driven guide slide. The current position of the probe is encoded by the stage and used to relate ultrasound and photoacoustic signals to the corresponding region of interest of the suspicious finger joint. The system is characterized in phantoms and a healthy human finger in vivo. The results obtained promise to provide new opportunities in finger diagnostics and establish photoacoustic/ultrasound-tomography in medical routine. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On image quality enhancement in photoacoustic image reconstruction by motion compensation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willemink, Rene; Slump, Cornelis H.; van der Heijden, Ferdinand

2006-01-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a relatively new noninvasive medical imaging modality. It is a tech- nique which is harmless for the human body and uses pulsed optical energy. The process is based on the ab- sorption of the pulse of optical energy by an object leading to local temperature increases.

Review of photoacoustic flow imaging: its current state and its promises.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Berg, P J; Daoudi, K; Steenbergen, W

2015-09-01

Flow imaging is an important method for quantification in many medical imaging modalities, with applications ranging from estimating wall shear rate to detecting angiogenesis. Modalities like ultrasound and optical coherence tomography both offer flow imaging capabilities, but suffer from low contrast to red blood cells and are sensitive to clutter artefacts. Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a relatively new field, with a recent interest in flow imaging. The recent enthusiasm for PA flow imaging is due to its intrinsic contrast to haemoglobin, which offers a new spin on existing methods of flow imaging, and some unique approaches in addition. This review article will delve into the research on photoacoustic flow imaging, explain the principles behind the many techniques and comment on their individual advantages and disadvantages.

Quantification of photoacoustic microscopy images for ovarian cancer detection

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tianheng; Yang, Yi; Alqasemi, Umar; Kumavor, Patrick D.; Wang, Xiaohong; Sanders, Melinda; Brewer, Molly; Zhu, Quing

2014-03-01

In this paper, human ovarian tissues with malignant and benign features were imaged ex vivo by using an opticalresolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) system. Several features were quantitatively extracted from PAM images to describe photoacoustic signal distributions and fluctuations. 106 PAM images from 18 human ovaries were classified by applying those extracted features to a logistic prediction model. 57 images from 9 ovaries were used as a training set to train the logistic model, and 49 images from another 9 ovaries were used to test our prediction model. We assumed that if one image from one malignant ovary was classified as malignant, it is sufficient to classify this ovary as malignant. For the training set, we achieved 100% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity; for testing set, we achieved 100% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity. These preliminary results demonstrate that PAM could be extremely valuable in assisting and guiding surgeons for in vivo evaluation of ovarian tissue.

Validating tyrosinase homologue melA as a photoacoustic reporter gene for imaging Escherichia coli

Science.gov (United States)

Paproski, Robert J.; Li, Yan; Barber, Quinn; Lewis, John D.; Campbell, Robert E.; Zemp, Roger

2015-10-01

To understand the pathogenic processes for infectious bacteria, appropriate research tools are required for replicating and characterizing infections. Fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging have primarily been used to image infections in animal models, but optical scattering in tissue significantly limits imaging depth and resolution. Photoacoustic imaging, which has improved depth-to-resolution ratio compared to conventional optical imaging, could be useful for visualizing melA-expressing bacteria since melA is a bacterial tyrosinase homologue which produces melanin. Escherichia coli-expressing melA was visibly dark in liquid culture. When melA-expressing bacteria in tubes were imaged with a VisualSonics Vevo LAZR system, the signal-to-noise ratio of a 9× dilution sample was 55, suggesting that ˜20 bacteria cells could be detected with our system. Multispectral (680, 700, 750, 800, 850, and 900 nm) analysis of the photoacoustic signal allowed unmixing of melA-expressing bacteria from blood. To compare photoacoustic reporter gene melA (using Vevo system) with luminescent and fluorescent reporter gene Nano-lantern (using Bruker Xtreme In-Vivo system), tubes of bacteria expressing melA or Nano-lantern were submerged 10 mm in 1% Intralipid, spaced between melA-expressing bacteria even when the tubes were less than 1 mm from each other, while bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging could not resolve the two tubes of Nano-lantern-expressing bacteria even when the tubes were spaced 10 mm from each other. After injecting 100-μL of melA-expressing bacteria in the back flank of a chicken embryo, photoacoustic imaging allowed visualization of melA-expressing bacteria up to 10-mm deep into the embryo. Photoacoustic signal from melA could also be separated from deoxy- and oxy-hemoglobin signal observed within the embryo and chorioallantoic membrane. Our results suggest that melA is a useful photoacoustic reporter gene for visualizing bacteria, and further work

Validating tyrosinase homologue MelA as a photoacoustic reporter gene for imaging Escherichia coli

Science.gov (United States)

Paproski, Robert J.; Li, Yan; Barber, Quinn; Lewis, John D.; Campbell, Robert; Zemp, Roger

2015-03-01

Antibiotic drug resistance is a major worldwide issue. Development of new therapies against pathogenic bacteria requires appropriate research tools for replicating and characterizing infections. Previously fluorescence and bioluminescence modalities have been used to image infectious burden in animal models but scattering significantly limits imaging depth and resolution. We hypothesize that photoacoustic imaging, which has improved depth-toresolution ratio, could be useful for visualizing MelA-expressing bacteria since MelA is a bacterial tyrosinase homologue involved in melanin production. Using an inducible expression system, E. coli expressing MelA were visibly black in liquid culture. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), MelA-expressing bacteria (at different dilutions in PBS), and chicken embryo blood were injected in plastic tubes which were imaged using a VisualSonics Vevo LAZR system. Photoacoustic imaging at 6 different wavelengths (680, 700, 750, 800, 850 and 900nm) enabled spectral de-mixing to distinguish melanin signals from blood. The signal to noise ratio of 9x diluted MelA bacteria was 55, suggesting that ~20 bacteria cells could be detected with our system. When MelA bacteria were injected as a 100 μL bolus into a chicken embryo, photoacoustic signals from deoxy- and oxy- hemoglobin as well as MelA-expressing bacteria could be separated and overlaid on an ultrasound image, allowing visualization of the bacterial location. Photoacoustic imaging may be a useful tool for visualizing bacterial infections and further work incorporating photoacoustic reporters into infectious bacterial strains is warranted.

Dual-modal photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging of dental implants

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Donghyun; Park, Sungjo; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Dental implants are common method to replace decayed or broken tooth. As the implant treatment procedures varies according to the patients' jawbone, bone ridge, and sinus structure, appropriate examinations are necessary for successful treatment. Currently, radiographic examinations including periapical radiology, panoramic X-ray, and computed tomography are commonly used for diagnosing and monitoring. However, these radiographic examinations have limitations in that patients and operators are exposed to radioactivity and multiple examinations are performed during the treatment. In this study, we demonstrated photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasound (US) combined imaging of dental implant that can lower the total amount of absorbed radiation dose in dental implant treatment. An acoustic resolution PA macroscopy and a clinical PA/US system was used for dental implant imaging. The acquired dual modal PA/US imaging results support that the proposed photoacoustic imaging strategy can reduce the radiation dose rate during dental implant treatment.

Photoacoustic imaging of vascular networks in transgenic mice

Science.gov (United States)

Laufer, J. G.; Cleary, J. O.; Zhang, E. Z.; Lythgoe, M. F.; Beard, P. C.

2010-02-01

The preferential absorption of near infrared light by blood makes photoacoustic imaging well suited to visualising vascular structures in soft tissue. In addition, the spectroscopic specificity of tissue chromophores can be exploited by acquiring images at multiple excitation wavelengths. This allows the quantification of endogenous chromophores, such as oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin, and hence blood oxygenation, and the detection of exogenous chromophores, such as functionalised contrast agents. More importantly, this approach has the potential to visualise the spatial distribution of low concentrations of functionalised contrast agents against the strong background absorption of the endogenous chromophores. This has a large number of applications in the life sciences. One example is the structural and functional phenotyping of transgenic mice for the study of the genetic origins of vascular malformations, such as heart defects. In this study, photoacoustic images of mouse embryos have been acquired to study the development of the vasculature following specific genetic knockouts.

Dual-mode photoacoustic and ultrasound system for real-time in-vivo ovarian cancer imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Mostafa, Atahar; Nandy, Sreyankar; Amidi, Eghbal; Zhu, Quing

2018-02-01

More than 80% of the ovarian cancers are diagnosed at late stages and the survival rate is less than 50%. Currently, there is no effective screening technique available and transvaginal US can only tell if the ovaries are enlarged or not. We have developed a new real-time co-registered US and photoacoustic system for in vivo imaging and characterization of ovaries. US is used to localize ovaries and photoacoustic imaging provides functional information about ovarian tissue angiogenesis and oxygenation saturation. The system consists of a tunable laser and a commercial US system from Alpinion Inc. The Alpinion system is cable of providing channel data for both US pulse-echo and photoacoustic imaging and can be programmed as a computer terminal for display US and photoacoustic images side by side or in coregistered mode. A transvaginal ultrasound probe of 6-MHz center frequency and bandwidth of 3-10 MHz is coupled with four optical fibers surrounded the US probe to deliver the light to tissue. The light from optical fibers is homogenized to ensure the power delivered to the tissue surface is below the FDA required limit. Physicians can easily navigate the probe and use US to look for ovaries and then turn on photoacoustic mode to provide real-time tumor vasculature and So2 saturation maps. With the optimized system, we have successfully imaged first group of 7 patients of malignant, abnormal and benign ovaries. The results have shown that both photoacoustic signal strength and spatial distribution are different between malignant and abnormal and benign ovaries.

Photoacoustic imaging of breast tumor vascularization: a comparison with MRI and histopathology

Science.gov (United States)

Heijblom, Michelle; Piras, Daniele; van den Engh, Frank M.; Klaase, Joost M.; Brinkhuis, Mariël.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; Manohar, Srirang

2013-06-01

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among females. Early diagnosis improves the survival chances for the disease and that is why there is an ongoing search for improved methods for visualizing breast cancer. One of the hallmarks of breast cancer is the increase in tumor vascularization that is associated with angiogenesis: a crucial factor for survival of malignancies. Photoacoustic imaging can visualize the malignancyassociated increased hemoglobin concentration with optical contrast and ultrasound resolution, without the use of ionizing radiation or contrast agents and is therefore theoretically an ideal method for breast imaging. Previous clinical studies using the Twente Photoacoustic Mammoscope (PAM), which works in forward mode using a single wavelength (1064 nm), showed that malignancies can indeed be identified in the photoacoustic imaging volume as high contrast areas. However, the specific appearance of the malignancies led to questions about the contrast mechanism in relation to tumor vascularization. In this study, the photoacoustic lesion appearance obtained with an updated version of PAM is compared with the lesion appearance on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), both in general (19 patients) and on an individual basis (7 patients). Further, in 3 patients an extended histopathology protocol is being performed in which malignancies are stained for vascularity using an endothelial antibody: CD31. The correspondence between PAM and MRI and between PAM and histopathology makes it likely that the high photoacoustic contrast at 1064 nm is indeed largely the consequence of the increased tumor vascularization.

Quantitative imaging of bilirubin by photoacoustic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yong; Zhang, Chi; Yao, Da-Kang; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-03-01

Noninvasive detection of both bilirubin concentration and its distribution is important for disease diagnosis. Here we implemented photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) to detect bilirubin distribution. We first demonstrate that our PAM system can measure the absorption spectra of bilirubin and blood. We also image bilirubin distributions in tissuemimicking samples, both without and with blood mixed. Our results show that PAM has the potential to quantitatively image bilirubin in vivo for clinical applications.

Breast imaging using the Twente photoacoustic mammoscope (PAM): new clinical measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Heijblom, Michelle; Piras, Daniele; Ten Tije, Ellen; Xia, Wenfeng; van Hespen, Johan; Klaase, Joost; van den Engh, Frank; van Leeuwen, Ton; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; Manohar, Srirang

2011-07-01

Worldwide, yearly about 450,000 women die from the consequences of breast cancer. Current imaging modalities are not optimal in discriminating benign from malignant tissue. Visualizing the malignancy-associated increased hemoglobin concentration might significantly improve early diagnosis of breast cancer. Since photoacoustic imaging can visualize hemoglobin in tissue with optical contrast and ultrasound-like resolution, it is potentially an ideal method for early breast cancer imaging. The Twente Photoacoustic Mammoscope (PAM) has been developed specifically for breast imaging. Recently, a large clinical study has been started in the Medisch Spectrum Twente in Oldenzaal using PAM. In PAM, the breast is slightly compressed between a window for laser light illumination and a flat array ultrasound detector. The measurements are performed using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, pulsed at 1064 nm and a 1 MHz unfocused ultrasound detector array. Three-dimensional data are reconstructed using a delay and sum reconstruction algorithm. Those reconstructed images are compared with conventional imaging and histopathology. In the first phase of the study 12 patients with a malignant lesion and 2 patients with a benign cyst have been measured. The results are used to guide developments in photoacoustic mammography in order to pave the way towards an optimal technique for early diagnosis of breast cancer.

Ingestible roasted barley for contrast-enhanced photoacoustic imaging in animal and human subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Depeng; Lee, Dong Hyeun; Huang, Haoyuan; Vu, Tri; Lim, Rachel Su Ann; Nyayapathi, Nikhila; Chitgupi, Upendra; Liu, Maggie; Geng, Jumin; Xia, Jun; Lovell, Jonathan F

2018-08-01

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is an emerging imaging modality. While many contrast agents have been developed for PACT, these typically cannot immediately be used in humans due to the lengthy regulatory process. We screened two hundred types of ingestible foodstuff samples for photoacoustic contrast with 1064 nm pulse laser excitation, and identified roasted barley as a promising candidate. Twenty brands of roasted barley were further screened to identify the one with the strongest contrast, presumably based on complex chemical modifications incurred during the roasting process. Individual roasted barley particles could be detected through 3.5 cm of chicken-breast tissue and through the whole hand of healthy human volunteers. With PACT, but not ultrasound imaging, a single grain of roasted barley was detected in a field of hundreds of non-roasted particles. Upon oral administration, roasted barley enabled imaging of the gut and peristalsis in mice. Prepared roasted barley tea could be detected through 2.5 cm chicken breast tissue. When barley tea was administered to humans, photoacoustic imaging visualized swallowing dynamics in healthy volunteers. Thus, roasted barley represents an edible foodstuff that should be considered for photoacoustic contrast imaging of swallowing and gut processes, with immediate potential for clinical translation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying bone thickness, light transmission, and contrast interrelationships in transcranial photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.; Ostrowski, Anastasia K.; Li, Ke; Kaanzides, Peter; Boctor, Emad

2015-03-01

We previously introduced photoacoustic imaging to detect blood vessels surrounded by bone and thereby eliminate the deadly risk of carotid artery injury during endonasal, transsphenoidal surgeries. Light would be transmitted through an optical fiber attached to the surgical drill, while a transcranial probe placed on the temporal region of the skull receives photoacoustic signals. This work quantifies changes in photoacoustic image contrast as the sphenoid bone is drilled. Frontal bone from a human adult cadaver skull was cut into seven 3 cm x 3 cm chips and sanded to thicknesses ranging 1-4 mm. For 700-940 nm wavelengths, the average optical transmission through these specimens increased from 19% to 44% as bone thickness decreased, with measurements agreeing with Monte Carlo simulations within 5%. These skull specimens were individually placed in the optical pathway of a 3.5 mm diameter, cylindrical, vessel-mimicking photoacoustic target, as the laser wavelength was varied between 700-940 nm. The mean optical insertion loss and photoacoustic image contrast loss due to the bone specimens were 56-80% and 46-79%, respectively, with the majority of change observed when the bone was <=2 mm thick. The decrease in contrast is directly proportional to insertion loss over this thickness range by factors of 0.8-1.1 when multiple wavelengths are considered. Results suggest that this proportional relationship may be used to determine the amount of bone that remains to be drilled when the thickness is 2 mm or less.

Non-invasive imaging of epileptic seizures in vivo using photoacoustic tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Qizhi; Carney, Paul R; Yuan Zhen; Jiang Huabei [J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Liu Zhao [Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 (United States); Chen Huanxin; Roper, Steven N [Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0265 (United States)], E-mail: hjiang@bme.ufl.edu

2008-04-07

Non-invasive laser-induced photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging imaging modality that has the potential to image the dynamic function of the brain due to its unique ability of imaging biological tissues with high optical contrast and ultrasound resolution. Here we report the first application of our finite-element-based PAT for imaging of epileptic seizures in an animal model. In vivo photoacoustic images were obtained in rats with focal seizures induced by microinjection of bicuculline, a GABA{sub A} antagonist, into the neocortex. The seizure focus was accurately localized by PAT as confirmed with gold-standard electroencephalogram (EEG). Compared to the existing neuroimaging modalities, PAT not only has the unprecedented advantage of high spatial and temporal resolution in a single imaging modality, but also is portable and low in cost, making it possible to bring brain imaging to the bedside.

Near-infrared light-responsive liposomal contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging and drug release applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sivasubramanian, Kathyayini; Mathiyazhakan, Malathi; Wiraja, Christian; Upputuri, Paul Kumar; Xu, Chenjie; Pramanik, Manojit

2017-04-01

Photoacoustic imaging has become an emerging tool for theranostic applications. Not only does it help in release and therapeutic applications. We explore near-infrared light-sensitive liposomes coated with gold nanostars (AuNSs) for both imaging and drug release applications using a photoacoustic imaging system. Being amphiphilic, the liposomes lipid bilayer and the aqueous core enable encapsulation of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs. The AuNSs on the surface of the liposomes act as photon absorbers due to their intrinsic surface plasmon resonance. Upon excitation by laser light at specific wavelength, AuNSs facilitate rapid release of the contents encapsulated in the liposomes due to local heating and pressure wave formation (photoacoustic wave). Herein, we describe the design and optimization of the AuNSs-coated liposomes and demonstrate the release of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic model drugs (paclitaxel and calcein, respectively) through laser excitation at near-infrared wavelength. The use of AuNSs-coated liposomes as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging is also explored with tissue phantom experiments. In comparison to blood, the AuNSs-coated liposomes have better contrast (approximately two times) at 2-cm imaging depth.

Photoacoustic imaging of mesenchymal stem cells in living mice via silica-coated gold nanorods

Science.gov (United States)

Jokerst, Jesse V.; Thangaraj, Mridhula; Gambhir, Sanjiv S.

2014-03-01

Imaging is crucial for stem cell therapy to monitor the location(s), numbers, and state of the implanted cells. Real-time imaging in particular can ensure proper cell delivery for best engraftment. However, established imaging tools such as MRI are limited by their temporal resolution for guidance during delivery. In contrast, photoacoustic imaging is ideally suited for real time, image-guided therapy. Here, we use silica-coated gold nanorods as photoacoustic contrast agents and deploy them to image and quantitate mesenchymal stem cells during implant into the muscle tissue of live mice. Silica-coated gold nanorods (SiGNRs) were created with standard methods and loaded into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) without transfection agents. There was no significant (pmuscle tissue to simulate a muscular dystrophy patient. Mice (N=5) treated with these SiGNRlabeled MSCs exhibited no adverse events and implants up to 5 mm deep were easily visualized. The in vivo detection limit was 90,000 cells in a 100 uL bolus in mouse thigh muscle. Here, the B-mode signal is useful for orienting the treatment area and visualizing the delivery catheter while the photoacoustic mode offers cell-specific content. The photoacoustic signal was validated with histology a long-term fluorescent tracking dye after MSC transplant.

Time Reversal Reconstruction Algorithm Based on PSO Optimized SVM Interpolation for Photoacoustic Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingjian Sun

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Photoacoustic imaging is an innovative imaging technique to image biomedical tissues. The time reversal reconstruction algorithm in which a numerical model of the acoustic forward problem is run backwards in time is widely used. In the paper, a time reversal reconstruction algorithm based on particle swarm optimization (PSO optimized support vector machine (SVM interpolation method is proposed for photoacoustics imaging. Numerical results show that the reconstructed images of the proposed algorithm are more accurate than those of the nearest neighbor interpolation, linear interpolation, and cubic convolution interpolation based time reversal algorithm, which can provide higher imaging quality by using significantly fewer measurement positions or scanning times.

Quinone-fused porphyrins as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging

KAUST Repository

Banala, Srinivas; Fokong, Stanley; Brand, Christian; Andreou, Chrysafis; Krä utler, Bernhard; Rueping, Magnus; Kiessling, Fabian

2017-01-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging non-invasive diagnostic modality with many potential clinical applications in oncology, rheumatology and the cardiovascular field. For this purpose, there is a high demand for exogenous contrast agents

In vivo deep brain imaging of rats using oral-cavity illuminated photoacoustic computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Li; Xia, Jun; Wong, Terence T. W.; Zhang, Ruiying; Wang, Lihong V.

2015-03-01

We demonstrate, by means of internal light delivery, photoacoustic imaging of the deep brain of rats in vivo. With fiber illumination via the oral cavity, we delivered light directly into the bottom of the brain, much more than can be delivered by external illumination. The study was performed using a photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) system equipped with a 512-element full-ring transducer array, providing a full two-dimensional view aperture. Using internal illumination, the PACT system provided clear cross sectional photoacoustic images from the palate to the middle brain of live rats, revealing deep brain structures such as the hypothalamus, brain stem, and cerebral medulla.

Whole-body and multispectral photoacoustic imaging of adult zebrafish

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Na; Xi, Lei

2016-10-01

Zebrafish is a top vertebrate model to study developmental biology and genetics, and it is becoming increasingly popular for studying human diseases due to its high genome similarity to that of humans and the optical transparency in embryonic stages. However, it becomes difficult for pure optical imaging techniques to volumetric visualize the internal organs and structures of wild-type zebrafish in juvenile and adult stages with excellent resolution and penetration depth. Even with the establishment of mutant lines which remain transparent over the life cycle, it is still a challenge for pure optical imaging modalities to image the whole body of adult zebrafish with micro-scale resolution. However, the method called photoacoustic imaging that combines all the advantages of the optical imaging and ultrasonic imaging provides a new way to image the whole body of the zebrafish. In this work, we developed a non-invasive photoacoustic imaging system with optimized near-infrared illumination and cylindrical scanning to image the zebrafish. The lateral and axial resolution yield to 80 μm and 600 μm, respectively. Multispectral strategy with wavelengths from 690 nm to 930 nm was employed to image various organs inside the zebrafish. From the reconstructed images, most major organs and structures inside the body can be precisely imaged. Quantitative and statistical analysis of absorption for organs under illumination with different wavelengths were carried out.

Comparison of fundamental and wideband harmonic contrast imaging of liver tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsberg, F; Liu, J B; Chiou, H J; Rawool, N M; Parker, L; Goldberg, B B

2000-03-01

Wideband harmonic imaging (with phase inversion for improved tissue suppression) was compared to fundamental imaging in vivo. Four woodchucks with naturally occurring liver tumors were injected with Imagent (Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., San Diego, CA). Randomized combinations of dose (0.05, 0.2 and 0.4 ml/kg) and acoustic output power (AO; 5, 25 and 63% or MI Siemens Medical Systems, Issaquah, WA). Tumor vascularity, conspicuity and contrast enhancement were rated by three independent observers. Imagent produced marked tumor enhancement and improved depiction of neovascularity at all dosages and AO settings in both modes. Tumor vascularity and enhancement correlated with mode, dose and AO (P < 0.002). Fundamental imaging produced more enhancement (P < 0.05), but tumor vascularity and conspicuity were best appreciated in harmonic mode (P < 0.05). Under the conditions studied here, the best approach was wideband harmonic imaging with 0.2 ml/kg of Imagent at an AO of 25%.

Photoacoustic imaging of hidden dental caries by using a bundle of hollow optical fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Koyama, Takuya; Kakino, Satoko; Matsuura, Yuji

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic imaging system using a bundle of hollow-optical fibers to detect hidden dental caries is proposed. Firstly, we fabricated a hidden caries model with a brown pigment simulating a common color of caries lesion. It was found that high frequency ultrasonic waves are generated from hidden carious part when radiating Nd:YAG laser light with a 532 nm wavelength to occlusal surface of model tooth. We calculated by Fourier transform and found that the waveform from the carious part provides frequency components of approximately from 0.5 to 1.2 MHz. Then a photoacoustic imaging system using a bundle of hollow optical fiber was fabricated for clinical applications. From intensity map of frequency components in 0.5-1.2 MHz, photoacoustic images of hidden caries in the simulated samples were successfully obtained.

Photoacoustic cystography using handheld dual modal clinical ultrasound photoacoustic imaging system

Science.gov (United States)

Sivasubramanian, Kathyayini; Periyasamy, Vijitha; Austria, Dienzo Rhonnie; Pramanik, Manojit

2018-02-01

Vesicoureteral reflux is the abnormal flow of urine from your bladder back up the tubes (ureters) that connect your kidneys to your bladder. Normally, urine flows only down from your kidneys to your bladder. Vesicoureteral reflux is usually diagnosed in infants and children. The disorder increases the risk of urinary tract infections, which, if left untreated, can lead to kidney damage. X-Ray cystography is used currently to diagnose this condition which uses ionising radiation, making it harmful for patients. In this work we demonstrate the feasibility of imaging the urinary bladder using a handheld clinical ultrasound and photoacoustic dual modal imaging system in small animals (rats). Additionally, we demonstrate imaging vesicoureteral reflux using bladder mimicking phantoms. Urinary bladder imaging is done with the help of contrast agents like black ink and gold nanoparticles which have high optical absorption at 1064 nm. Imaging up to 2 cm was demonstrated with this system. Imaging was done at a framerate of 5 frames per second.

Amplified photoacoustic performance and enhanced photothermal stability of reduced graphene oxide coated gold nanorods for sensitive photoacoustic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Hyungwon; Kumar, Dinesh; Kim, Haemin; Sim, Changbeom; Chang, Jin-Ho; Kim, Jung-Mu; Kim, Hyuncheol; Lim, Dong-Kwon

2015-03-24

We report a strongly amplified photoacoustic (PA) performance of the new functional hybrid material composed of reduced graphene oxide and gold nanorods. Due to the excellent NIR light absorption properties of the reduced graphene oxide coated gold nanorods (r-GO-AuNRs) and highly efficient heat transfer process through the reduced graphene oxide layer, r-GO-AuNRs exhibit excellent photothermal stability and significantly higher photoacoustic amplitudes than those of bare-AuNRs, nonreduced graphene oxide coated AuNRs (GO-AuNRs), or silica-coated AuNR, as demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo systems. The linear response of PA amplitude from reduced state controlled GO on AuNR indicates the critical role of GO for a strong photothermal effect of r-GO-AuNRs. Theoretical studies with finite-element-method lab-based simulation reveal that a 4 times higher magnitude of the enhanced electromagnetic field around r-GO-AuNRs can be generated compared with bare AuNRs or GO-AuNRs. Furthermore, the r-GO-AuNRs are expected to be a promising deep-tissue imaging probe because of extraordinarily high PA amplitudes in the 4-11 MHz operating frequency of an ultrasound transducer. Therefore, the r-GO-AuNRs can be a useful imaging probe for highly sensitive photoacoustic images and NIR sensitive therapeutics based on a strong photothermal effect.

Determination of optical absorption coefficient with focusing photoacoustic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhifang; Li, Hui; Zeng, Zhiping; Xie, Wenming; Chen, Wei R

2012-06-01

Absorption coefficient of biological tissue is an important factor for photothermal therapy and photoacoustic imaging. However, its determination remains a challenge. In this paper, we propose a method using focusing photoacoustic imaging technique to quantify the target optical absorption coefficient. It utilizes the ratio of the amplitude of the peak signal from the top boundary of the target to that from the bottom boundary based on wavelet transform. This method is self-calibrating. Factors, such as absolute optical fluence, ultrasound parameters, and Grüneisen parameter, can be canceled by dividing the amplitudes of the two peaks. To demonstrate this method, we quantified the optical absorption coefficient of a target with various concentrations of an absorbing dye. This method is particularly useful to provide accurate absorption coefficient for predicting the outcomes of photothermal interaction for cancer treatment with absorption enhancement.

SU-E-J-44: Design a Platform and Phantom Model for Photoacoustic Imaging in Combination with CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sick, J; Alsanea, F; Rancilio, N; Stantz, K [Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: Our (long-term) objective is to develop a US manipulator that will provide in situ radiation response and image-guided therapy for bladder cancer based on photoacoustic molecular imaging. Methods: A platform was devised to provide a reproducible positional frame of reference for targeting anatomic structure between MDCT and US scans, in lieu of CBCT, and to fuse photoacoustic molecular imaging. US and photoacoustic scans are taken of a patient while in the CT scanner and IRMT. Through co-registration, based on anatomical positions, we identified a common coordinate system to be used in Eclipse. A bladder phantom was constructed to validate anatomical tracking via US and photoacoustic imaging. We tested the platform using phantom model to demonstrate validity once moved from the CT couch to the linear accelerator couch. Results: This platform interlocks with Varian exact couch index points for reproducibility of positioning. Construction from low Z material and sized appropriately to fit in CT/IMRT gantry. Error in conversion from cylindrical coordinates of the manipulator to X, Y, Z coordinates of the treatment couch was less than 1mm. We measured the bladder size in 3 different directions in both Eclipse from the CT and Acuson from US. The error was less than 2mm in all directions. CT and US images were co-registered in MATLAB. Co-registration of photoacoustic images is still being developed. Conclusion: For Linear Accelerators without on board imaging, MV portal images are not a viable option for the localization of soft tissue anatomy. We believe our manipulator provides an alternative using US imaging, which will be examined in an upcoming clinical trial. We plan to examine the value of hypoxia guided treatment through photoacoustic imaging during this trial.

SU-E-J-44: Design a Platform and Phantom Model for Photoacoustic Imaging in Combination with CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sick, J; Alsanea, F; Rancilio, N; Stantz, K

2014-01-01

Purpose: Our (long-term) objective is to develop a US manipulator that will provide in situ radiation response and image-guided therapy for bladder cancer based on photoacoustic molecular imaging. Methods: A platform was devised to provide a reproducible positional frame of reference for targeting anatomic structure between MDCT and US scans, in lieu of CBCT, and to fuse photoacoustic molecular imaging. US and photoacoustic scans are taken of a patient while in the CT scanner and IRMT. Through co-registration, based on anatomical positions, we identified a common coordinate system to be used in Eclipse. A bladder phantom was constructed to validate anatomical tracking via US and photoacoustic imaging. We tested the platform using phantom model to demonstrate validity once moved from the CT couch to the linear accelerator couch. Results: This platform interlocks with Varian exact couch index points for reproducibility of positioning. Construction from low Z material and sized appropriately to fit in CT/IMRT gantry. Error in conversion from cylindrical coordinates of the manipulator to X, Y, Z coordinates of the treatment couch was less than 1mm. We measured the bladder size in 3 different directions in both Eclipse from the CT and Acuson from US. The error was less than 2mm in all directions. CT and US images were co-registered in MATLAB. Co-registration of photoacoustic images is still being developed. Conclusion: For Linear Accelerators without on board imaging, MV portal images are not a viable option for the localization of soft tissue anatomy. We believe our manipulator provides an alternative using US imaging, which will be examined in an upcoming clinical trial. We plan to examine the value of hypoxia guided treatment through photoacoustic imaging during this trial

Integrated Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Confocal Microscopy

OpenAIRE

Wang, Yu; Maslov, Konstantin; Kim, Chulhong; Hu, Song; Wang, Lihong V.

2010-01-01

We have developed a dual-modality imaging system by integrating optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy and fluorescence confocal microscopy to provide optical absorption and fluorescence contrasts simultaneously. By sharing the same laser source and objective lens, intrinsically registered photoacoustic and fluorescence images are acquired in a single scan. The micrometer resolution allows imaging of both blood and lymphatic vessels down to the capillary level. Simultaneous photoacoustic...

Functional photoacoustic imaging to observe regional brain activation induced by cocaine hydrochloride

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Janggun; Yang, Xinmai

2011-09-01

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was used to detect small animal brain activation in response to drug abuse. Cocaine hydrochloride in saline solution was injected into the blood stream of Sprague Dawley rats through tail veins. The rat brain functional change in response to the injection of drug was then monitored by the PAM technique. Images in the coronal view of the rat brain at the locations of 1.2 and 3.4 mm posterior to bregma were obtained. The resulted photoacoustic (PA) images showed the regional changes in the blood volume. Additionally, the regional changes in blood oxygenation were also presented. The results demonstrated that PA imaging is capable of monitoring regional hemodynamic changes induced by drug abuse.

Melanin-originated carbonaceous dots for triple negative breast cancer diagnosis by fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Wei; Li, Yuan; Hu, Chuan; Huang, Yuan; He, Qin; Gao, Huile

2017-07-01

Carbonaceous dots exhibit increasing applications in diagnosis and drug delivery due to excellent photostability and biocompatibility properties. However, relative short excitation and emission of melanin carbonaceous dots (MCDs) limit the applicability in fluorescence bioimaging. Furthermore, the generally poor spatial resolution of fluorescence imaging limits potential in vivo applications. Due to a variety of beneficial properties, in this study, MCDs were prepared exhibiting great potential in fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode bioimaging. The MCDs exhibited a long excitation peak at 615nm and emission peak at 650nm, further highlighting the applicability in fluorescence imaging, while the absorbance peak at 633nm renders MCDs suitable for photoacoustic imaging. In vivo, the photoacoustic signal of MCDs was linearly correlated with the concentration of MCDs. Moreover, the MCDs were shown to be taken up into triple negative breast cancer cell line 4T1 in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In vivo fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging of subcutaneous 4T1 tumor demonstrated that MCDs could passively target triple negative breast cancer tissue by enhanced permeability and retention effects and may therefore be used for tumor dual-mode imaging. Furthermore, fluorescence distribution in tissue slices suggested that MCDs may distribute in 4T1 tumor with high efficacy. In conclusion, the MCDs studied offer potential application in fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode imaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Photoacoustic signal amplification through plasmonic nanoparticle aggregation

OpenAIRE

Bayer, Carolyn L.; Nam, Seung Yun; Chen, Yun-Sheng; Emelianov, Stanislav Y.

2013-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging, using targeted plasmonic metallic nanoparticles, is a promising noninvasive molecular imaging method. Analysis of the photoacoustic signal generated by plasmonic metallic nanoparticles is complex because of the dependence upon physical properties of both the nanoparticle and the surrounding environment. We studied the effect of the aggregation of gold nanoparticles on the photoacoustic signal amplitude. We found that the photoacoustic signal from aggregated silica-coate...

Double Minimum Variance Beamforming Method to Enhance Photoacoustic Imaging

OpenAIRE

Paridar, Roya; Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Orooji, Mahdi

2018-01-01

One of the common algorithms used to reconstruct photoacoustic (PA) images is the non-adaptive Delay-and-Sum (DAS) beamformer. However, the quality of the reconstructed PA images obtained by DAS is not satisfying due to its high level of sidelobes and wide mainlobe. In contrast, adaptive beamformers, such as minimum variance (MV), result in an improved image compared to DAS. In this paper, a novel beamforming method, called Double MV (D-MV) is proposed to enhance the image quality compared to...

Methylene blue microbubbles as a model dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound and activatable photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Mansik; Song, Wentao; Huynh, Elizabeth; Kim, Jungho; Kim, Jeesu; Helfield, Brandon L.; Leung, Ben Y. C.; Goertz, David E.; Zheng, Gang; Oh, Jungtaek; Lovell, Jonathan F.; Kim, Chulhong

2014-01-01

Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging are highly complementary modalities since both use ultrasonic detection for operation. Increasingly, photoacoustic and ultrasound have been integrated in terms of hardware instrumentation. To generate a broadly accessible dual-modality contrast agent, we generated microbubbles (a standard ultrasound contrast agent) in a solution of methylene blue (a standard photoacoustic dye). This MB2 solution was formed effectively and was optimized as a dual-modality contrast solution. As microbubble concentration increased (with methylene blue concentration constant), photoacoustic signal was attenuated in the MB2 solution. When methylene blue concentration increased (with microbubble concentration held constant), no ultrasonic interference was observed. Using an MB2 solution that strongly attenuated all photoacoustic signal, high powered ultrasound could be used to burst the microbubbles and dramatically enhance photoacoustic contrast (>800-fold increase), providing a new method for spatiotemporal control of photoacoustic signal generation.

PHOTOACOUSTIC NON-DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION AND IMAGING OF CARIES IN DENTAL SAMPLES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, T.; Dewhurst, R. J.

2010-01-01

Dental caries is a disease wherein bacterial processes damage hard tooth structure. Traditional dental radiography has its limitations for detecting early stage caries. In this study, a photoacoustic (PA) imaging system with the near-infrared light source has been applied to postmortem dental samples to obtain 2-D and 3-D images. Imaging results showed that the PA technique can be used to image human teeth caries. For non-destructive photoacoustic evaluation and imaging, the induced temperature and pressure rises within biotissues should not cause physical damage to the tissue. For example, temperature rises above 5 deg. C within live human teeth will cause pulpal necrosis. Therefore, several simulations based on the thermoelastic effect have been applied to predict temperature and pressure fields within samples. Predicted temperature levels are below corresponding safety limits, but care is required to avoid nonlinear absorption phenomena. Furthermore, PA imaging results from the phantom provide evidence for high sensitivity, which shows the imaging potential of the PA technique for detecting early stage disease.

Photoacoustic imaging of blood vessels with a double-ring sensor featuring a narrow angular aperture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kolkman, R.G.M.; Hondebrink, Erwin; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; van Leeuwen, Ton; de Mul, F.F.M.

2004-01-01

A photoacoustic double-ring sensor, featuring a narrow angular aperture, is developed for laser-induced photoacoustic imaging of blood vessels. An integrated optical fiber enables reflection-mode detection of ultrasonic waves. By using the cross-correlation between the signals detected by the two

Clinical experiences with photoacoustic breast imaging: the appearance of suspicious lesions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijblom, M.

2014-01-01

This thesis describes photoacoustic (PA) imaging of suspicious breast lesions. In PA imaging, the tissue of interest is illuminated by short pulses of laser light, usually in the near infrared (NIR) regime. Upon absorption by primarily the tumor vasculature, the light causes a small temperature

Speed of sound and photoacoustic imaging with an optical camera based ultrasound detection system

Science.gov (United States)

Nuster, Robert; Paltauf, Guenther

2017-07-01

CCD camera based optical ultrasound detection is a promising alternative approach for high resolution 3D photoacoustic imaging (PAI). To fully exploit its potential and to achieve an image resolution SOS) in the image reconstruction algorithm. Hence, in the proposed work the idea and a first implementation are shown how speed of sound imaging can be added to a previously developed camera based PAI setup. The current setup provides SOS-maps with a spatial resolution of 2 mm and an accuracy of the obtained absolute SOS values of about 1%. The proposed dual-modality setup has the potential to provide highly resolved and perfectly co-registered 3D photoacoustic and SOS images.

Optimizing the optical wavelength for the photoacoustic imaging of inflammatory arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Janggun; Xu, Guan; Hu, Jack; Francis, Sheeja; Marquardt, April; Yuan, Jie; Girish, Gandikota; Wang, Xueding

2015-03-01

With the capability of assessing high resolution optical information in soft tissues at imaging depth up to several centimeters, innovative biomedical photoacoustic imaging (PAI) offers benefits to diagnosis and treatment monitoring of inflammatory arthritis, particularly in combination with more established ultrasonography (US). In this work, a PAI and US dual-modality system facilitating both imaging functions in a real-time fashion was developed and initially tested for its clinical performance on patients with active inflammatory arthritis. Photoacoustic (PA) images of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints were acquired at 580-nm wavelength that provides a desired balance between optical absorption of blood and attenuation in background tissue. The results from six patients and six normal volunteers used as a control demonstrated the satisfactory sensitivity of PAI in assessing the physiological changes in the joints, specifically enhanced blood flow as a result of active synovitis. This preliminary study suggests that PAI, by revealing vascular features suggestive of joint inflammation, could be a valuable supplement to musculoskeletal US for rheumatology clinic.

Listening to light scattering in turbid media: quantitative optical scattering imaging using photoacoustic measurements with one-wavelength illumination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Zhen; Li, Xiaoqi; Xi, Lei

2014-01-01

Biomedical photoacoustic tomography (PAT), as a potential imaging modality, can visualize tissue structure and function with high spatial resolution and excellent optical contrast. It is widely recognized that the ability of quantitatively imaging optical absorption and scattering coefficients from photoacoustic measurements is essential before PAT can become a powerful imaging modality. Existing quantitative PAT (qPAT), while successful, has been focused on recovering absorption coefficient only by assuming scattering coefficient a constant. An effective method for photoacoustically recovering optical scattering coefficient is presently not available. Here we propose and experimentally validate such a method for quantitative scattering coefficient imaging using photoacoustic data from one-wavelength illumination. The reconstruction method developed combines conventional PAT with the photon diffusion equation in a novel way to realize the recovery of scattering coefficient. We demonstrate the method using various objects having scattering contrast only or both absorption and scattering contrasts embedded in turbid media. The listening-to-light-scattering method described will be able to provide high resolution scattering imaging for various biomedical applications ranging from breast to brain imaging. (papers)

FPGA-based reconfigurable processor for ultrafast interlaced ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Alqasemi, Umar; Li, Hai; Aguirre, Andrés; Zhu, Quing

2012-07-01

In this paper, we report, to the best of our knowledge, a unique field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based reconfigurable processor for real-time interlaced co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging and its application in imaging tumor dynamic response. The FPGA is used to control, acquire, store, delay-and-sum, and transfer the data for real-time co-registered imaging. The FPGA controls the ultrasound transmission and ultrasound and photoacoustic data acquisition process of a customized 16-channel module that contains all of the necessary analog and digital circuits. The 16-channel module is one of multiple modules plugged into a motherboard; their beamformed outputs are made available for a digital signal processor (DSP) to access using an external memory interface (EMIF). The FPGA performs a key role through ultrafast reconfiguration and adaptation of its structure to allow real-time switching between the two imaging modes, including transmission control, laser synchronization, internal memory structure, beamforming, and EMIF structure and memory size. It performs another role by parallel accessing of internal memories and multi-thread processing to reduce the transfer of data and the processing load on the DSP. Furthermore, because the laser will be pulsing even during ultrasound pulse-echo acquisition, the FPGA ensures that the laser pulses are far enough from the pulse-echo acquisitions by appropriate time-division multiplexing (TDM). A co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging system consisting of four FPGA modules (64-channels) is constructed, and its performance is demonstrated using phantom targets and in vivo mouse tumor models.

A Feasibility Study of Photoacoustic Detection of Hidden Dental Caries Using a Fiber-Based Imaging System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takuya Koyama

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the feasibility of an optical fiber-based photoacoustic imaging system for detecting caries lesions inside a tooth is examined. Models of hidden caries were prepared using a pigment with an absorption spectrum similar to that of real caries lesions, and the occlusal surface of the model teeth containing the pigment was irradiated with laser pulses with a wavelength of 532 nm. An examination of the frequency spectra of the emitted photoacoustic waves revealed that the spectra from simulated caries lesions included frequency components in the range of 0.5–1.2 MHz that were not seen in the spectra from healthy parts of the teeth. This indicates that hidden caries can be detected via a photoacoustic imaging technique. Accordingly, an imaging system for clinical applications was fabricated. It consists of a bundle of hollow-optical fibers for laser radiation and an acoustic probe that is attached to the tooth surface. Results of ex vivo imaging experiments using model teeth and an extracted tooth with hidden caries lesions show that relatively large caries lesions inside teeth that are not seen in visual inspections can be detected by focusing on the above frequency components of the photoacoustic waves.

Characterization of lens based photoacoustic imaging system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalloor Joseph Francis

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Some of the challenges in translating photoacoustic (PA imaging to clinical applications includes limited view of the target tissue, low signal to noise ratio and the high cost of developing real-time systems. Acoustic lens based PA imaging systems, also known as PA cameras are a potential alternative to conventional imaging systems in these scenarios. The 3D focusing action of lens enables real-time C-scan imaging with a 2D transducer array. In this paper, we model the underlying physics in a PA camera in the mathematical framework of an imaging system and derive a closed form expression for the point spread function (PSF. Experimental verification follows including the details on how to design and fabricate the lens inexpensively. The system PSF is evaluated over a 3D volume that can be imaged by this PA camera. Its utility is demonstrated by imaging phantom and an ex vivo human prostate tissue sample.

Characterization of lens based photoacoustic imaging system.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Kalloor Joseph; Chinni, Bhargava; Channappayya, Sumohana S; Pachamuthu, Rajalakshmi; Dogra, Vikram S; Rao, Navalgund

2017-12-01

Some of the challenges in translating photoacoustic (PA) imaging to clinical applications includes limited view of the target tissue, low signal to noise ratio and the high cost of developing real-time systems. Acoustic lens based PA imaging systems, also known as PA cameras are a potential alternative to conventional imaging systems in these scenarios. The 3D focusing action of lens enables real-time C-scan imaging with a 2D transducer array. In this paper, we model the underlying physics in a PA camera in the mathematical framework of an imaging system and derive a closed form expression for the point spread function (PSF). Experimental verification follows including the details on how to design and fabricate the lens inexpensively. The system PSF is evaluated over a 3D volume that can be imaged by this PA camera. Its utility is demonstrated by imaging phantom and an ex vivo human prostate tissue sample.

In vivo preclinical photoacoustic imaging of tumor vasculature development and therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Laufer, Jan; Johnson, Peter; Zhang, Edward; Treeby, Bradley; Cox, Ben; Pedley, Barbara; Beard, Paul

2012-05-01

The use of a novel all-optical photoacoustic scanner for imaging the development of tumor vasculature and its response to a therapeutic vascular disrupting agent is described. The scanner employs a Fabry-Perot polymer film ultrasound sensor for mapping the photoacoustic waves and an image reconstruction algorithm based upon attenuation-compensated acoustic time reversal. The system was used to noninvasively image human colorectal tumor xenografts implanted subcutaneously in mice. Label-free three-dimensional in vivo images of whole tumors to depths of almost 10 mm with sub-100-micron spatial resolution were acquired in a longitudinal manner. This enabled the development of tumor-related vascular features, such as vessel tortuosity, feeding vessel recruitment, and necrosis to be visualized over time. The system was also used to study the temporal evolution of the response of the tumor vasculature following the administration of a therapeutic vascular disrupting agent (OXi4503). This revealed the well-known destruction and recovery phases associated with this agent. These studies illustrate the broader potential of this technology as an imaging tool for the preclinical and clinical study of tumors and other pathologies characterized by changes in the vasculature.

High speed intravascular photoacoustic imaging of atherosclerotic arteries (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Piao, Zhonglie; Ma, Teng; Qu, Yueqiao; Li, Jiawen; Yu, Mingyue; He, Youmin; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa; Kim, Chang-Seok; Chen, Zhongping

2016-02-01

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the industrialized nations. Accurate quantification of both the morphology and composition of lipid-rich vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque are essential for early detection and optimal treatment in clinics. In previous works, intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging for detection of lipid-rich plaque within coronary artery walls has been demonstrated in ex vivo, but the imaging speed is still limited. In order to increase the imaging speed, a high repetition rate laser is needed. In this work, we present a high speed integrated IVPA/US imaging system with a 500 Hz optical parametric oscillator laser at 1725 nm. A miniature catheter with 1.0 mm outer diameter was designed with a 200 μm multimode fiber and an ultrasound transducer with 45 MHz center frequency. The fiber was polished at 38 degree and enclosed in a glass capillary for total internal reflection. An optical/electrical rotary junction and pull-back mechanism was applied for rotating and linearly scanning the catheter to obtain three-dimensional imaging. Atherosclerotic rabbit abdominal aorta was imaged as two frame/second at 1725 nm. Furthermore, by wide tuning range of the laser wavelength from 1680 nm to 1770 nm, spectroscopic photoacoustic analysis of lipid-mimicking phantom and an human atherosclerotic artery was performed ex vivo. The results demonstrated that the developed IVPA/US imaging system is capable for high speed intravascular imaging for plaque detection.

In vivo high-resolution 3D photoacoustic imaging of superficial vascular anatomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, E Z; Laufer, J G; Beard, P C; Pedley, R B

2009-01-01

The application of a photoacoustic imaging instrument based upon a Fabry-Perot polymer film ultrasound sensor to imaging the superficial vasculature is described. This approach provides a backward mode-sensing configuration that has the potential to overcome the limitations of current piezoelectric based detection systems used in superficial photoacoustic imaging. The system has been evaluated by obtaining non-invasive images of the vasculature in human and mouse skin as well as mouse models of human colorectal tumours. These studies showed that the system can provide high-resolution 3D images of vascular structures to depths of up to 5 mm. It is considered that this type of instrument may find a role in the clinical assessment of conditions characterized by changes in the vasculature such as skin tumours and superficial soft tissue damage due to burns, wounds or ulceration. It may also find application in the characterization of small animal cancer models where it is important to follow the tumour vasculature over time in order to study its development and/or response to therapy.

In vivo high-resolution 3D photoacoustic imaging of superficial vascular anatomy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, E Z; Laufer, J G; Beard, P C [Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Pedley, R B [UCL Cancer Institute, Paul O' Gorman Building, University College London, 72 Huntley St, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

2009-02-21

The application of a photoacoustic imaging instrument based upon a Fabry-Perot polymer film ultrasound sensor to imaging the superficial vasculature is described. This approach provides a backward mode-sensing configuration that has the potential to overcome the limitations of current piezoelectric based detection systems used in superficial photoacoustic imaging. The system has been evaluated by obtaining non-invasive images of the vasculature in human and mouse skin as well as mouse models of human colorectal tumours. These studies showed that the system can provide high-resolution 3D images of vascular structures to depths of up to 5 mm. It is considered that this type of instrument may find a role in the clinical assessment of conditions characterized by changes in the vasculature such as skin tumours and superficial soft tissue damage due to burns, wounds or ulceration. It may also find application in the characterization of small animal cancer models where it is important to follow the tumour vasculature over time in order to study its development and/or response to therapy.

Development and validation of a short-lag spatial coherence theory for photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Michelle T.; Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.

2018-02-01

We previously derived spatial coherence theory to be implemented for studying theoretical properties of ShortLag Spatial Coherence (SLSC) beamforming applied to photoacoustic images. In this paper, our newly derived theoretical equation is evaluated to generate SLSC images of a point target and a 1.2 mm diameter target and corresponding lateral profiles. We compared SLSC images simulated solely based on our theory to SLSC images created after beamforming acoustic channel data from k-Wave simulations of 1.2 mm-diameter disc target. This process was repeated for a point target and the full width at half the maximum signal amplitudes were measured to estimate the resolution of each imaging system. Resolution as a function of lag was comparable for the first 10% of the receive aperture (i.e., the short-lag region), after which resolution measurements diverged by a maximum of 1 mm between the two types of simulated images. These results indicate the potential for both simulation methods to be utilized as independent resources to study coherence-based photoacoustic beamformers when imaging point-like targets.

Photoacoustic imaging of early gastric cancer diagnosis based on long focal area ultrasound transducer

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Wu, Huaqin; Li, Zuoran; Liu, Lantian; Li, Zhifang; Wu, Shulian; Li, Hui

2017-06-01

We illustrated a novel imaging method to diagnose gastric neoplasms via photoacoustic tomography (PAT). Depending on the structural characteristics of gastric cavity, we used column diffusion fiber to irradiate the stomach tissue through the esophagus, and the externally placed telecentric focus ultrasonic transducer detected photoacoustic signals from the gastric tissue. We reconstructed the distribution of light energy deposition of the simulated gastric tumor, and obtained the location and size information of gastric tumor.

Small-animal whole-body imaging using a photoacoustic full ring array system

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Xia, Jun; Guo, Zijian; Aguirre, Andres; Zhu, Quing; Wang, Lihong V.

2011-03-01

In this report, we present a novel 3D photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) system for small-animal whole-body imaging. The PACT system, based on a 512-element full-ring transducer array, received photoacoustic signals primarily from a 2-mm-thick slice. The light was generated by a pulse laser, and can either illuminate from the top or be reshaped to illuminate the sample from the side, using a conical lens and an optical condenser. The PACT system was capable of acquiring an in-plane image in 1.6 s; by scanning the sample in the elevational direction, a 3D tomographic image could be constructed. We tested the system by imaging a cylindrical phantom made of human hairs immersed in a scattering medium. The reconstructed image achieved an in-plane resolution of 0.1 mm and an elevational resolution of 1 mm. After deconvolution in the elevational direction, the 3D image was found to match well with the phantom. The system was also used to image a baby mouse in situ; the spinal cord and ribs can be seen easily in the reconstructed image. Our results demonstrate that the PACT system has the potential to be used for fast small-animal whole-body tomographic imaging.

Three-dimensional Hessian matrix-based quantitative vascular imaging of rat iris with optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy in vivo

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Zhao, Huangxuan; Wang, Guangsong; Lin, Riqiang; Gong, Xiaojing; Song, Liang; Li, Tan; Wang, Wenjia; Zhang, Kunya; Qian, Xiuqing; Zhang, Haixia; Li, Lin; Liu, Zhicheng; Liu, Chengbo

2018-04-01

For the diagnosis and evaluation of ophthalmic diseases, imaging and quantitative characterization of vasculature in the iris are very important. The recently developed photoacoustic imaging, which is ultrasensitive in imaging endogenous hemoglobin molecules, provides a highly efficient label-free method for imaging blood vasculature in the iris. However, the development of advanced vascular quantification algorithms is still needed to enable accurate characterization of the underlying vasculature. We have developed a vascular information quantification algorithm by adopting a three-dimensional (3-D) Hessian matrix and applied for processing iris vasculature images obtained with a custom-built optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging system (OR-PAM). For the first time, we demonstrate in vivo 3-D vascular structures of a rat iris with a the label-free imaging method and also accurately extract quantitative vascular information, such as vessel diameter, vascular density, and vascular tortuosity. Our results indicate that the developed algorithm is capable of quantifying the vasculature in the 3-D photoacoustic images of the iris in-vivo, thus enhancing the diagnostic capability of the OR-PAM system for vascular-related ophthalmic diseases in vivo.

Photoacoustic tomography and sensing in biomedicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Changhui; Wang, Lihong V

2009-01-01

Photoacoustics has been broadly studied in biomedicine, for both human and small animal tissues. Photoacoustics uniquely combines the absorption contrast of light or radio frequency waves with ultrasound resolution. Moreover, it is non-ionizing and non-invasive, and is the fastest growing new biomedical method, with clinical applications on the way. This review provides a brief recap of recent developments in photoacoustics in biomedicine, from basic principles to applications. The emphasized areas include the new imaging modalities, hybrid detection methods, photoacoustic contrast agents and the photoacoustic Doppler effect, as well as translational research topics. (topical review)

Quinone-fused porphyrins as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging

KAUST Repository

Banala, Srinivas

2017-06-27

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging non-invasive diagnostic modality with many potential clinical applications in oncology, rheumatology and the cardiovascular field. For this purpose, there is a high demand for exogenous contrast agents with high absorption coefficients in the optical window for tissue imaging, i.e. the near infrared (NIR) range between 680 and 950 nm. We herein report the photoacoustic properties of quinone-fused porphyrins inserted with different transition metals as new highly promising candidates. These dyes exhibit intense NIR absorption, a lack of fluorescence emission, and PA sensitivity in concentrations below 3 nmol mL. In this context, the highest PA signal was obtained with a Zn(ii) inserted dye. Furthermore, this dye was stable in blood serum and free thiol solution and exhibited negligible cell toxicity. Additionally, the Zn(ii) probe could be detected with an up to 3.2 fold higher PA intensity compared to the clinically most commonly used PA agent, ICG. Thus, further exploration of the \\'quinone-fusing\\' approach to other chromophores may be an efficient way to generate highly potent PA agents that do not fluoresce and shift their absorption into the NIR range.

Photoacoustic microscopy imaging for microneedle drug delivery

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Moothanchery, Mohesh; Seeni, Razina Z.; Xu, Chenjie; Pramanik, Manojit

2018-02-01

The recent development of novel transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) using microneedle technology allows micron-sized conduits to be formed within the outermost skin layers attracting keen interest in skin as an interface for localized and systemic delivery of therapeutics. In light of this, researchers are using microneedles as tools to deliver nanoparticle formulations to targeted sites for effective therapy. However, in such studies the use of traditional histological methods are employed for characterization and do not allow for the in vivo visualization of drug delivery mechanism. Hence, this study presents a novel imaging technology to characterize microneedle based nanoparticle delivery systems using optical resolution-photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM). In this study in vivo transdermal delivery of gold nanoparticles using microneedles in mice ear and the spatial distribution of the nanoparticles in the tissue was successfully illustrated. Characterization of parameters that are relevant in drug delivery studies such as penetration depth, efficiency of delivered gold nanoparticles were monitored using the system. Photoacoustic microscopy proves an ideal tool for the characterization studies of microneedle properties and the studies shows microneedles as an ideal tool for precise and controlled drug delivery.

Interlaced photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system with real-time coregistration for ovarian tissue characterization

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Alqasemi, Umar; Li, Hai; Yuan, Guangqian; Kumavor, Patrick; Zanganeh, Saeid; Zhu, Quing

2014-07-01

Coregistered ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic imaging are emerging techniques for mapping the echogenic anatomical structure of tissue and its corresponding optical absorption. We report a 128-channel imaging system with real-time coregistration of the two modalities, which provides up to 15 coregistered frames per second limited by the laser pulse repetition rate. In addition, the system integrates a compact transvaginal imaging probe with a custom-designed fiber optic assembly for in vivo detection and characterization of human ovarian tissue. We present the coregistered US and photoacoustic imaging system structure, the optimal design of the PC interfacing software, and the reconfigurable field programmable gate array operation and optimization. Phantom experiments of system lateral resolution and axial sensitivity evaluation, examples of the real-time scanning of a tumor-bearing mouse, and ex vivo human ovaries studies are demonstrated.

Portable optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy for volumetric imaging of multiscale organisms.

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Jin, Tian; Guo, Heng; Yao, Lei; Xie, Huikai; Jiang, Huabei; Xi, Lei

2018-04-01

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) provides a fundamentally new tool for a broad range of studies of biological structures and functions. However, the use of PAM has been largely limited to small vertebrates due to the large size/weight and the inconvenience of the equipment. Here, we describe a portable optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (pORPAM) system for 3-dimensional (3D) imaging of small-to-large rodents and humans with a high spatiotemporal resolution and a large field of view. We show extensive applications of pORPAM to multiscale animals including mice and rabbits. In addition, we image the 3D vascular networks of human lips, and demonstrate the feasibility of pORPAM to observe the recovery process of oral ulcer and cancer-associated capillary loops in human oral cavities. This technology is promising for broad biomedical studies from fundamental biology to clinical diseases. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Single-cell photoacoustic thermometry

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Gao, Liang; Wang, Lidai; Li, Chiye; Liu, Yan; Ke, Haixin; Zhang, Chi

2013-01-01

Abstract. A novel photoacoustic thermometric method is presented for simultaneously imaging cells and sensing their temperature. With three-seconds-per-frame imaging speed, a temperature resolution of 0.2°C was achieved in a photo-thermal cell heating experiment. Compared to other approaches, the photoacoustic thermometric method has the advantage of not requiring custom-developed temperature-sensitive biosensors. This feature should facilitate the conversion of single-cell thermometry into a routine lab tool and make it accessible to a much broader biological research community. PMID:23377004

Joseph F. Keithley Award For Advances in Measurement Science Lecture: Thermophotonic and Photoacoustic Radar Imaging Methods for Biomedical and Dental Imaging

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Mandelis, Andreas

2012-02-01

In the first part of this presentation I will introduce thermophotonic radar imaging principles and techniques using chirped or binary-phase-coded modulation, methods which can break through the maximum detection depth/depth resolution limitations of conventional photothermal waves. Using matched-filter principles, a methodology enabling parabolic diffusion-wave energy fields to exhibit energy localization akin to propagating hyperbolic wave-fields has been developed. It allows for deconvolution of individual responses of superposed axially discrete sources, opening a new field: depth-resolved thermal coherence tomography. Several examples from dental enamel caries diagnostic imaging to metal subsurface defect thermographic imaging will be discussed. The second part will introduce the field of photoacoustic radar (or sonar) biomedical imaging. I will report the development of a novel biomedical imaging system that utilizes a continuous-wave laser source with a custom intensity modulation pattern, ultrasonic phased array for signal detection and processing coupled with a beamforming algorithm for reconstruction of photoacoustic correlation images. Utilization of specific chirped modulation waveforms (``waveform engineering'') achieves dramatic signal-to-noise-ratio increase and improved axial resolution over pulsed laser photoacoustics. The talk will conclude with aspects of instrumental sensitivity of the PA Radar to optical contrast using cancerous breast tissue-mimicking phantoms, super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as contrast enhancement agents and in-vivo tissue samples.

Simultaneous functional photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopy of internal organs in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Joon-Mo; Favazza, Christopher; Chen, Ruimin; Yao, Junjie; Cai, Xin; Maslov, Konstantin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K Kirk; Wang, Lihong V

2012-08-01

At present, clinicians routinely apply ultrasound endoscopy in a variety of interventional procedures that provide treatment solutions for diseased organs. Ultrasound endoscopy not only produces high-resolution images, but also is safe for clinical use and broadly applicable. However, for soft tissue imaging, its mechanical wave-based image contrast fundamentally limits its ability to provide physiologically specific functional information. By contrast, photoacoustic endoscopy possesses a unique combination of functional optical contrast and high spatial resolution at clinically relevant depths, ideal for imaging soft tissues. With these attributes, photoacoustic endoscopy can overcome the current limitations of ultrasound endoscopy. Moreover, the benefits of photoacoustic imaging do not come at the expense of existing ultrasound functions; photoacoustic endoscopy systems are inherently compatible with ultrasound imaging, thereby enabling multimodality imaging with complementary contrast. Here we present simultaneous photoacoustic and ultrasonic dual-mode endoscopy and show its ability to image internal organs in vivo, thus illustrating its potential clinical application.

NH4HCO3 gas-generating liposomal nanoparticle for photoacoustic imaging in breast cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xia J

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Jizhu Xia, Gang Feng, Xiaorong Xia, Lan Hao, Zhigang Wang Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China Abstract: In this study, we have developed a biodegradable nanomaterial for photoacoustic imaging (PAI. Its biodegradation products can be fully eliminated from a living organism. It is a gas-generating nanoparticle of liposome-encapsulating ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3 solution, which is safe, effective, inexpensive, and free of side effects. When lasers irradiate these nanoparticles, NH4HCO3 decomposes to produce CO2, which can absorb much of the light energy under laser irradiation with a specific wavelength, and then expand under heat to generate a thermal acoustic wave. An acoustic detector can detect this wave and show it as a photoacoustic signal on a display screen. The intensity of the photoacoustic signal is enhanced corresponding to an increase in time, concentration, and temperature. During in vivo testing, nanoparticles were injected into tumor-bearing nude mice through the caudal vein, and photoacoustic signals were detected from the tumor, reaching a peak in 4 h, and then gradually disappearing. There was no damage to the skin or subcutaneous tissue from laser radiation. Our developed gas-generating nanomaterial, NH4HCO3 nanomaterial, is feasible, effective, safe, and inexpensive. Therefore, it is a promising material to be used in clinical PAI. Keywords: Photoacoustic tomography, CO2, NH4HCO3, contrast agent, cancer

Elastography as a hybrid imaging technique : coupling with photoacoustics and quantitative imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widlak, T.G.

2015-01-01

While classical imaging methods, such as ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, are well-known and mathematically understood, a host of physiological parameters relevant for diagnostic purposes cannot be obtained by them. This gap is recently being closed by the introduction of hybrid, or coupled-physics imaging methods. They connect more then one physical modality, and aim to provide quantitative information on optical, electrical or mechanical parameters with high resolution. Central to this thesis is the mechanical contrast of elastic tissue, especially Young’s modulus or the shear modulus. Different methods of qualitative elastography provide interior information of the mechanical displacement field. From this interior data the nonlinear inverse problem of quantitative elastography aims to reconstruct the shear modulus. In this thesis, the elastography problem is seen from a hybrid imaging perspective; methods from coupled-physics inspired literature and regularization theory have been employed to recover displacement and shear modulus information. The overdetermined systems approach by G. Bal is applied to the quantitative problem, and ellipticity criteria are deduced, for one and several measurements, as well as injectivity results. Together with the geometric theory of G. Chavent, the results are used for analyzing convergence of Tikhonov regularization. Also, a convergence analysis for the Levenberg Marquardt method is provided. As a second mainstream project in this thesis, elastography imaging is developed for extracting displacements from photoacoustic images. A novel method is provided for texturizing the images, and the optical flow problem for motion estimation is shown to be regularized with this texture generation. The results are tested in cooperation with the Medical University Vienna, and the methods for quantitative determination of the shear modulus evaluated in first experiments. In summary, the overdetermined systems

Photoacoustic image reconstruction via deep learning

Science.gov (United States)

Antholzer, Stephan; Haltmeier, Markus; Nuster, Robert; Schwab, Johannes

2018-02-01

Applying standard algorithms to sparse data problems in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) yields low-quality images containing severe under-sampling artifacts. To some extent, these artifacts can be reduced by iterative image reconstruction algorithms which allow to include prior knowledge such as smoothness, total variation (TV) or sparsity constraints. These algorithms tend to be time consuming as the forward and adjoint problems have to be solved repeatedly. Further, iterative algorithms have additional drawbacks. For example, the reconstruction quality strongly depends on a-priori model assumptions about the objects to be recovered, which are often not strictly satisfied in practical applications. To overcome these issues, in this paper, we develop direct and efficient reconstruction algorithms based on deep learning. As opposed to iterative algorithms, we apply a convolutional neural network, whose parameters are trained before the reconstruction process based on a set of training data. For actual image reconstruction, a single evaluation of the trained network yields the desired result. Our presented numerical results (using two different network architectures) demonstrate that the proposed deep learning approach reconstructs images with a quality comparable to state of the art iterative reconstruction methods.

Photoacoustic image reconstruction: a quantitative analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sperl, Jonathan I.; Zell, Karin; Menzenbach, Peter; Haisch, Christoph; Ketzer, Stephan; Marquart, Markus; Koenig, Hartmut; Vogel, Mika W.

2007-07-01

Photoacoustic imaging is a promising new way to generate unprecedented contrast in ultrasound diagnostic imaging. It differs from other medical imaging approaches, in that it provides spatially resolved information about optical absorption of targeted tissue structures. Because the data acquisition process deviates from standard clinical ultrasound, choice of the proper image reconstruction method is crucial for successful application of the technique. In the literature, multiple approaches have been advocated, and the purpose of this paper is to compare four reconstruction techniques. Thereby, we focused on resolution limits, stability, reconstruction speed, and SNR. We generated experimental and simulated data and reconstructed images of the pressure distribution using four different methods: delay-and-sum (DnS), circular backprojection (CBP), generalized 2D Hough transform (HTA), and Fourier transform (FTA). All methods were able to depict the point sources properly. DnS and CBP produce blurred images containing typical superposition artifacts. The HTA provides excellent SNR and allows a good point source separation. The FTA is the fastest and shows the best FWHM. In our study, we found the FTA to show the best overall performance. It allows a very fast and theoretically exact reconstruction. Only a hardware-implemented DnS might be faster and enable real-time imaging. A commercial system may also perform several methods to fully utilize the new contrast mechanism and guarantee optimal resolution and fidelity.

Tunable Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles with INDT-Based Conjugated Polymers for Photoacoustic Molecular Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahl, Thomas; Bofinger, Robin; Lam, Ivan; Fallon, Kealan J; Johnson, Peter; Ogunlade, Olumide; Vassileva, Vessela; Pedley, R Barbara; Beard, Paul C; Hailes, Helen C; Bronstein, Hugo; Tabor, Alethea B

2017-06-21

Photoacoustic imaging combines both excellent spatial resolution with high contrast and specificity, without the need for patients to be exposed to ionizing radiation. This makes it ideal for the study of physiological changes occurring during tumorigenesis and cardiovascular disease. In order to fully exploit the potential of this technique, new exogenous contrast agents with strong absorbance in the near-infrared range, good stability and biocompatibility, are required. In this paper, we report the formulation and characterization of a novel series of endogenous contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging in vivo. These contrast agents are based on a recently reported series of indigoid π-conjugated organic semiconductors, coformulated with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, to give semiconducting polymer nanoparticles of about 150 nm diameter. These nanoparticles exhibited excellent absorption in the near-infrared region, with good photoacoustic signal generation efficiencies, high photostability, and extinction coefficients of up to three times higher than those previously reported. The absorption maximum is conveniently located in the spectral region of low absorption of chromophores within human tissue. Using the most promising semiconducting polymer nanoparticle, we have demonstrated wavelength-dependent differential contrast between vasculature and the nanoparticles, which can be used to unambiguously discriminate the presence of the contrast agent in vivo.

Photoacoustic imaging driven by an interstitial irradiation source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trevor Mitcham

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Photoacoustic (PA imaging has shown tremendous promise in providing valuable diagnostic and therapy-monitoring information in select clinical procedures. Many of these pursued applications, however, have been relatively superficial due to difficulties with delivering light deep into tissue. To address this limitation, this work investigates generating a PA image using an interstitial irradiation source with a clinical ultrasound (US system, which was shown to yield improved PA signal quality at distances beyond 13 mm and to provide improved spectral fidelity. Additionally, interstitially driven multi-wavelength PA imaging was able to provide accurate spectra of gold nanoshells and deoxyhemoglobin in excised prostate and liver tissue, respectively, and allowed for clear visualization of a wire at 7 cm in excised liver. This work demonstrates the potential of using a local irradiation source to extend the depth capabilities of future PA imaging techniques for minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures.

All-optical extravascular laser-ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in excised carotid artery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jami L. Johnson

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Photoacoustic (PA imaging may be advantageous as a safe, non-invasive imaging modality to image the carotid artery. However, calcification that accompanies atherosclerotic plaque is difficult to detect with PA due to the non-distinct optical absorption spectrum of hydroxyapatite. We propose reflection-mode all-optical laser-ultrasound (LUS imaging to obtain high-resolution, non-contact, non-ionizing images of the carotid artery wall and calcification. All-optical LUS allows for flexible acquisition geometry and user-dependent data acquisition for high repeatability. We apply all-optical techniques to image an excised human carotid artery. Internal layers of the artery wall, enlargement of the vessel, and calcification are observed with higher resolution and reduced artifacts with nonconfocal LUS compared to confocal LUS. Validation with histology and X-ray computed tomography (CT demonstrates the potential for LUS as a method for non-invasive imaging in the carotid artery. Keywords: Atherosclerosis, Photoacoustic imaging, Laser-ultrasound, Calcification, Reverse-time migration

Design of a Compact Wideband Antenna Array for Microwave Imaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Puskely

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In the paper, wideband antenna arrays aimed at microwave imaging applications and SAR applications operating at Ka band were designed. The antenna array feeding network is realized by a low-loss SIW technology. Moreover, we have replaced the large feed network comprised of various T and Y junctions by a simple broadband network of compact size to more reduce losses in the substrate integrated waveguide and also save space on the PCB. The designed power 8-way divider is complemented by a wideband substrate integrated waveguide to a grounded coplanar waveguide transition and directly connected to the antenna elements. The measured results of antenna array are consistent with our simulation. Obtained results of the developed array demonstrated improvement compared to previously developed binary feed networks with microstrip or SIW splitters.

Self-assembled nanomaterials for photoacoustic imaging

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Wang, Lei; Yang, Pei-Pei; Zhao, Xiao-Xiao; Wang, Hao

2016-01-01

In recent years, extensive endeavors have been paid to construct functional self-assembled nanomaterials for various applications such as catalysis, separation, energy and biomedicines. To date, different strategies have been developed for preparing nanomaterials with diversified structures and functionalities via fine tuning of self-assembled building blocks. In terms of biomedical applications, bioimaging technologies are urgently calling for high-efficient probes/contrast agents for high-performance bioimaging. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging whole-body imaging modality offering high spatial resolution, deep penetration and high contrast in vivo. The self-assembled nanomaterials show high stability in vivo, specific tolerance to sterilization and prolonged half-life stability and desirable targeting properties, which is a kind of promising PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. Herein, we focus on summarizing recent advances in smart self-assembled nanomaterials with NIR absorption as PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. According to the preparation strategy of the contrast agents, the self-assembled nanomaterials are categorized into two groups, i.e., the ex situ and in situ self-assembled nanomaterials. The driving forces, assembly modes and regulation of PA properties of self-assembled nanomaterials and their applications for long-term imaging, enzyme activity detection and aggregation-induced retention (AIR) effect for diagnosis and therapy are emphasized. Finally, we conclude with an outlook towards future developments of self-assembled nanomaterials for PA imaging.

Self-assembled nanomaterials for photoacoustic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Yang, Pei-Pei; Zhao, Xiao-Xiao; Wang, Hao

2016-02-07

In recent years, extensive endeavors have been paid to construct functional self-assembled nanomaterials for various applications such as catalysis, separation, energy and biomedicines. To date, different strategies have been developed for preparing nanomaterials with diversified structures and functionalities via fine tuning of self-assembled building blocks. In terms of biomedical applications, bioimaging technologies are urgently calling for high-efficient probes/contrast agents for high-performance bioimaging. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging whole-body imaging modality offering high spatial resolution, deep penetration and high contrast in vivo. The self-assembled nanomaterials show high stability in vivo, specific tolerance to sterilization and prolonged half-life stability and desirable targeting properties, which is a kind of promising PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. Herein, we focus on summarizing recent advances in smart self-assembled nanomaterials with NIR absorption as PA contrast agents for biomedical imaging. According to the preparation strategy of the contrast agents, the self-assembled nanomaterials are categorized into two groups, i.e., the ex situ and in situ self-assembled nanomaterials. The driving forces, assembly modes and regulation of PA properties of self-assembled nanomaterials and their applications for long-term imaging, enzyme activity detection and aggregation-induced retention (AIR) effect for diagnosis and therapy are emphasized. Finally, we conclude with an outlook towards future developments of self-assembled nanomaterials for PA imaging.

Emerging Technology Update Intravascular Photoacoustic Imaging of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Min; Fw van der Steen, Antonius; Regar, Evelyn; van Soest, Gijs

2016-10-01

The identification of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries is emerging as an important tool for guiding atherosclerosis diagnosis and interventions. Assessment of plaque vulnerability requires knowledge of both the structure and composition of the plaque. Intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging is able to show the morphology and composition of atherosclerotic plaque. With imminent improvements in IVPA imaging, it is becoming possible to assess human coronary artery disease in vivo . Although some challenges remain, IVPA imaging is on its way to being a powerful tool for visualising coronary atherosclerotic features that have been specifically associated with plaque vulnerability and clinical syndromes, and thus such imaging might become valuable for clinical risk assessment in the catheterisation laboratory.

Double-Stage Delay Multiply and Sum Beamforming Algorithm: Application to Linear-Array Photoacoustic Imaging

OpenAIRE

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging medical imaging modality capable of providing high spatial resolution of Ultrasound (US) imaging and high contrast of optical imaging. Delay-and-Sum (DAS) is the most common beamforming algorithm in PAI. However, using DAS beamformer leads to low resolution images and considerable contribution of off-axis signals. A new paradigm namely Delay-Multiply-and-Sum (DMAS), which was originally used as a reconstruction algorithm in confocal microwave imaging...

Photoacoustic imaging of tumor targeting with biotin conjugated nanostructured phthalocyanine assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seunghyun; Li, Xingshu; Lee, Dayoung; Yoon, Juyoung; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Visualizing biological markers and delivering bioactive agents to living organisms are important to biological research. In recent decades, photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has been significantly improved in the area of molecular imaging, which provides high-resolution volume imaging with high optical absorption contrast. To demonstrate the ability of nanoprobes to target tumors using PAI, we synthesize convertible nanostructured agents with strong photothermal and photoacoustic properties and linked the nanoprobe with biotin to target tumors in small animal model. Interestingly, these nanoprobes allow partial to disassemble in the presence of targeted proteins that switchable photoactivity, thus the nanoprobes provides a fluorescent-cancer imaging with high signal-to-background ratios. The proposed nanoprobe produce a much stronger PA signal compared to the same concentration of methylene blue (MB), which is widely used in clinical study and contrast agent for PAI. The biotin conjugated nanoprobe has high selectivity for biotin receptor positive cancer cells such as A549 (human lung cancer). Then we subsequently examined the PA properties of the nanoprobe that are inherently suitable for in vivo PAI. After injecting of the nanoprobe via intravenous method, we observed the mice's whole body by PA imaging and acquired the PA signal near the cancer. The PA signal increased linearly with time after injection and the fluorescence signal near the cancer was confirmed by fluorescence imaging. The ability to target a specific cancer of the nanoprobe was well verified by PA imaging. This study provides valuable perspective on the advancement of clinical translations and in the design of tumor-targeting phototheranostic agents that could act as new nanomedicines.

Photoacoustic emission from fluorescent nanodiamonds enhanced with gold nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bailin; Fang, Chia-Yi; Chang, Cheng-Chun; Peterson, Ralph; Maswadi, Saher; Glickman, Randolph D.; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Ye, Jing Yong

2012-01-01

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) have drawn much attention in recent years for biomedical imaging applications due to their desired physical properties including excellent photostability, high biocompatibility, extended far-red fluorescence emission, and ease of surface functionalization. Here we explore a new feature of FNDs, i.e. their photoacoustic emission capability, which may lead to potential applications of using FNDs as a dual imaging contrast agent for combined fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging modalities. We observed significant enhancement of photoacoustic emission from FNDs when they were conjugated with gold nanoparticles (GNPs). PMID:22808436

Photoacoustic emission from fluorescent nanodiamonds enhanced with gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bailin; Fang, Chia-Yi; Chang, Cheng-Chun; Peterson, Ralph; Maswadi, Saher; Glickman, Randolph D; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Ye, Jing Yong

2012-07-01

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) have drawn much attention in recent years for biomedical imaging applications due to their desired physical properties including excellent photostability, high biocompatibility, extended far-red fluorescence emission, and ease of surface functionalization. Here we explore a new feature of FNDs, i.e. their photoacoustic emission capability, which may lead to potential applications of using FNDs as a dual imaging contrast agent for combined fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging modalities. We observed significant enhancement of photoacoustic emission from FNDs when they were conjugated with gold nanoparticles (GNPs).

Nonlinear photoacoustic spectroscopy of hemoglobin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Danielli, Amos; Maslov, Konstantin; Favazza, Christopher P.; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V., E-mail: LHWANG@WUSTL.EDU [Optical Imaging Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 (United States)

2015-05-18

As light intensity increases in photoacoustic imaging, the saturation of optical absorption and the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient result in a measurable nonlinear dependence of the photoacoustic (PA) signal on the excitation pulse fluence. Here, under controlled conditions, we investigate the intensity-dependent photoacoustic signals from oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin at varied optical wavelengths and molecular concentrations. The wavelength and concentration dependencies of the nonlinear PA spectrum are found to be significantly greater in oxygenated hemoglobin than in deoxygenated hemoglobin. These effects are further influenced by the hemoglobin concentration. These nonlinear phenomena provide insights into applications of photoacoustics, such as measurements of average inter-molecular distances on a nm scale or with a tuned selection of wavelengths, a more accurate quantitative PA tomography.

Nonlinear photoacoustic spectroscopy of hemoglobin.

Science.gov (United States)

Danielli, Amos; Maslov, Konstantin; Favazza, Christopher P; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V

2015-05-18

As light intensity increases in photoacoustic imaging, the saturation of optical absorption and the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient result in a measurable nonlinear dependence of the photoacoustic (PA) signal on the excitation pulse fluence. Here, under controlled conditions, we investigate the intensity-dependent photoacoustic signals from oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin at varied optical wavelengths and molecular concentrations. The wavelength and concentration dependencies of the nonlinear PA spectrum are found to be significantly greater in oxygenated hemoglobin than in deoxygenated hemoglobin. These effects are further influenced by the hemoglobin concentration. These nonlinear phenomena provide insights into applications of photoacoustics, such as measurements of average inter-molecular distances on a nm scale or with a tuned selection of wavelengths, a more accurate quantitative PA tomography.

Nonlinear photoacoustic spectroscopy of hemoglobin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danielli, Amos; Maslov, Konstantin; Favazza, Christopher P.; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V.

2015-01-01

As light intensity increases in photoacoustic imaging, the saturation of optical absorption and the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient result in a measurable nonlinear dependence of the photoacoustic (PA) signal on the excitation pulse fluence. Here, under controlled conditions, we investigate the intensity-dependent photoacoustic signals from oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin at varied optical wavelengths and molecular concentrations. The wavelength and concentration dependencies of the nonlinear PA spectrum are found to be significantly greater in oxygenated hemoglobin than in deoxygenated hemoglobin. These effects are further influenced by the hemoglobin concentration. These nonlinear phenomena provide insights into applications of photoacoustics, such as measurements of average inter-molecular distances on a nm scale or with a tuned selection of wavelengths, a more accurate quantitative PA tomography

Toward the detection of intraplaque hemorrhage in carotid artery lesions using photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Arabul, Mustafa Umit; Heres, Maarten; Rutten, Marcel C. M.; van Sambeek, Marc R.; van de Vosse, Frans N.; Lopata, Richard G. P.

2017-04-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) may have the ability to reveal the composition and the anatomical structure of carotid plaques, which determines its mechanical properties and vulnerability. We used PAI and plane wave ultrasound (PUS) imaging to obtain three-dimensional (3-D) images of endarterectomy samples ex vivo and compared the results with histology to investigate the potential of PAI-based identification of intraplaque hemorrhage. Seven carotid plaque samples were obtained from patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and imaged with a fully integrated hand-held photoacoustic (PA) probe, consisting of a pulsed diode laser (tpulse=130 ns, Epulse=1 mJ, λ=808 nm) and a linear array transducer (fc=7.5 MHz). The samples were rotated 360 deg with 10 deg steps, and data were spatially compounded to obtain complete 3-D images of the plaques. Areas of high absorption in the 3-D datasets were identified and compared to histological data of the plaques. Data in six out of seven endarterectomy samples revealed the presence of intraplaque hemorrhages that were not visible in the PUS images. Due to the noninvasive nature of PAI, this ex vivo study may elucidate preclinical studies toward the in vivo, noninvasive, vulnerability assessment of the atherosclerotic carotid plaque.

In vivo 3-dimensional photoacoustic imaging of the renal vasculature in preclinical rodent models

OpenAIRE

Ogunlade, O.; Connell, J. J.; Huang, J. L.; Zhang, E.; Lythgoe, M. F.; Long, D. A.; Beard, P.

2017-01-01

Non-invasive imaging of the kidney vasculature in preclinical murine models is important for studying renal development, diseases and evaluating new therapies, but is challenging to achieve using existing imaging modalities. Photoacoustic imaging is a promising new technique that is particularly well suited to visualising the vasculature and could provide an alternative to existing preclinical imaging methods for studying renal vascular anatomy and function. To investigate this, an all-optica...

Modeling skull's acoustic attenuation and dispersion on photoacoustic signal

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, L.; Behnam, H.; Nasiriavanaki, M. R.

2017-03-01

Despite the great promising results of a recent new transcranial photoacoustic brain imaging technology, it has been shown that the presence of the skull severely affects the performance of this imaging modality. In this paper, we investigate the effect of skull on generated photoacoustic signals with a mathematical model. The developed model takes into account the frequency dependence attenuation and acoustic dispersion effects occur with the wave reflection and refraction at the skull surface. Numerical simulations based on the developed model are performed for calculating the propagation of photoacoustic waves through the skull. From the simulation results, it was found that the skull-induced distortion becomes very important and the reconstructed image would be strongly distorted without correcting these effects. In this regard, it is anticipated that an accurate quantification and modeling of the skull transmission effects would ultimately allow for skull aberration correction in transcranial photoacoustic brain imaging.

A 3D imaging system integrating photoacoustic and fluorescence orthogonal projections for anatomical, functional and molecular assessment of rodent models

Science.gov (United States)

Brecht, Hans P.; Ivanov, Vassili; Dumani, Diego S.; Emelianov, Stanislav Y.; Anastasio, Mark A.; Ermilov, Sergey A.

2018-03-01

We have developed a preclinical 3D imaging instrument integrating photoacoustic tomography and fluorescence (PAFT) addressing known deficiencies in sensitivity and spatial resolution of the individual imaging components. PAFT is designed for simultaneous acquisition of photoacoustic and fluorescence orthogonal projections at each rotational position of a biological object, enabling direct registration of the two imaging modalities. Orthogonal photoacoustic projections are utilized to reconstruct large (21 cm3 ) volumes showing vascularized anatomical structures and regions of induced optical contrast with spatial resolution exceeding 100 µm. The major advantage of orthogonal fluorescence projections is significant reduction of background noise associated with transmitted or backscattered photons. The fluorescence imaging component of PAFT is used to boost detection sensitivity by providing low-resolution spatial constraint for the fluorescent biomarkers. PAFT performance characteristics were assessed by imaging optical and fluorescent contrast agents in tissue mimicking phantoms and in vivo. The proposed PAFT technology will enable functional and molecular volumetric imaging using fluorescent biomarkers, nanoparticles, and other photosensitive constructs mapped with high fidelity over robust anatomical structures, such as skin, central and peripheral vasculature, and internal organs.

Original Research. Photoacoustic Microscopy in Dental Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stan Adrian Tudor

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Photoacoustic microscopy, also known as optoacoustic imaging, is a comparatively new method of investigation in dental medicine, which uses a laser-generated ultrasound (short laser pulses to achieve images for interpretation. Photoacoustic microscopy can be used in a broad spectrum, from detecting tooth decay at its earliest stages to dental anatomy analysis. Material and methods: The energy emitted by the photoacoustic pulse is moderately absorbed by the target and exchanged into heat, leading to a local transitory temperature upsurge. The tension propagates and grows as ultrasonic waves, distinguished by the ultrasonic transducers which are planted apart from the tissue. The photoacoustic microscope has a tunable dye laser which passes through a condensing lens, an objective and ultimately an ultrasonic transducer attached to an acoustic lens to capture and receive information about the scanned probe from a sample moved on the X, Y dimensions. Results: The precise anatomy of layered concentric structures can be clearly observed in photoacoustic microscopy. The image value of the inner layer can be higher, indicating strong optical absorption, while the image value of the outer layer is lower, indicating weaker optical absorption. Meanwhile, the inner layer has the exact same size as the dentin structure and the outer layer has the exact same size as the enamel structure in this cross-section. Conclusions: The photoacoustic microscope (all-optical comes out to be a future and promising tool for detecting early-stage caries and lesions on the surface of the teeth, where micro-leakage occurs at the interface of tooth restoration, and also the anatomy of dental tissues.

Lensless high-resolution photoacoustic imaging scanner for in vivo skin imaging

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Ida, Taiichiro; Iwazaki, Hideaki; Omuro, Toshiyuki; Kawaguchi, Yasushi; Tsunoi, Yasuyuki; Kawauchi, Satoko; Sato, Shunichi

2018-02-01

We previously launched a high-resolution photoacoustic (PA) imaging scanner based on a unique lensless design for in vivo skin imaging. The design, imaging algorithm and characteristics of the system are described in this paper. Neither an optical lens nor an acoustic lens is used in the system. In the imaging head, four sensor elements are arranged quadrilaterally, and by checking the phase differences for PA waves detected with these four sensors, a set of PA signals only originating from a chromophore located on the sensor center axis is extracted for constructing an image. A phantom study using a carbon fiber showed a depth-independent horizontal resolution of 84.0 ± 3.5 µm, and the scan direction-dependent variation of PA signals was about ± 20%. We then performed imaging of vasculature phantoms: patterns of red ink lines with widths of 100 or 200 μm formed in an acrylic block co-polymer. The patterns were visualized with high contrast, showing the capability for imaging arterioles and venues in the skin. Vasculatures in rat burn models and healthy human skin were also clearly visualized in vivo.

Photoacoustic reflection artifact reduction using photoacoustic-guided focused ultrasound : comparison between plane-wave and element-by-element synthetic backpropagation approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuniyil Ajith Singh, M.; Jaeger, M.; Frenz, M.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt

2017-01-01

Reflection artifacts caused by acoustic inhomogeneities constitute a major problem in epi-mode biomedical photoacoustic imaging. Photoacoustic transients from the skin and superficial optical absorbers traverse into the tissue and reflect off echogenic structures to generate reflection artifacts.

Improving image quality by accounting for changes in water temperature during a photoacoustic tomography scan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominique Van de Sompel

Full Text Available The emerging field of photoacoustic tomography is rapidly evolving with many new system designs and reconstruction algorithms being published. Many systems use water as a coupling medium between the scanned object and the ultrasound transducers. Prior to a scan, the water is heated to body temperature to enable small animal imaging. During the scan, the water heating system of some systems is switched off to minimize the risk of bubble formation, which leads to a gradual decrease in water temperature and hence the speed of sound. In this work, we use a commercially available scanner that follows this procedure, and show that a failure to model intra-scan temperature decreases as small as 1.5°C leads to image artifacts that may be difficult to distinguish from true structures, particularly in complex scenes. We then improve image quality by continuously monitoring the water temperature during the scan and applying variable speed of sound corrections in the image reconstruction algorithm. While upgrading to an air bubble-free heating pump and keeping it running during the scan could also solve the changing temperature problem, we show that a software correction for the temperature changes provides a cost-effective alternative to a hardware upgrade. The efficacy of the software corrections was shown to be consistent across objects of widely varying appearances, namely physical phantoms, ex vivo tissue, and in vivo mouse imaging. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of modeling temporal variations in the speed of sound during photoacoustic scans, as opposed to spatial variations as focused on by previous studies. Since air bubbles pose a common problem in ultrasonic and photoacoustic imaging systems, our results will be useful to future small animal imaging studies that use scanners with similarly limited heating units.

Catheter design optimization for practical intravascular photoacoustic imaging (IVPA) of vulnerable plaques

Science.gov (United States)

Iskander-Rizk, Sophinese; Wu, Min; Springeling, Geert; Mastik, Frits; Beurskens, Robert H. S. H.; van der Steen, Antonius F. W.; van Soest, Gijs

2018-02-01

Intravascular photoacoustic/ultrasound imaging (IVPA/US) can image the structure and composition of atherosclerotic lesions identifying lipid-rich plaques ex vivo and in vivo. In the literature, multiple IVPA/US catheter designs were presented and validated both in ex-vivo models and preclinical in-vivo situations. Since the catheter is a critical component of the imaging system, we discuss here a catheter design oriented to imaging plaque in a realistic and translatable setting. We present a catheter optimized for light delivery, manageable flush parameters and robustness with reduced mechanical damage risks at the laser/catheter joint interface. We also show capability of imaging within sheath and in water medium.

Noninvasive photoacoustic computed tomography of mouse brain metabolism in vivo

OpenAIRE

Yao, Junjie; Xia, Jun; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Tsytsarev, Vassiliy; Demchenko, Alexei V.; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-01-01

We have demonstrated the feasibility of imaging mouse brain metabolism using photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT), a fast, noninvasive and functional imaging modality with optical contrast and acoustic resolution. Brain responses to forepaw stimulations were imaged transdermally and transcranially. 2-NBDG, which diffuses well across the blood–brain-barrier, provided exogenous contrast for photoacoustic imaging of glucose response. Concurrently, hemoglobin provided endogenous contrast for ...

Label-free photoacoustic microscopy of peripheral nerves

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Thomas Paul; Zhang, Chi; Yao, Da-Kang; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-01-01

Peripheral neuropathy is a common neurological problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Diagnosis and treatment of this condition are often hindered by the difficulties in making objective, noninvasive measurements of nerve fibers. Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) has the ability to obtain high resolution, specific images of peripheral nerves without exogenous contrast. We demonstrated the first proof-of-concept imaging of peripheral nerves using PAM. As validated by both standard histology and photoacoustic spectroscopy, the origin of photoacoustic signals is myelin, the primary source of lipids in the nerves. An extracted sciatic nerve sandwiched between two layers of chicken tissue was imaged by PAM to mimic the in vivo case. Ordered fibrous structures inside the nerve, caused by the bundles of myelin-coated axons, could be observed clearly. With further technical improvements, PAM can potentially be applied to monitor and diagnose peripheral neuropathies.

Short-lag spatial coherence beamforming of photoacoustic images for enhanced visualization of prostate brachytherapy seeds

OpenAIRE

Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.; Kuo, Nathanael; Song, Danny Y.; Boctor, Emad M.

2013-01-01

Prostate brachytherapy, administered by implanting tiny radioactive seeds to treat prostate cancer, currently relies on transrectal ultrasound imaging for intraoperative visualization of the metallic seeds. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging has been suggested as a feasible alternative to ultrasound imaging due to its superior sensitivity to metal surrounded by tissue. However, PA images suffer from poor contrast when seeds are distant from the light source. We propose a transperineal light delivery ...

Microfluidics-based microbubbles in methylene blue solution for photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Dhiman; Sivasubramanian, Kathyayini; Yang, Chun; Pramanik, Manojit

2018-02-01

Contrast agents which can be used for more than one bio-imaging technique has gained a lot of attention from researchers in recent years. In this work, a microfluidic device employing a flow-focusing junction, is used for the continuous generation of monodisperse nitrogen microbubbles in methylene blue, an optically absorbing organic dye, for dual-modal photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging. Using an external phase of polyoxyethylene glycol 40 stearate (PEG 40), a non-ionic surfactant, and 50% glycerol solution at a flow rate of 1 ml/hr and gas pressure at 1.75 bar, monodisperse nitrogen microbubbles of diameter 7 microns were obtained. The external phase also contained methylene blue hydrate at a concentration of 1 gm/litre. The monodisperse microbubbles produced a strong ultrasound signal as expected. It was observed that the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the photoacoustic signal for the methylene blue solution in the presence of the monodisperse microbubbles was 68.6% lower than that of methylene blue solution in the absence of microbubbles. This work is of significance because using microfluidics, we can precisely control the bubbles' production rate and bubble size which increases ultrasound imaging efficiency. A uniform size distribution of the bubbles will have narrower resonance frequency bandwidth which will respond well to specific ultrasound frequencies.

Photoacoustic mammography laboratory prototype: imaging of breast tissue phantoms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manohar, Srirang; Kharine, Alexei; van Hespen, Johan C. G.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; van Leeuwen, Ton G.

2004-01-01

We present a laboratory version of a photoacoustic mammoscope, based on a parallel plate geometry. The instrument is built around a flat high-density ultrasound detector matrix. The light source is a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a pulse duration of 5 ns. To test the instrument, a novel photoacoustic

In vivo photoacoustics and high frequency ultrasound imaging of mechanical high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Daoudi, Khalid; Hoogenboom, Martijn; den Brok, Martijn; Eikelenboom, Dylan; Adema, Gosse J; Fütterer, Jürgen J; de Korte, Chris L

2017-04-01

The thermal effect of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been clinically exploited over a decade, while the mechanical HIFU is still largely confined to laboratory investigations. This is in part due to the lack of adequate imaging techniques to better understand the in-vivo pathological and immunological effects caused by the mechanical treatment. In this work, we explore the use of high frequency ultrasound (US) and photoacoustics (PA) as a potential tool to evaluate the effect of mechanical ablation in-vivo , e.g. boiling histotripsy. Two mice bearing a neuroblastoma tumor in the right leg were ablated using an MRI-HIFU system conceived for small animals and monitored using MRI thermometry. High frequency US and PA imaging were performed before and after the HIFU treatment. Afterwards, the tumor was resected for further assessment and evaluation of the ablated region using histopathology. High frequency US imaging revealed the presence of liquefied regions in the treated area together with fragmentized tissue which appeared with different reflecting proprieties compared to the surrounding tissue. Photoacoustic imaging on the other hand revealed the presence of deoxygenated blood within the tumor after the ablation due to the destruction of blood vessel network while color Doppler imaging confirmed the blood vessel network destruction within the tumor. The treated area and the presence of red blood cells detected by photoacoustics were further confirmed by the histopathology. This feasibility study demonstrates the potential of high frequency US and PA approach for assessing in-vivo the effect of mechanical HIFU tumor ablation.

Single-wavelength functional photoacoustic microscopy in biological tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V

2011-03-01

Recently, we developed a reflection-mode relaxation photoacoustic microscope, based on saturation intensity, to measure picosecond relaxation times using a nanosecond laser. Here, using the different relaxation times of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin molecules, both possessing extremely low fluorescence quantum yields, the oxygen saturation was quantified in vivo with single-wavelength photoacoustic microscopy. All previous functional photoacoustic microscopy measurements required imaging with multiple-laser-wavelength measurements to quantify oxygen saturation. Eliminating the need for multiwavelength measurements removes the influence of spectral properties on oxygenation calculations and improves the portability and cost-effectiveness of functional or molecular photoacoustic microscopy.

High-pulse energy supercontinuum laser for high-resolution spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging of lipids in the 1650-1850 nm region.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasa, Manoj Kumar; Markos, Christos; Maria, Michael; Petersen, Christian R; Moselund, Peter M; Bang, Ole

2018-04-01

We propose a cost-effective high-pulse energy supercontinuum (SC) source based on a telecom range diode laser-based amplifier and a few meters of standard single-mode optical fiber, with a pulse energy density as high as ~25 nJ/nm in the 1650-1850 nm regime (factor >3 times higher than any SC source ever used in this wavelength range). We demonstrate how such an SC source combined with a tunable filter allows high-resolution spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging and the spectroscopy of lipids in the first overtone transition band of C-H bonds (1650-1850 nm). We show the successful discrimination of two different lipids (cholesterol and lipid in adipose tissue) and the photoacoustic cross-sectional scan of lipid-rich adipose tissue at three different locations. The proposed high-pulse energy SC laser paves a new direction towards compact, broadband and cost-effective source for spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging.

An optimized ultrasound detector for photoacoustic breast tomography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xia, Wenfeng; Piras, Daniele; van Hespen, Johan C. G.; van Veldhoven, Spiridon; Prins, Christian; van Leeuwen, Ton G.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; Manohar, Srirang

2013-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging has proven to be able to detect vascularization-driven optical absorption contrast associated with tumors. In order to detect breast tumors located a few centimeter deep in tissue, a sensitive ultrasound detector is of crucial importance for photoacoustic mammography. Further,

In vivo photoacoustic microscopy of human cutaneous microvasculature and a nevus.

Science.gov (United States)

Favazza, Christopher P; Jassim, Omar; Cornelius, Lynn A; Wang, Lihong V

2011-01-01

In several human volunteers, photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) has been utilized for noninvasive cutaneous imaging of the skin microvasculature and a melanocytic nevus. Microvascular networks in both acral and nonacral skin were imaged, and multiple features within the skin have been identified, including the stratum corneum, epidermal-dermal junction, and subpapillary vascular plexus. Several vascular and structural differences between acral and nonacral skin were also observed in the photoacoustic images. In addition, a nevus was photoacoustically imaged, excised, and histologically analyzed. The photoacoustic images allowed for in vivo measurement of tumor thickness, depth, and microvasculature-values confirmed by histologic examination. The presented images demonstrate the potential of PAM to aid in the study and evaluation of cutaneous microcirculation and analysis of pigmented lesions. Through its ability to three-dimensionally image the structure and function of the microvasculature and pigmented lesions, PAM can have a clinical impact in diagnosis and assessment of systemic diseases that affect the microvasculature such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, cutaneous malignancies such as melanoma, and potentially other skin disorders.

In vivo virtual intraoperative surgical photoacoustic microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Seunghoon; Kim, Sehui; Kim, Jeehyun; Lee, Changho; Jeon, Mansik; Kim, Chulhong

2013-01-01

We developed a virtual intraoperative surgical photoacoustic microscopy system by combining with a commercial surgical microscope and photoacoustic microscope (PAM). By sharing the common optical path in the microscope and PAM system, we could acquire the PAM and microscope images simultaneously. Moreover, by employing a beam projector to back-project 2D PAM images onto the microscope view plane as augmented reality, the conventional microscopic and 2D cross-sectional PAM images are concurrently mapped on the plane via an ocular lens of the microscope in real-time. Further, we guided needle insertion into phantom ex vivo and mice skins in vivo

In vivo virtual intraoperative surgical photoacoustic microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Seunghoon, E-mail: hsh860504@gmail.com; Kim, Sehui, E-mail: sehui0916@nate.com; Kim, Jeehyun, E-mail: jeehk@knu.ac.kr, E-mail: chulhong@postech.edu [School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Changho, E-mail: ch31037@postech.edu; Jeon, Mansik, E-mail: msjeon@postech.edu [Department of Creative IT Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chulhong, E-mail: jeehk@knu.ac.kr, E-mail: chulhong@postech.edu [Department of Creative IT Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Biomedical Engineering, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14221 (United States)

2013-11-11

We developed a virtual intraoperative surgical photoacoustic microscopy system by combining with a commercial surgical microscope and photoacoustic microscope (PAM). By sharing the common optical path in the microscope and PAM system, we could acquire the PAM and microscope images simultaneously. Moreover, by employing a beam projector to back-project 2D PAM images onto the microscope view plane as augmented reality, the conventional microscopic and 2D cross-sectional PAM images are concurrently mapped on the plane via an ocular lens of the microscope in real-time. Further, we guided needle insertion into phantom ex vivo and mice skins in vivo.

A novel fiber laser development for photoacoustic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Yavas, Seydi; Aytac-Kipergil, Esra; Arabul, Mustafa U.; Erkol, Hakan; Akcaalan, Onder; Eldeniz, Y. Burak; Ilday, F. Omer; Unlu, Mehmet B.

2013-03-01

Photoacoustic microscopy, as an imaging modality, has shown promising results in imaging angiogenesis and cutaneous malignancies like melanoma, revealing systemic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, tracing drug efficiency and assessment of therapy, monitoring healing processes such as wound cicatrization, brain imaging and mapping. Clinically, photoacoustic microscopy is emerging as a capable diagnostic tool. Parameters of lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy, particularly, pulse duration, energy, pulse repetition frequency, and pulse-to-pulse stability affect signal amplitude and quality, data acquisition speed and indirectly, spatial resolution. Lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy are typically Q-switched lasers, low-power laser diodes, and recently, fiber lasers. Significantly, the key parameters cannot be adjusted independently of each other, whereas microvasculature and cellular imaging, e.g., have different requirements. Here, we report an integrated fiber laser system producing nanosecond pulses, covering the spectrum from 600 nm to 1100 nm, developed specifically for photoacoustic excitation. The system comprises of Yb-doped fiber oscillator and amplifier, an acousto-optic modulator and a photonic-crystal fiber to generate supercontinuum. Complete control over the pulse train, including generation of non-uniform pulse trains, is achieved via the AOM through custom-developed field-programmable gate-array electronics. The system is unique in that all the important parameters are adjustable: pulse duration in the range of 1-3 ns, pulse energy up to 10 μJ, repetition rate from 50 kHz to 3 MHz. Different photocoustic imaging probes can be excited with the ultrabroad spectrum. The entire system is fiber-integrated; guided-beam-propagation rendersit misalignment free and largely immune to mechanical perturbations. The laser is robust, low-cost and built using readily available components.

Simultaneous in vivo imaging of melanin and lipofuscin in the retina with photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy and autofluorescence imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiangyang; Zhang, Hao F.; Puliafito, Carmen A.; Jiao, Shuliang

2011-08-01

We combined photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy (PAOM) with autofluorescence imaging for simultaneous in vivo imaging of dual molecular contrasts in the retina using a single light source. The dual molecular contrasts come from melanin and lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Melanin and lipofuscin are two types of pigments and are believed to play opposite roles (protective versus exacerbate) in the RPE in the aging process. We have successfully imaged the retina of pigmented and albino rats at different ages. The experimental results showed that multimodal PAOM system can be a potentially powerful tool in the study of age-related degenerative retinal diseases.

Imaging and detection of early stage dental caries with an all-optical photoacoustic microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, D A; Kirk, K J; Sampathkumar, A; Longbottom, C

2015-01-01

Tooth decay, at its earliest stages, manifests itself as small, white, subsurface lesions in the enamel. Current methods for detection in the dental clinic are visual and tactile investigations, and bite-wing X-ray radiographs. These techniques suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity at the earliest (and reversible) stages of the disease due to the small size (<100μm) of the lesion. A fine-resolution (600 nm) ultra-broadband (200 MHz) all-optical photoacoustic microscopy system was is used to image the early signs of tooth decay. Ex-vivo tooth samples exhibiting white spot lesions were scanned and were found to generate a larger (one order of magnitude) photoacoustic (PA) signal in the lesion regions compared to healthy enamel. The high contrast in the PA images potentially allows lesions to be imaged and measured at a much earlier stage than current clinical techniques allow. PA images were cross referenced with histology photographs to validate our experimental results. Our PA system provides a noncontact method for early detection of white-spot lesions with a high detection bandwidth that offers advantages over previously demonstrated ultrasound methods. The technique provides the sensing depth of an ultrasound system, but with the spatial resolution of an optical system

Dual in vivo Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Imaging of HER2 Expression in Breast Tumors for Diagnosis, Margin Assessment, and Surgical Guidance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azusa Maeda

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Biomarker-specific imaging probes offer ways to improve molecular diagnosis, intraoperative margin assessment, and tumor resection. Fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging probes are of particular interest for clinical applications because the combination enables deeper tissue penetration for tumor detection while maintaining imaging sensitivity compared to a single optical imaging modality. Here we describe the development of a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2-targeting imaging probe to visualize differential levels of HER2 expression in a breast cancer model. Specifically, we labeled trastuzumab with Black Hole Quencher 3 (BHQ3 and fluorescein for photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging of HER2 overexpression, respectively. The dual-labeled trastuzumab was tested for its ability to detect HER2 overexpression in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated an over twofold increase in the signal intensity for HER2-overexpressing tumors in vivo, compared to low–HER2-expressing tumors, using photoacoustic imaging. Furthermore, we demonstrated the feasibility of detecting tumors and positive surgical margins by fluorescence imaging. These results suggest that multimodal HER2-specific imaging of breast cancer using the BHQ3-fluorescein trastuzumab enables molecular-level detection and surgical margin assessment of breast tumors in vivo. This technique may have future clinical impact for primary lesion detection, as well as intraoperative molecular-level surgical guidance in breast cancer.

Fast photoacoustic imaging system based on 320-element linear transducer array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Bangzheng; Xing Da; Wang Yi; Zeng Yaguang; Tan Yi; Chen Qun

2004-01-01

A fast photoacoustic (PA) imaging system, based on a 320-transducer linear array, was developed and tested on a tissue phantom. To reconstruct a test tomographic image, 64 time-domain PA signals were acquired from a tissue phantom with embedded light-absorption targets. A signal acquisition was accomplished by utilizing 11 phase-controlled sub-arrays, each consisting of four transducers. The results show that the system can rapidly map the optical absorption of a tissue phantom and effectively detect the embedded light-absorbing target. By utilizing the multi-element linear transducer array and phase-controlled imaging algorithm, we thus can acquire PA tomography more efficiently, compared to other existing technology and algorithms. The methodology and equipment thus provide a rapid and reliable approach to PA imaging that may have potential applications in noninvasive imaging and clinic diagnosis

Wavelength-Modulated Differential Photoacoustic (WM-DPA) imaging: a high dynamic range modality towards noninvasive diagnosis of cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Dovlo, Edem; Lashkari, Bahman; Choi, Sung soo Sean; Mandelis, Andreas

2016-03-01

This study explores wavelength-modulated differential photo-acoustic (WM-DPA) imaging for non-invasive early cancer detection via sensitive characterization of functional information such as hemoglobin oxygenation (sO2) levels. Well-known benchmarks of tumor formation such as angiogenesis and hypoxia can be addressed this way. While most conventional photo-acoustic imaging has almost entirely employed high-power pulsed lasers, frequency-domain photo-acoustic radar (FD-PAR) has seen significant development as an alternative technique. It employs a continuous wave laser source intensity-modulated and driven by frequency-swept waveforms. WM-DPA imaging utilizes chirp modulated laser beams at two distinct wavelengths for which absorption differences between oxy- and deoxygenated hemoglobin are minimum (isosbestic point, 805 nm) and maximum (680 nm) to simultaneously generate two signals detected using a standard commercial array transducer as well as a single-element transducer that scans the sample. Signal processing is performed using Lab View and Matlab software developed in-house. Minute changes in total hemoglobin concentration (tHb) and oxygenation levels are detectable using this method since background absorption is suppressed due to the out-of-phase modulation of the laser sources while the difference between the two signals is amplified, thus allowing pre-malignant tumors to become identifiable. By regulating the signal amplitude ratio and phase shift the system can be tuned to applications like cancer screening, sO2 quantification and hypoxia monitoring in stroke patients. Experimental results presented demonstrate WM-DPA imaging of sheep blood phantoms in comparison to single-wavelength FD-PAR imaging. Future work includes the functional PA imaging of small animals in vivo.

One-pot synthesis of gold nanostars using plant polyphenols for cancer photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiao-Long; Zheng, Cheng; Zhang, Yun; Yang, Huang-Hao; Liu, Xiaolong; Liu, Jingfeng

2016-01-01

Branched plasmonic nanostructures have been found to exhibit strong enhancement of the electromagnetic field surrounding their multi-branched petals. This feature endows them with improved performance in catalysis, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, photoacoustic imaging, and photothermal therapy. Albeit several synthesis techniques have been developed, the precisely controlled growth of highly branched nanostructures with a one-pot surfactant-free procedure is still challenging. Herein, we present a simple seedless route to synthesize gold nanostars (AuNSs) using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The size and shape of AuNSs can be tuned by simply adjusting the amount of added GA. Under the optimum condition, the as-prepared AuNSs with diameters about 100 nm exhibit strong near-infrared absorption, good photothermal efficiency, and high biocompatibility. We demonstrate that AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.Graphical AbstractGold nanostars (AuNSs) are synthesized by a simple seedless route using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

One-pot synthesis of gold nanostars using plant polyphenols for cancer photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xiao-Long [Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province (China); Zheng, Cheng [Fuzhou University, The Key Lab of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety of the MOE, College of Chemistry (China); Zhang, Yun [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen Institute of Rare Earth Materials, Haixi Institute (China); Yang, Huang-Hao [Fuzhou University, The Key Lab of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety of the MOE, College of Chemistry (China); Liu, Xiaolong, E-mail: xiaoloong.liu@gmail.com; Liu, Jingfeng, E-mail: drjingfeng@126.com [Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province (China)

2016-07-15

Branched plasmonic nanostructures have been found to exhibit strong enhancement of the electromagnetic field surrounding their multi-branched petals. This feature endows them with improved performance in catalysis, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, photoacoustic imaging, and photothermal therapy. Albeit several synthesis techniques have been developed, the precisely controlled growth of highly branched nanostructures with a one-pot surfactant-free procedure is still challenging. Herein, we present a simple seedless route to synthesize gold nanostars (AuNSs) using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The size and shape of AuNSs can be tuned by simply adjusting the amount of added GA. Under the optimum condition, the as-prepared AuNSs with diameters about 100 nm exhibit strong near-infrared absorption, good photothermal efficiency, and high biocompatibility. We demonstrate that AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.Graphical AbstractGold nanostars (AuNSs) are synthesized by a simple seedless route using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Intravascular ultrasonic-photoacoustic (IVUP) endoscope with 2.2-mm diameter catheter for medical imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Bui, Nhat Quang; Hlaing, Kyu Kyu; Nguyen, Van Phuc; Nguyen, Trung Hau; Oh, Yun-Ok; Fan, Xiao Feng; Lee, Yong Wook; Nam, Seung Yun; Kang, Hyun Wook; Oh, Junghwan

2015-10-01

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging is extremely important for detection and characterization of high-risk atherosclerotic plaques as well as gastrointestinal diseases. Recently, intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging has been used to differentiate the composition of biological tissues with high optical contrast and ultrasonic resolution. The combination of these imaging techniques could provide morphological information and molecular screening to characterize abnormal tissues, which would help physicians to ensure vital therapeutic value and prognostic significance for patients before commencing therapy. In this study, integration of a high-frequency IVUS imaging catheter (45MHz, single-element, unfocused, 0.7mm in diameter) with a multi-mode optical fiber (0.6mm in core diameter, 0.22 NA), an integrated intravascular ultrasonic-photoacoustic (IVUP) imaging catheter, was developed to provide spatial and functional information on light distribution in a turbid sample. Simultaneously, IVUS imaging was co-registered to IVPA imaging to construct 3D volumetric sample images. In a phantom study, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) tissue-mimicking arterial vessel phantom with indocyanine green (ICG) and methylene blue (MB) inclusion was used to demonstrate the feasibility of mapping the biological dyes, which are used in cardiovascular and cancer diagnostics. For the ex vivo study, an excised sample of pig intestine with ICG was utilized to target the biomarkers present in the gastrointestinal tumors or the atherosclerotic plaques with the proposed hybrid technique. The results indicated that IVUP endoscope with the 2.2-mm diameter catheter could be a useful tool for medical imaging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recognition algorithm for assisting ovarian cancer diagnosis from coregistered ultrasound and photoacoustic images: ex vivo study

Science.gov (United States)

Alqasemi, Umar; Kumavor, Patrick; Aguirre, Andres; Zhu, Quing

2012-12-01

Unique features and the underlining hypotheses of how these features may relate to the tumor physiology in coregistered ultrasound and photoacoustic images of ex vivo ovarian tissue are introduced. The images were first compressed with wavelet transform. The mean Radon transform of photoacoustic images was then computed and fitted with a Gaussian function to find the centroid of a suspicious area for shift-invariant recognition process. Twenty-four features were extracted from a training set by several methods, including Fourier transform, image statistics, and different composite filters. The features were chosen from more than 400 training images obtained from 33 ex vivo ovaries of 24 patients, and used to train three classifiers, including generalized linear model, neural network, and support vector machine (SVM). The SVM achieved the best training performance and was able to exclusively separate cancerous from non-cancerous cases with 100% sensitivity and specificity. At the end, the classifiers were used to test 95 new images obtained from 37 ovaries of 20 additional patients. The SVM classifier achieved 76.92% sensitivity and 95.12% specificity. Furthermore, if we assume that recognizing one image as a cancer is sufficient to consider an ovary as malignant, the SVM classifier achieves 100% sensitivity and 87.88% specificity.

Ultrasound-guided photoacoustic imaging of lymph nodes with biocompatible gold nanoparticles as a novel contrast agent (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, In-Cheol; Dumani, Diego; Emelianov, Stanislav Y.

2017-02-01

A key step in staging cancer is the diagnosis of metastasis that spreads through lymphatic system. For this reason, researchers develop various methods of sentinel lymph node mapping that often use a radioactive tracer. This study introduces a safe, cost-effective, high-resolution, high-sensitivity, and real-time method of visualizing the sentinel lymph node: ultrasound-guided photoacoustic (US/PA) imaging augmented by a contrast agent. In this work, we use clearable gold nanoparticles covered by a biocompatible polymer (glycol chitosan) to enhance cellular uptake by macrophages abundant in lymph nodes. We incubate macrophages with glycol-chitosan-coated gold nanoparticles (0.05 mg Au/ml), and then fix them with paraformaldehyde solution for an analysis of in vitro dark-field microscopy and cell phantom. The analysis shows enhanced cellular uptake of nanoparticles by macrophages and strong photoacoustic signal from labeled cells in tissue-mimicking cell phantoms consisting gelatin solution (6 %) with silica gel (25 μm, 0.3%) and fixed macrophages (13 X 105 cells). The in-vivo US/PA imaging of cervical lymph nodes in healthy mice (nu/nu, female, 5 weeks) indicates a strong photoacoustic signal from a lymph node 10 minutes post-injection (2.5 mg Au/ml, 80 μl). The signal intensity and the nanoparticle-labeled volume of tissue within the lymph node continues to increase until 4 h post-injection. Histological analysis further confirms the accumulation of gold nanoparticles within the lymph nodes. This work suggests the feasibility of molecular/cellular US/PA imaging with biocompatible gold nanoparticles as a photoacoustic contrast agent in the diagnosis of lymph-node-related diseases.

Photoacoustic and ultrasound dual-modality imaging for inflammatory arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Guan; Chamberland, David; Girish, Gandikota; Wang, Xueding

2014-03-01

Arthritis is a leading cause of disability, affecting 46 million of the population in the U.S. Rendering new optical contrast in articular tissues at high spatial and temporal resolution, emerging photoacoustic imaging (PAI) combined with more established ultrasound (US) imaging technologies provides unique opportunities for diagnosis and treatment monitoring of inflammatory arthritis. In addition to capturing peripheral bone and soft tissue images, PAI has the capability to quantify hemodynamic properties including regional blood oxygenation and blood volume, both abnormal in synovial tissues affected by arthritis. Therefore, PAI, especially when performed together with US, should be of considerable help for further understanding the pathophysiology of arthritis as well as assisting in therapeutic decisions, including assessing the efficacy of new pharmacological therapies. In this paper, we will review our recent work on the development of PAI for application to the diagnostic imaging and therapeutic monitoring of inflammatory arthritis. We will present the imaging results from a home-built imaging system and another one based on a commercial US. The performance of PAI in evaluating pharmacological therapy on animal model of arthritis will be shown. Moreover, our resent work on PAI and US dual-modality imaging of human peripheral joints in vivo will also be presented.

RGD-conjugated silica-coated gold nanorods on the surface of carbon nanotubes for targeted photoacoustic imaging of gastric cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Can; Bao, Chenchen; Liang, Shujing; Fu, Hualin; Wang, Kan; Deng, Min; Liao, Qiande; Cui, Daxiang

2014-05-01

Herein, we reported for the first time that RGD-conjugated silica-coated gold nanorods on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes were successfully used for targeted photoacoustic imaging of in vivo gastric cancer cells. A simple strategy was used to attach covalently silica-coated gold nanorods (sGNRs) onto the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to fabricate a hybrid nanostructure. The cross-linked reaction occurred through the combination of carboxyl groups on the MWNTs and the amino group on the surface of sGNRs modified with a silane coupling agent. RGD peptides were conjugated with the sGNR/MWNT nanostructure; resultant RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes were investigated for their influences on viability of MGC803 and GES-1 cells. The nude mice models loaded with gastric cancer cells were prepared, the RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes were injected into gastric cancer-bearing nude mice models via the tail vein, and the nude mice were observed by an optoacoustic imaging system. Results showed that RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes showed good water solubility and low cellular toxicity, could target in vivo gastric cancer cells, and obtained strong photoacoustic imaging in the nude model. RGD-conjugated sGNR/MWNT probes will own great potential in applications such as targeted photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in the near future.

Noninvasive photoacoustic measurement of absorption coefficient using internal light irradiation of cylindrical diffusing fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Dong-qing; Zhu, Li-li; Li, Zhi-fang; Li, Hui

2017-09-01

Absorption coefficient of biological tissue is an important parameter in biomedicine, but its determination remains a challenge. In this paper, we propose a method using focusing photoacoustic imaging technique and internal light irradiation of cylindrical diffusing fiber (CDF) to quantify the target optical absorption coefficient. Absorption coefficients for ink absorbers are firstly determined through photoacoustic and spectrophotometric measurements at the same excitation, which demonstrates the feasibility of this method. Also, the optical absorption coefficients of ink absorbers with several concentrations are measured. Finally, the two-dimensional scanning photoacoustic image is obtained. Optical absorption coefficient measurement and simultaneous photoacoustic imaging of absorber non-invasively are the typical characteristics of the method. This method can play a significant role for non-invasive determination of blood oxygen saturation, the absorption-based imaging and therapy.

Exploring the effects of transducer models when training convolutional neural networks to eliminate reflection artifacts in experimental photoacoustic images

Science.gov (United States)

Allman, Derek; Reiter, Austin; Bell, Muyinatu

2018-02-01

We previously proposed a method of removing reflection artifacts in photoacoustic images that uses deep learning. Our approach generally relies on using simulated photoacoustic channel data to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) that is capable of distinguishing sources from artifacts based on unique differences in their spatial impulse responses (manifested as depth-based differences in wavefront shapes). In this paper, we directly compare a CNN trained with our previous continuous transducer model to a CNN trained with an updated discrete acoustic receiver model that more closely matches an experimental ultrasound transducer. These two CNNs were trained with simulated data and tested on experimental data. The CNN trained using the continuous receiver model correctly classified 100% of sources and 70.3% of artifacts in the experimental data. In contrast, the CNN trained using the discrete receiver model correctly classified 100% of sources and 89.7% of artifacts in the experimental images. The 19.4% increase in artifact classification accuracy indicates that an acoustic receiver model that closely mimics the experimental transducer plays an important role in improving the classification of artifacts in experimental photoacoustic data. Results are promising for developing a method to display CNN-based images that remove artifacts in addition to only displaying network-identified sources as previously proposed.

Noninvasive photoacoustic computed tomography of mouse brain metabolism in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Junjie; Xia, Jun; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Tsytsarev, Vassiliy; Demchenko, Alexei V.; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-01-01

We have demonstrated the feasibility of imaging mouse brain metabolism using photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT), a fast, noninvasive and functional imaging modality with optical contrast and acoustic resolution. Brain responses to forepaw stimulations were imaged transdermally and transcranially. 2-NBDG, which diffuses well across the blood-brain-barrier, provided exogenous contrast for photoacoustic imaging of glucose response. Concurrently, hemoglobin provided endogenous contrast for photoacoustic imaging of hemodynamic response. Glucose and hemodynamic responses were quantitatively decoupled by using two-wavelength measurements. We found that glucose uptake and blood perfusion around the somatosensory region of the contralateral hemisphere were both increased by stimulations, indicating elevated neuron activity. While the glucose response area was more homogenous and confined within the somatosensory region, the hemodynamic response area had a clear vascular pattern and spread wider than the somatosensory region. Our results demonstrate that 2-NBDG-enhanced PACT is a promising tool for noninvasive studies of brain metabolism. PMID:22940116

Photoacoustic Detection of Terahertz Radiation for Chemical Sensing and Imaging Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

ISSN 2229-5518 [39] Jingle Liu, Benjamin Clough, and X. C. Zhang, “Enhancement of photoacoustic emission through terahertz-field driven electron...materials,” Journal of Electroceramics, vol. 2: p. 257-272, 2009. [47] Jingle Liu, Benjamin Clough, and X. C. Zhang, “Enhancement of photoacoustic

Time-stretch microscopy based on time-wavelength sequence reconstruction from wideband incoherent source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chi; Xu, Yiqing; Wei, Xiaoming; Tsia, Kevin K.; Wong, Kenneth K. Y.

2014-01-01

Time-stretch microscopy has emerged as an ultrafast optical imaging concept offering the unprecedented combination of the imaging speed and sensitivity. However, dedicated wideband and coherence optical pulse source with high shot-to-shot stability has been mandated for time-wavelength mapping—the enabling process for ultrahigh speed wavelength-encoded image retrieval. From the practical point of view, exploiting methods to relax the stringent requirements (e.g., temporal stability and coherence) for the source of time-stretch microscopy is thus of great value. In this paper, we demonstrated time-stretch microscopy by reconstructing the time-wavelength mapping sequence from a wideband incoherent source. Utilizing the time-lens focusing mechanism mediated by a narrow-band pulse source, this approach allows generation of a wideband incoherent source, with the spectral efficiency enhanced by a factor of 18. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, time-stretch imaging with the scan rate as high as MHz and diffraction-limited resolution is achieved based on the wideband incoherent source. We note that the concept of time-wavelength sequence reconstruction from wideband incoherent source can also be generalized to any high-speed optical real-time measurements, where wavelength is acted as the information carrier

In vivo tumor detection with combined MR–Photoacoustic-Thermoacoustic imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Huang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Here, we report a new method using combined magnetic resonance (MR–Photoacoustic (PA–Thermoacoustic (TA imaging techniques, and demonstrate its unique ability for in vivo cancer detection using tumor-bearing mice. Circular scanning TA and PA imaging systems were used to recover the dielectric and optical property distributions of three colon carcinoma bearing mice While a 7.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI unit with a mouse body volume coil was utilized for high resolution structural imaging of the same mice. Three plastic tubes filled with soybean sauce were used as fiducial markers for the co-registration of MR, PA and TA images. The resulting fused images provided both enhanced tumor margin and contrast relative to the surrounding normal tissues. In particular, some finger-like protrusions extending into the surrounding tissues were revealed in the MR/TA infused images. These results show that the tissue functional optical and dielectric properties provided by PA and TA images along with the anatomical structure by MRI in one picture make accurate tumor identification easier. This combined MR–PA–TA-imaging strategy has the potential to offer a clinically useful triple-modality tool for accurate cancer detection and for intraoperative surgical navigation.

Planoconcave optical microresonator sensors for photoacoustic imaging: pushing the limits of sensitivity (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Guggenheim, James A.; Zhang, Edward Z.; Beard, Paul C.

2016-03-01

Most photoacoustic scanners use piezoelectric detectors but these have two key limitations. Firstly, they are optically opaque, inhibiting backward mode operation. Secondly, it is difficult to achieve adequate detection sensitivity with the small element sizes needed to provide near-omnidirectional response as required for tomographic imaging. Planar Fabry-Perot (FP) ultrasound sensing etalons can overcome both of these limitations and have proved extremely effective for superficial (beam. However, this has the disadvantage that beam walk-off due to the divergence of the beam fundamentally limits the etalon finesse and thus sensitivity - in essence, the problem is one of insufficient optical confinement. To overcome this, novel planoconcave micro-resonator sensors have been fabricated using precision ink-jet printed polymer domes with curvatures matching that of the laser wavefront. By providing near-perfect beam confinement, we show that it is possible to approach the maximum theoretical limit for finesse (f) imposed by the etalon mirror reflectivities (e.g. f=400 for R=99.2% in contrast to a typical planar sensor value of fbeam walk-off, viable sensors can be made with significantly greater thickness than planar FP sensors. This provides an additional sensitivity gain for deep tissue imaging applications such as breast imaging where detection bandwidths in the low MHz can be tolerated. For example, for a 250 μm thick planoconcave sensor with a -3dB bandwidth of 5MHz, the measured NEP was 4 Pa. This NEP is comparable to that provided by mm scale piezoelectric detectors used for breast imaging applications but with more uniform frequency response characteristics and an order-of-magnitude smaller element size. Following previous proof-of-concept work, several important advances towards practical application have been made. A family of sensors with bandwidths ranging from 3MHz to 20MHz have been fabricated and characterised. A novel interrogation scheme based on

A numerical analysis of a semi-dry coupling configuration in photoacoustic computed tomography for infant brain imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Najme Meimani

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the application of photoacoustic human infant brain imaging, debubbled ultrasound gel or water is commonly used as a couplant for ultrasonic transducers due to their acoustic properties. The main challenge in using such a couplant is its discomfort for the patient. In this study, we explore the feasibility of a semi-dry coupling configuration to be used in photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT systems. The coupling system includes an inflatable container consisting of a thin layer of Aqualene with ultrasound gel or water inside of it. Finite element method (FEM is used for static and dynamic structural analysis of the proposed configuration to be used in PACT for infant brain imaging. The outcome of the analysis is an optimum thickness of Aqualene in order to meet the weight tolerance requirement with the least attenuation and best impedance match to recommend for an experimental setting.

Biomedical photoacoustics: fundamentals, instrumentation and perspectives on nanomedicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Chunpeng; Wu, Beibei; Dong, Yanyan; Song, Zhangwei; Zhao, Yaping; Ni, Xianwei; Yang, Yan; Liu, Zhe

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an integrated biomedical imaging modality which combines the advantages of acoustic deep penetration and optical high sensitivity. It can provide functional and structural images with satisfactory resolution and contrast which could provide abundant pathological information for disease-oriented diagnosis. Therefore, it has found vast applications so far and become a powerful tool of precision nanomedicine. However, the investigation of PAI-based imaging nanomaterials is still in its infancy. This perspective article aims to summarize the developments in photoacoustic technologies and instrumentations in the past years, and more importantly, present a bright outlook for advanced PAI-based imaging nanomaterials as well as their emerging biomedical applications in nanomedicine. Current challenges and bottleneck issues have also been discussed and elucidated in this article to bring them to the attention of the readership.

Sensitive Detection: Photoacoustics, Thermography, and Optical Radiation Pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diebold, Gerald J. [Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States)

2017-04-21

Research during the granting period has been carried out in several areas concerned with sensitive detection. An infrared pyrometer based on the photoacoustic effect has been developed. The sensitivity of this instrument to temperature differentials has been shown to be 50 mK. An investigation of transients that accompany photoacoustic waves generated by pulsed lasers has been carried out. Experiments have shown the existence of the transients, and a theory based on rapid heat diffusion has been developed. The photoacoustic effect in one dimension is known to increase without bound (in the linear acoustics regime) when an optical beam moves in a fluid at the sound speed. A solution to the wave equation for pressure has been found that describes the photoacoustic effect in a cell where an infrared optical grating moves at the sound speed. It was shown that the amplification effect exists along with a cavity resonance that can be used to great advantage in trace gas detection. The theory of the photoacoustic effect in a structure where the acoustic properties periodically vary in a one-dimensional based has been formulated based on solutions to a Mathieu equation. It was found that it is possible to excite photoacoustic waves within the band gaps to produce large amplitude acoustic waves. The idea of self-oscillation in a photoacoustic cell using a continuous laser has been investigated. A theory has been completed showing that in a compressive wave, the absorption increases as a result of the density increase leading to further absorption and hence an increased amplitude photoacoustic effect with the result that in a resonator, self-oscillation can place. Experiments have been carried out where irradiation of a suspension of absorbing carbon particles with a high power laser has been shown to result in cavitation luminescence. That is, following generation of CO and H₂ from the carbon particles through the carbon-steam reaction, an expanding gas bubble is

Photoacoustics: a historical review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manohar, Srirang; Razansky, D.

2016-01-01

We review the history of photoacoustics from the discovery in 1880 that modulated light produces acoustic waves to the current time, when the pulsed variant of the discovery is fast developing into a powerful biomedical imaging modality. We trace the meandering and fascinating passage of the effect

High resolution photoacoustic imaging of microvasculature in normal and cancerous bladders

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Zhixing; Roberts, William; Carson, Paul L.; Liu, Xiaojun; Tao, Chao; Wang, Xueding

2013-03-01

We explored the potential of an emerging laser-based technology, photoacoustic imaging (PAI), for bladder cancer diagnosis through high resolution imaging of microvasculature in the interior bladder tissues. Images of ex vivo canine bladders demonstrated the excellent ability of PAI to map three-dimensional microvasculature in optically scattering bladder tissues. By comparing the results from human bladder specimens affected by cancer to those from the normal control, the feasibility of PAI in differentiating malignant from benign bladder tissues was explored. The reported distinctive morphometric characteristics of tumor microvasculature can be seen in the images from cancer samples, suggesting that PAI may allow in vivo assessment of neoangiogenesis that is closely associated with bladder cancer generation and progression. By presenting subsurface morphological and physiological information in bladder tissues, PAI, when performed in a similar way to that in conventional endoscopy, provides an opportunity for improved diagnosis, staging and treatment guidance of bladder cancer.

Accelerated high-resolution photoacoustic tomography via compressed sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Arridge, Simon; Beard, Paul; Betcke, Marta; Cox, Ben; Huynh, Nam; Lucka, Felix; Ogunlade, Olumide; Zhang, Edward

2016-12-01

Current 3D photoacoustic tomography (PAT) systems offer either high image quality or high frame rates but are not able to deliver high spatial and temporal resolution simultaneously, which limits their ability to image dynamic processes in living tissue (4D PAT). A particular example is the planar Fabry-Pérot (FP) photoacoustic scanner, which yields high-resolution 3D images but takes several minutes to sequentially map the incident photoacoustic field on the 2D sensor plane, point-by-point. However, as the spatio-temporal complexity of many absorbing tissue structures is rather low, the data recorded in such a conventional, regularly sampled fashion is often highly redundant. We demonstrate that combining model-based, variational image reconstruction methods using spatial sparsity constraints with the development of novel PAT acquisition systems capable of sub-sampling the acoustic wave field can dramatically increase the acquisition speed while maintaining a good spatial resolution: first, we describe and model two general spatial sub-sampling schemes. Then, we discuss how to implement them using the FP interferometer and demonstrate the potential of these novel compressed sensing PAT devices through simulated data from a realistic numerical phantom and through measured data from a dynamic experimental phantom as well as from in vivo experiments. Our results show that images with good spatial resolution and contrast can be obtained from highly sub-sampled PAT data if variational image reconstruction techniques that describe the tissues structures with suitable sparsity-constraints are used. In particular, we examine the use of total variation (TV) regularization enhanced by Bregman iterations. These novel reconstruction strategies offer new opportunities to dramatically increase the acquisition speed of photoacoustic scanners that employ point-by-point sequential scanning as well as reducing the channel count of parallelized schemes that use detector arrays.

In vivo rat deep brain imaging using photoacoustic computed tomography (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Li; Li, Lei; Zhu, Liren; Hu, Peng; Wang, Lihong V.

2017-03-01

The brain has been likened to a great stretch of unknown territory consisting of a number of unexplored continents. Small animal brain imaging plays an important role charting that territory. By using 1064 nm illumination from the side, we imaged the full coronal depth of rat brains in vivo. The experiment was performed using a real-time full-ring-array photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) imaging system, which achieved an imaging depth of 11 mm and a 100 μm radial resolution. Because of the fast imaging speed of the full-ring-array PACT system, no animal motion artifact was induced. The frame rate of the system was limited by the laser repetition rate (50 Hz). In addition to anatomical imaging of the blood vessels in the brain, we continuously monitored correlations between the two brain hemispheres in one of the coronal planes. The resting states in the coronal plane were measured before and after stroke ligation surgery at a neck artery.

Theranostic probe for simultaneous in vivo photoacoustic imaging and confined photothermolysis by pulsed laser at 1064 nm in 4T1 breast cancer model

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Min; Ku, Geng; Pageon, Laura; Li, Chun

2014-11-01

Here, we report that polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated copper(ii) sulfide nanoparticles (PEG-CuS NPs) with their peak absorption tuned to 1064 nm could be used both as a contrast agent for photoacoustic tomographic imaging of mouse tumor vasculature and as a mediator for confined photothermolysis of tumor cells in an orthotopic syngeneic 4T1 breast tumor model. PEG-CuS NPs showed stronger photoacoustic signal than hollow gold nanospheres and single-wall carbon nanotubes at 1064 nm. MicroPET imaging of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice showed a gradual accumulation of the NPs in the tumor over time. About 6.5% of injected dose were taken up in each gram of tumor tissue at 24 h after intravenous injection of 64Cu-labeled PEG-CuS NPs. For both photoacoustic imaging and therapeutic studies, nanosecond (ns)-pulsed laser was delivered with Q-switched Nd:YAG at a wavelength of 1064 nm. Unlike conventional photothermal ablation therapy mediated by continuous wave laser with which heat could spread to the surrounding normal tissue, interaction of CuS NPs with short pulsed laser deliver heat rapidly to the treatment volume keeping the thermal damage confined to the target tissues. Our data demonstrated that it is possible to use a single-compartment nanoplatform to achieve both photoacoustic tomography and highly selective tumor destruction at 1064 nm in small animals.Here, we report that polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated copper(ii) sulfide nanoparticles (PEG-CuS NPs) with their peak absorption tuned to 1064 nm could be used both as a contrast agent for photoacoustic tomographic imaging of mouse tumor vasculature and as a mediator for confined photothermolysis of tumor cells in an orthotopic syngeneic 4T1 breast tumor model. PEG-CuS NPs showed stronger photoacoustic signal than hollow gold nanospheres and single-wall carbon nanotubes at 1064 nm. MicroPET imaging of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice showed a gradual accumulation of the NPs in the tumor over time. About 6.5% of injected dose were

Dual-Modality Imaging of the Human Finger Joint Systems by Using Combined Multispectral Photoacoustic Computed Tomography and Ultrasound Computed Tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yubin Liu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We developed a homemade dual-modality imaging system that combines multispectral photoacoustic computed tomography and ultrasound computed tomography for reconstructing the structural and functional information of human finger joint systems. The fused multispectral photoacoustic-ultrasound computed tomography (MPAUCT system was examined by the phantom and in vivo experimental tests. The imaging results indicate that the hard tissues such as the bones and the soft tissues including the blood vessels, the tendon, the skins, and the subcutaneous tissues in the finger joints systems can be effectively recovered by using our multimodality MPAUCT system. The developed MPAUCT system is able to provide us with more comprehensive information of the human finger joints, which shows its potential for characterization and diagnosis of bone or joint diseases.

Simultaneous in vivo imaging of melanin and lipofuscin in the retina with multimodal photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiangyang; Zhang, Hao F.; Zhou, Lixiang; Jiao, Shuliang

2012-02-01

We combined photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy (PAOM) with autofluorescence imaging for simultaneous in vivo imaging of dual molecular contrasts in the retina using a single light source. The dual molecular contrasts come from melanin and lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Melanin and lipofuscin are two types of pigments and are believed to play opposite roles (protective vs. exacerbate) in the RPE in the aging process. We successfully imaged the retina of pigmented and albino rats at different ages. The experimental results showed that multimodal PAOM system can be a potentially powerful tool in the study of age-related degenerative retinal diseases.

High-resolution imaging using a wideband MIMO radar system with two distributed arrays.

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Wang, Dang-wei; Ma, Xiao-yan; Chen, A-Lei; Su, Yi

2010-05-01

Imaging a fast maneuvering target has been an active research area in past decades. Usually, an array antenna with multiple elements is implemented to avoid the motion compensations involved in the inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging. Nevertheless, there is a price dilemma due to the high level of hardware complexity compared to complex algorithm implemented in the ISAR imaging system with only one antenna. In this paper, a wideband multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system with two distributed arrays is proposed to reduce the hardware complexity of the system. Furthermore, the system model, the equivalent array production method and the imaging procedure are presented. As compared with the classical real aperture radar (RAR) imaging system, there is a very important contribution in our method that the lower hardware complexity can be involved in the imaging system since many additive virtual array elements can be obtained. Numerical simulations are provided for testing our system and imaging method.

Recording membrane potential changes through photoacoustic voltage sensitive dye

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Zhang, Haichong K.; Kang, Jeeun; Yan, Ping; Abou, Diane S.; Le, Hanh N. D.; Thorek, Daniel L. J.; Kang, Jin U.; Gjedde, Albert; Rahmim, Arman; Wong, Dean F.; Loew, Leslie M.; Boctor, Emad M.

2017-03-01

Monitoring of the membrane potential is possible using voltage sensitive dyes (VSD), where fluorescence intensity changes in response to neuronal electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo systems for external detection. In contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. In this work, we develop the theoretical concept whereby the voltage-dependent quenching of dye fluorescence leads to a reciprocal enhancement of PA intensity. Based on this concept, we synthesized a novel near infrared photoacoustic VSD (PA-VSD) whose PA intensity change is sensitive to membrane potential. In the polarized state, this cyanine-based probe enhances PA intensity while decreasing fluorescence output in a lipid vesicle membrane model. With a 3-9 μM VSD concentration, we measured a PA signal increase in the range of 5.3 % to 18.1 %, and observed a corresponding signal reduction in fluorescence emission of 30.0 % to 48.7 %. A theoretical model successfully accounts for how the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate the voltage sensing capability of the dye, but also indicate the necessity of considering both fluorescence and absorbance spectral sensitivities in order to optimize the characteristics of improved photoacoustic probes. Together, our results demonstrate photoacoustic sensing as a potential new modality for sub-second recording and external imaging of electrophysiological and neurochemical events in the brain.

A novel drill design for photoacoustic guided surgeries

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Shubert, Joshua; Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.

2018-02-01

Fluoroscopy is currently the standard approach for image guidance of surgical drilling procedures. In addition to the harmful radiation dose to the patient and surgeon, fluoroscopy fails to visualize critical structures such as blood vessels and nerves within the drill path. Photoacoustic imaging is a well-suited imaging method to visualize these structures and it does not require harmful ionizing radiation. However, there is currently no clinical system available to deliver light to occluded drill bit tips. To address this challenge, a prototype drill was designed, built, and tested using an internal light delivery system that allows laser energy to be transferred from a stationary laser source to the tip of a spinning drill bit. Photoacoustic images were successfully obtained with the drill bit submerged in water and with the drill tip inserted into a thoracic vertebra from a human cadaver.

Wide-field two-dimensional multifocal optical-resolution photoacoustic computed microscopy

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Xia, Jun; Li, Guo; Wang, Lidai; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Maslov, Konstantin; Engelbach, John A.; Garbow, Joel R.; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-01-01

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) is an emerging technique that directly images optical absorption in tissue at high spatial resolution. To date, the majority of OR-PAM systems are based on single focused optical excitation and ultrasonic detection, limiting the wide-field imaging speed. While one-dimensional multifocal OR-PAM (1D-MFOR-PAM) has been developed, the potential of microlens and transducer arrays has not been fully realized. Here, we present the development of two-dimensional multifocal optical-resolution photoacoustic computed microscopy (2D-MFOR-PACM), using a 2D microlens array and a full-ring ultrasonic transducer array. The 10 × 10 mm2 microlens array generates 1800 optical foci within the focal plane of the 512-element transducer array, and raster scanning the microlens array yields optical-resolution photoacoustic images. The system has improved the in-plane resolution of a full-ring transducer array from ≥100 µm to 29 µm and achieved an imaging time of 36 seconds over a 10 × 10 mm2 field of view. In comparison, the 1D-MFOR-PAM would take more than 4 minutes to image over the same field of view. The imaging capability of the system was demonstrated on phantoms and animals both ex vivo and in vivo. PMID:24322226

In vivo integrated photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy, optical coherence tomography, and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy for retinal imaging

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Song, Wei; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Hao F.; Wei, Qing; Cao, Wenwu

2012-12-01

The physiological and pathological properties of retina are closely associated with various optical contrasts. Hence, integrating different ophthalmic imaging technologies is more beneficial in both fundamental investigation and clinical diagnosis of several blinding diseases. Recently, photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy (PAOM) was developed for in vivo retinal imaging in small animals, which demonstrated the capability of imaging retinal vascular networks and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) at high sensitivity. We combined PAOM with traditional imaging modalities, such as fluorescein angiography (FA), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and auto-fluorescence scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AF-SLO), for imaging rats and mice. The multimodal imaging system provided more comprehensive evaluation of the retina based on the complementary imaging contrast mechanisms. The high-quality retinal images show that the integrated ophthalmic imaging system has great potential in the investigation of blinding disorders.

In vivo oral imaging with integrated portable photoacoustic microscopy and optical coherence tomography

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Qin, Wei; Qi, Weizhi; Jin, Tian; Guo, Heng; Xi, Lei

2017-12-01

Oral diseases, especially oral cancers, are becoming serious health problems in humans. To image vasculatures and structures simultaneously in the human oral cavity which are tightly associated with various oral diseases, we develop a dual-modality portable optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (ORPAM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. This system utilizes a new rotary scanning mechanism and a compact design of the imaging head, making it portable and free of translation of the imaging interface or samples. Through the phantom experiments, both modalities yield high lateral resolutions of 8.1 μm (ORPAM) and 8.56 μm (OCT), respectively. The axial resolutions are measured to be 116.5 μm for ORPAM and 6.1 μm for OCT. In vivo imaging of a mouse ear was carried out to evaluate the performance of the system in biological tissues. In addition, in vivo oral imaging of a healthy human lip and monitoring recovery progress of a lip ulcer demonstrate the clinical potential of this system.

Fiber-optic annular detector array for large depth of field photoacoustic macroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Bauer-Marschallinger

2017-03-01

Full Text Available We report on a novel imaging system for large depth of field photoacoustic scanning macroscopy. Instead of commonly used piezoelectric transducers, fiber-optic based ultrasound detection is applied. The optical fibers are shaped into rings and mainly receive ultrasonic signals stemming from the ring symmetry axes. Four concentric fiber-optic rings with varying diameters are used in order to increase the image quality. Imaging artifacts, originating from the off-axis sensitivity of the rings, are reduced by coherence weighting. We discuss the working principle of the system and present experimental results on tissue mimicking phantoms. The lateral resolution is estimated to be below 200 μm at a depth of 1.5 cm and below 230 μm at a depth of 4.5 cm. The minimum detectable pressure is in the order of 3 Pa. The introduced method has the potential to provide larger imaging depths than acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy and an imaging resolution similar to that of photoacoustic computed tomography.

Fiber-optic annular detector array for large depth of field photoacoustic macroscopy.

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Bauer-Marschallinger, Johannes; Höllinger, Astrid; Jakoby, Bernhard; Burgholzer, Peter; Berer, Thomas

2017-03-01

We report on a novel imaging system for large depth of field photoacoustic scanning macroscopy. Instead of commonly used piezoelectric transducers, fiber-optic based ultrasound detection is applied. The optical fibers are shaped into rings and mainly receive ultrasonic signals stemming from the ring symmetry axes. Four concentric fiber-optic rings with varying diameters are used in order to increase the image quality. Imaging artifacts, originating from the off-axis sensitivity of the rings, are reduced by coherence weighting. We discuss the working principle of the system and present experimental results on tissue mimicking phantoms. The lateral resolution is estimated to be below 200 μm at a depth of 1.5 cm and below 230 μm at a depth of 4.5 cm. The minimum detectable pressure is in the order of 3 Pa. The introduced method has the potential to provide larger imaging depths than acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy and an imaging resolution similar to that of photoacoustic computed tomography.

Photoacoustic contrast imaging of biological tissues with nanodiamonds fabricated for high near-infrared absorbance.

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Zhang, Ti; Cui, Huizhong; Fang, Chia-Yi; Su, Long-Jyun; Ren, Shenqiang; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Yang, Xinmai; Forrest, M Laird

2013-02-01

Radiation-damaged nanodiamonds (DNDs) are potentially ideal optical contrast agents for photoacoustic (PA) imaging in biological tissues due to their low toxicity and high optical absorbance. PA imaging contrast agents have been limited to quantum dots and gold particles, since most existing carbon-based nanoparticles, including fluorescent nanodiamonds, do not have sufficient optical absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) range. A new DND by He+ ion beam irradiation with very high NIR absorption was synthesized. These DNDs produced a 71-fold higher PA signal on a molar basis than similarly dimensioned gold nanorods, and 7.1 fmol of DNDs injected into rodents could be clearly imaged 3 mm below the skin surface with PA signal enhancement of 567% using an 820-nm laser wavelength.

"Smart" gold nanoparticles for photoacoustic imaging: an imaging contrast agent responsive to the cancer microenvironment and signal amplification via pH-induced aggregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jaejung; Kim, Jeesu; Hwang, Sekyu; Jeon, Mansik; Jeong, Sanghwa; Kim, Chulhong; Kim, Sungjee

2016-07-07

'Smart' gold nanoparticles can respond to mild acidic environments, rapidly form aggregates, and shift the absorption to red and near-infrared. They were used as a photoacoustic imaging agent responsive to the cancer microenvironment, and have demonstrated the cancer-specific accumulation at the cellular level and an amplified signal which is twice higher than the control in vivo.

Photoacoustic-Based Multimodal Nanoprobes: from Constructing to Biological Applications.

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Gao, Duyang; Yuan, Zhen

2017-01-01

Multimodal nanoprobes have attracted intensive attentions since they can integrate various imaging modalities to obtain complementary merits of single modality. Meanwhile, recent interest in laser-induced photoacoustic imaging is rapidly growing due to its unique advantages in visualizing tissue structure and function with high spatial resolution and satisfactory imaging depth. In this review, we summarize multimodal nanoprobes involving photoacoustic imaging. In particular, we focus on the method to construct multimodal nanoprobes. We have divided the synthetic methods into two types. First, we call it "one for all" concept, which involves intrinsic properties of the element in a single particle. Second, "all in one" concept, which means integrating different functional blocks in one particle. Then, we simply introduce the applications of the multifunctional nanoprobes for in vivo imaging and imaging-guided tumor therapy. At last, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the present methods to construct the multimodal nanoprobes and share our viewpoints in this area.

Linear-Array Photoacoustic Imaging Using Minimum Variance-Based Delay Multiply and Sum Adaptive Beamforming Algorithm

OpenAIRE

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Kratkiewicz, Karl; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2017-01-01

In Photoacoustic imaging (PA), Delay-and-Sum (DAS) beamformer is a common beamforming algorithm having a simple implementation. However, it results in a poor resolution and high sidelobes. To address these challenges, a new algorithm namely Delay-Multiply-and-Sum (DMAS) was introduced having lower sidelobes compared to DAS. To improve the resolution of DMAS, a novel beamformer is introduced using Minimum Variance (MV) adaptive beamforming combined with DMAS, so-called Minimum Variance-Based D...

Functional photoacoustic tomography for neonatal brain imaging: developments and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Hariri, Ali; Tavakoli, Emytis; Adabi, Saba; Gelovani, Juri; Avanaki, Mohammad R. N.

2017-03-01

Transfontanelle ultrasound imaging (TFUSI) is a routine diagnostic brain imaging method in infants who are born prematurely, whose skull bones have not completely fused together and have openings between them, so-called fontanelles. Open fontanelles in neonates provide acoustic windows, allowing the ultrasound beam to freely pass through. TFUSI is used to rule out neurological complications of premature birth including subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), intraventricular (IVH), subependimal (SEPH), subdural (SDH) or intracerebral (ICH) hemorrhages, as well as hypoxic brain injuries. TFUSI is widely used in the clinic owing to its low cost, safety, accessibility, and noninvasive nature. Nevertheless, the accuracy of TFUSI is limited. To address several limitations of current clinical imaging modalities, we develop a novel transfontanelle photoacoustic imaging (TFPAI) probe, which, for the first time, should allow for non-invasive structural and functional imaging of the infant brain. In this study, we test the feasibility of TFPAI for detection of experimentally-induced intra ventricular and Intraparenchymal hemorrhage phantoms in a sheep model with a surgically-induced cranial window which will serve as a model of neonatal fontanelle. This study is towards using the probe we develop for bedside monitoring of neonates with various disease conditions and complications affecting brain perfusion and oxygenation, including apnea, asphyxia, as well as for detection of various types of intracranial hemorrhages (SAH, IVH, SEPH, SDH, ICH).

Accuracy of a novel photoacoustic-based approach to surgical guidance performed with and without a da Vinci robot

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Gandhi, Neeraj; Kim, Sungmin; Kazanzides, Peter; Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.

2017-03-01

Minimally invasive surgery carries the deadly risk of rupturing major blood vessels, such as the internal carotid arteries hidden by bone in endonasal transsphenoidal surgery. We propose a novel approach to surgical guidance that relies on photoacoustic-based vessel separation measurements to assess the extent of safety zones during these type of surgical procedures. This approach can be implemented with or without a robot or navigation system. To determine the accuracy of this approach, a custom phantom was designed and manufactured for modular placement of two 3.18-mm diameter vessel-mimicking targets separated by 10-20 mm. Photoacoustic images were acquired as the optical fiber was swept across the vessels in the absence and presence of teleoperation with a research da Vinci Surgical System. When the da Vinci was used, vessel positions were recorded based on the fiber position (calculated from the robot kinematics) that corresponded to an observed photoacoustic signal. In all cases, compounded photoacoustic data from a single sweep displayed the four vessel boundaries in one image. Amplitude- and coherence-based photoacoustic images were used to estimate vessel separations, resulting in 0.52-0.56 mm mean absolute errors, 0.66-0.71 mm root mean square errors, and 65-68% more accuracy compared to fiber position measurements obtained through the da Vinci robot kinematics. Results indicate that with further development, photoacoustic image-based measurements of anatomical landmarks could be a viable method for real-time path planning in multiple interventional photoacoustic applications.

Contrast-enhanced photoacoustic imaging with an optical wavelength of 1064 nm

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jeesu; Park, Sara; Park, Gyeong Bae; Choi, Wonseok; Jeong, Unyong; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a biomedical imaging method that can provide both structural and functional information of living tissues beyond the optical diffusion limit by combining the concepts of conventional optical and ultrasound imaging methods. Although endogenous chromophores can be utilized to acquire PA images of biological tissues, exogenous contrast agents that absorb near-infrared (NIR) lights have been extensively explored to improve the contrast and penetration depth of PA images. Here, we demonstrate Bi2Se3 nanoplates, that strongly absorbs NIR lights, as a contrast agent for PA imaging. In particularly, the Bi2Se3 nanoplates produce relatively strong PA signals with an optical wavelength of 1064 nm, which has several advantages for deep tissue imaging including: (1) relatively low absorption by other intrinsic chromophores, (2) cost-effective light source using Nd:YAG laser, and (3) higher available energy than other NIR lights according to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety limit. We have investigated deep tissue imaging capability of the Bi2Se3 nanoplates by acquiring in vitro PA images of microtubes under chicken breast tissues. We have also acquired in vivo PA images of bladders, gastrointestinal tracts, and sentinel lymph nodes in mice after injection of the Bi2Se3 nanoplates to verify their applicability to a variety of biomedical research. The results show the promising potential of the Bi2Se3 nanoplates as a PA contrast agent for deep tissue imaging with an optical wavelength of 1064 nm.

Cellulose nanoparticles: photoacoustic contrast agents that biodegrade to simple sugars

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Jokerst, Jesse V.; Bohndiek, Sarah E.; Gambhir, Sanjiv S.

2014-03-01

In photoacoustic imaging, nanoparticle contrast agents offer strong signal intensity and long-term stability, but are limited by poor biodistribution and clearance profiles. Conversely, small molecules offer renal clearance, but relatively low photoacoustic signal. Here we describe a cellulose-based nanoparticle with photoacoustic signal superior to gold nanorods, but that undergoes enzymatic cleavage into constituent glucose molecules for renal clearance. Cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs) were synthesized through acidic cleavage of cellulose linters and purified with centrifugation. TEM indicated that the nanoparticles were 132 +/- 46 nm; the polydispersity index was 0.138. Ex vivo characterization showed a photoacoustic limit of detection of 0.02 mg/mL CNPs, and the photoacoustic signal of CNPs was 1.5- to 3.0-fold higher than gold nanorods (also at 700 nm resonance) on a particle-to-particle basis. Cell toxicity assays suggested that overnight doses below 0.31 mg/mL CNPs produced no significant (p>0.05) impact on cell metabolism. Intravenous doses up to 0.24 mg were tolerated well in nude mice. Subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor xenografts of the OV2008 ovarian cancer cell line were then created in nude mice. Data was collected with a Nexus128 scanner from Endra LifeSciences. Spectral data used a LAZR system from Visualsonics both at 700 nm excitation. We injected CNPs (0.024 mg, 0.048 mg, and 0.80 mg) via tail vein and showed that the tumor photoacoustic signal reached maximum increase between 10 and 20 minutes. All injected concentrations were statistically (p0.96 suggesting quantitative signal. CNP biodegradation was demonstrated ex vivo with a glucose assay. CNPs in the presence of cellulase were reduced to free glucose in under than four hours. The glucose concentration before addition of cellulase was not detectable, but increased to 92.1 μg/mL in four hours. CNPs in the absence of cellulase did not produce glucose. Small fragments of nanoparticle in the

Synthesis and In Vitro Performance of Polypyrrole-Coated Iron-Platinum Nanoparticles for Photothermal Therapy and Photoacoustic Imaging

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Phan, Thi Tuong Vy; Bui, Nhat Quang; Moorthy, Madhappan Santha; Lee, Kang Dae; Oh, Junghwan

2017-10-01

Multifunctional nano-platform for the combination of photo-based therapy and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) for cancer treatment has recently attracted much attention to nanotechnology development. In this study, we developed iron-platinum nanoparticles (FePt NPs) with the polypyrrole (PPy) coating as novel agents for combined photothermal therapy (PTT) and PAI. The obtained PPy-coated FePt NPs (FePt@PPy NPs) showed excellent biocompatibility, photothermal stability, and high near-infrared (NIR) absorbance for the combination of PTT and PAI. In vitro investigation experimentally demonstrated the effectiveness of FePt@PPy NPs in killing cancer cells with NIR laser irradiation. Moreover, the phantom test of PAI used in conjunction with FePt@PPy NPs showed a strong photoacoustic signal. Thus, the novel FePt@PPy NPs could be considered as promising multifunctional nanoparticles for further applications of photo-based diagnosis and treatment.

Enabling vendor independent photoacoustic imaging systems with asynchronous laser source

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Wu, Yixuan; Zhang, Haichong K.; Boctor, Emad M.

2018-02-01

Channel data acquisition, and synchronization between laser excitation and PA signal acquisition, are two fundamental hardware requirements for photoacoustic (PA) imaging. Unfortunately, however, neither is equipped by most clinical ultrasound scanners. Therefore, less economical specialized research platforms are used in general, which hinders a smooth clinical transition of PA imaging. In previous studies, we have proposed an algorithm to achieve PA imaging using ultrasound post-beamformed (USPB) RF data instead of channel data. This work focuses on enabling clinical ultrasound scanners to implement PA imaging, without requiring synchronization between the laser excitation and PA signal acquisition. Laser synchronization is inherently consisted of two aspects: frequency and phase information. We synchronize without communicating the laser and the ultrasound scanner by investigating USPB images of a point-target phantom in two steps. First, frequency information is estimated by solving a nonlinear optimization problem, under the assumption that the segmented wave-front can only be beamformed into a single spot when synchronization is achieved. Second, after making frequencies of two systems identical, phase delay is estimated by optimizing the image quality while varying phase value. The proposed method is validated through simulation, by manually adding both frequency and phase errors, then applying the proposed algorithm to correct errors and reconstruct PA images. Compared with the ground truth, simulation results indicate that the remaining errors in frequency correction and phase correction are 0.28% and 2.34%, respectively, which affirm the potential of overcoming hardware barriers on PA imaging through software solution.

Intravascular photoacoustic imaging: a new tool for vulnerable plaque identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Krista; van Soest, Gijs; van der Steen, Antonius F W

2014-06-01

The vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque is believed to be at the root of the majority of acute coronary events. Even though the exact origins of plaque vulnerability remain elusive, the thin-cap fibroatheroma, characterized by a lipid-rich necrotic core covered by a thin fibrous cap, is considered to be the most prominent type of vulnerable plaque. No clinically available imaging technique can characterize atherosclerotic lesions to the extent needed to determine plaque vulnerability prognostically. Intravascular photoacoustic imaging (IVPA) has the potential to take a significant step in that direction by imaging both plaque structure and composition. IVPA is a natural extension of intravascular ultrasound that adds tissue type specificity to the images. IVPA utilizes the optical contrast provided by the differences in the absorption spectra of plaque components to image composition. Its capability to image lipids in human coronary atherosclerosis has been shown extensively ex vivo and has recently been translated to an in vivo animal model. Other disease markers that have been successfully targeted are calcium and inflammatory markers, such as macrophages and matrix metalloproteinase; the latter two through application of exogenous contrast agents. By simultaneously displaying plaque morphology and composition, IVPA can provide a powerful prognostic marker for disease progression, and as such has the potential to transform the current practice in percutaneous coronary intervention. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gold nanocage decorated pH-sensitive micelle for highly effective photothermo-chemotherapy and photoacoustic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Guoyong; Xiao, Hong; Li, Xiaoxia; Huang, Yi; Song, Wei; Song, Liang; Chen, Meiwan; Cheng, Du; Shuai, Xintao

2017-12-01

A pH-sensitive copolymer PAsp(DIP)-b-PAsp(MEA) (PDPM) was synthesized and self-assembled to micelle loading chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX) and introducing a gold nanocage structure for photothermo-chemotherapy and photoacoustic imaging. After further surface modification with polyethylene glycol (PEG), the DOX-loaded pH-sensitive gold nanocage (D-PGNC) around 100 nm possessed a uniform spherical structure with a pH-sensitive core of PAsp(DIP) incorporating DOX, an interlayer crosslinked via disulfide bonds and decorated with discontinuous gold shell, and a PEG corona. The release of DOX from D-PGNC was turned off in bloodstream due to the cross-linking and gold decoration of interlayer but turned on inside tumor tissue by multiple stimulations including the low pH value of tumor tissue (≈6.8), the low lysosomal pH value of cancer cells (≈5.0) and near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The gold nanocage receiving NIR irradiation could generate hyperthermia to ablate tumor cells. Moreover, the photoacoustic (PA) imaging and analysis of DOX fluorescence inside tumor tissue demonstrated that photothermal therapy based on the gold nanocage effectively drove DOX penetration inside tumor. Owing to the rapid intratumor release and deep tissue penetration of drug favorable for killing cancer cells survived the photothermal therapy, the combined therapy based on D-PGNC via NIR irradiation exhibited a synergistic treatment effect superior to either chemotherapy or NIR-induced photothermal therapy alone. The novelty of the manuscript is its multifunctional system which incorporates anticancer drug DOX in its pH-sensitive core and acts as a template to introduce a gold nanocage. This nanomedicine presents potentials of sequestrating drug molecules in blood circulation but releasing them inside tumor upon responding to the acidic microenvironment therein. Exposure to NIR laser further expedited the pH-sensitive DOX release and promoted DOX penetration into cancer

Anatomical and metabolic small-animal whole-body imaging using ring-shaped confocal photoacoustic computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Jun; Chatni, Muhammad; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-03-01

Due to the wide use of animals for human disease studies, small animal whole-body imaging plays an increasingly important role in biomedical research. Currently, none of the existing imaging modalities can provide both anatomical and glucose metabolic information, leading to higher costs of building dual-modality systems. Even with image coregistration, the spatial resolution of the metabolic imaging modality is not improved. We present a ring-shaped confocal photoacoustic computed tomography (RC-PACT) system that can provide both assessments in a single modality. Utilizing the novel design of confocal full-ring light delivery and ultrasound transducer array detection, RC-PACT provides full-view cross-sectional imaging with high spatial resolution. Scanning along the orthogonal direction provides three-dimensional imaging. While the mouse anatomy was imaged with endogenous hemoglobin contrast, the glucose metabolism was imaged with a near-infrared dye-labeled 2-deoxyglucose. Through mouse tumor models, we demonstrate that RC-PACT may be a paradigm shifting imaging method for preclinical research.

pH-Responsive Fe(III)-Gallic Acid Nanoparticles for In Vivo Photoacoustic-Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Jianfeng; Cheng, Ming; Wang, Yong; Wen, Ling; Chen, Ling; Li, Zhen; Wu, Yongyou; Gao, Mingyuan; Chai, Zhifang

2016-04-06

pH-responsive biocompatible Fe(III)-gallic acid nanoparticles with strong near-infrared absorbance are very stable in mild acidic conditions, but easily decomposed in neutral conditions, which enables the nanoparticles to be stable in a tumor and easily metabolized in other organs, thus providing a safe nanoplatform for in vivo photoacoustic imaging/photothermal therapy theranostic applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photoacoustic Point Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calasso, Irio G.; Craig, Walter; Diebold, Gerald J.

2001-01-01

We investigate the photoacoustic effect generated by heat deposition at a point in space in an inviscid fluid. Delta-function and long Gaussian optical pulses are used as sources in the wave equation for the displacement potential to determine the fluid motion. The linear sound-generation mechanism gives bipolar photoacoustic waves, whereas the nonlinear mechanism produces asymmetric tripolar waves. The salient features of the photoacoustic point source are that rapid heat deposition and nonlinear thermal expansion dominate the production of ultrasound

Label-free imaging of gold nanoparticles in single live cells by photoacoustic microscopy

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Tian, Chao; Qian, Wei; Shao, Xia; Xie, Zhixing; Cheng, Xu; Liu, Shengchun; Cheng, Qian; Liu, Bing; Wang, Xueding

2016-03-01

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been extensively explored as a model nanostructure in nanomedicine and have been widely used to provide advanced biomedical research tools in diagnostic imaging and therapy. Due to the necessity of targeting AuNPs to individual cells, evaluation and visualization of AuNPs in the cellular level is critical to fully understand their interaction with cellular environment. Currently imaging technologies, such as fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy all have advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, we synthesized AuNPs by femtosecond pulsed laser ablation, modified their surface chemistry through sequential bioconjugation, and targeted the functionalized AuNPs with individual cancer cells. Based on their high optical absorption contrast, we developed a novel, label-free imaging method to evaluate and visualize intracellular AuNPs using photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). Preliminary study shows that the PAM imaging technique is capable of imaging cellular uptake of AuNPs in vivo at single-cell resolution, which provide an important tool for the study of AuNPs in nanomedicine.

Speckle-based off-axis holographic detection for non-contact photoacoustic tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Buj C.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A very fast innovative holographic off-axis non-contact detection method for Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT is introduced. It overcomes the main problems of most state-of-the-art photoacoustic imaging approaches that are long acquisition times and the requirement of acoustic contact. In order to increase the acquisition speed significantly, the surface displacements of the object, caused by the photoacoustic pressure waves, are measured interferometrically in two dimensions. Phase alterations in the observed speckle field are used to identify changes in the object’s topography. A sampling rate of up to 80 MHz is feasible, which reduces the occurrence of motion artefacts.

Q-switched Erbium-doped fiber laser at 1600 nm for photoacoustic imaging application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piao, Zhonglie [Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92612 (United States); Zeng, Lvming; Chen, Zhongping, E-mail: z2chen@uci.edu, E-mail: ckim@pusan.ac.kr [Beckman Laser Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92612 (United States); Kim, Chang-Seok, E-mail: z2chen@uci.edu, E-mail: ckim@pusan.ac.kr [Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-04-04

We present a nanosecond Q-switched Erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser system operating at 1600 nm with a tunable repetition rate from 100 kHz to 1 MHz. A compact fiber coupled, acousto-optic modulator-based EDF ring cavity was used to generate a nanosecond seed laser at 1600 nm, and a double-cladding EDF based power amplifier was applied to achieve the maximum average power of 250 mW. In addition, 12 ns laser pulses with the maximum pulse energy of 2.4 μJ were obtained at 100 kHz. Furthermore, the Stokes shift by Raman scattering over a 25 km long fiber was measured, indicating that the laser can be potentially used to generate the high repetition rate pulses at the 1.7 μm region. Finally, we detected the photoacoustic signal from a human hair at 200 kHz repetition rate with a pulse energy of 1.2 μJ, which demonstrates that a Q-switched Er-doped fiber laser can be a promising light source for the high speed functional photoacoustic imaging.

Detection of moving humans in UHF wideband SAR

Science.gov (United States)

Sjögren, Thomas K.; Ulander, Lars M. H.; Frölind, Per-Olov; Gustavsson, Anders; Stenström, Gunnar; Jonsson, Tommy

2014-06-01

In this paper, experimental results for UHF wideband SAR imaging of humans on an open field and inside a forest is presented. The results show ability to detect the humans and suggest possible ways to improve the results. In the experiment, single channel wideband SAR mode of the UHF UWB system LORA developed by Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI). The wideband SAR mode used in the experiment was from 220 to 450 MHz, thus with a fractional bandwidth of 0.68. Three humans walking and one stationary were available in the scene with one of the walking humans in the forest. The signature of the human in the forest appeared on the field, due to azimuth shift from the positive range speed component. One human on the field and the one in the forest had approximately the same speed and walking direction. The signatures in the SAR image were compared as a function of integration time based on focusing using the average relative speed of these given by GPS logs. A signal processing gain was obtained for the human in forest until approximately 15 s and 35 s for the human on the field. This difference is likely explained by uneven terrain and trees in the way, causing a non-straight walking path.

Reconstruction of initial pressure from limited view photoacoustic images using deep learning

Science.gov (United States)

Waibel, Dominik; Gröhl, Janek; Isensee, Fabian; Kirchner, Thomas; Maier-Hein, Klaus; Maier-Hein, Lena

2018-02-01

Quantification of tissue properties with photoacoustic (PA) imaging typically requires a highly accurate representation of the initial pressure distribution in tissue. Almost all PA scanners reconstruct the PA image only from a partial scan of the emitted sound waves. Especially handheld devices, which have become increasingly popular due to their versatility and ease of use, only provide limited view data because of their geometry. Owing to such limitations in hardware as well as to the acoustic attenuation in tissue, state-of-the-art reconstruction methods deliver only approximations of the initial pressure distribution. To overcome the limited view problem, we present a machine learning-based approach to the reconstruction of initial pressure from limited view PA data. Our method involves a fully convolutional deep neural network based on a U-Net-like architecture with pixel-wise regression loss on the acquired PA images. It is trained and validated on in silico data generated with Monte Carlo simulations. In an initial study we found an increase in accuracy over the state-of-the-art when reconstructing simulated linear-array scans of blood vessels.

Isotropic-resolution linear-array-based photoacoustic computed tomography through inverse Radon transform

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Li, Guo; Xia, Jun; Li, Lei; Wang, Lidai; Wang, Lihong V.

2015-03-01

Linear transducer arrays are readily available for ultrasonic detection in photoacoustic computed tomography. They offer low cost, hand-held convenience, and conventional ultrasonic imaging. However, the elevational resolution of linear transducer arrays, which is usually determined by the weak focus of the cylindrical acoustic lens, is about one order of magnitude worse than the in-plane axial and lateral spatial resolutions. Therefore, conventional linear scanning along the elevational direction cannot provide high-quality three-dimensional photoacoustic images due to the anisotropic spatial resolutions. Here we propose an innovative method to achieve isotropic resolutions for three-dimensional photoacoustic images through combined linear and rotational scanning. In each scan step, we first elevationally scan the linear transducer array, and then rotate the linear transducer array along its center in small steps, and scan again until 180 degrees have been covered. To reconstruct isotropic three-dimensional images from the multiple-directional scanning dataset, we use the standard inverse Radon transform originating from X-ray CT. We acquired a three-dimensional microsphere phantom image through the inverse Radon transform method and compared it with a single-elevational-scan three-dimensional image. The comparison shows that our method improves the elevational resolution by up to one order of magnitude, approaching the in-plane lateral-direction resolution. In vivo rat images were also acquired.

Photoacoustic imaging optimization with raw signal deconvolution and empirical mode decomposition

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Chengwen; Wang, Jing; Qin, Yu; Zhan, Hongchen; Yuan, Jie; Cheng, Qian; Wang, Xueding

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic (PA) signal of an ideal optical absorb particle is a single N-shape wave. PA signals of a complicated biological tissue can be considered as the combination of individual N-shape waves. However, the N-shape wave basis not only complicates the subsequent work, but also results in aliasing between adjacent micro-structures, which deteriorates the quality of the final PA images. In this paper, we propose a method to improve PA image quality through signal processing method directly working on raw signals, which including deconvolution and empirical mode decomposition (EMD). During the deconvolution procedure, the raw PA signals are de-convolved with a system dependent point spread function (PSF) which is measured in advance. Then, EMD is adopted to adaptively re-shape the PA signals with two constraints, positive polarity and spectrum consistence. With our proposed method, the built PA images can yield more detail structural information. Micro-structures are clearly separated and revealed. To validate the effectiveness of this method, we present numerical simulations and phantom studies consist of a densely distributed point sources model and a blood vessel model. In the future, our study might hold the potential for clinical PA imaging as it can help to distinguish micro-structures from the optimized images and even measure the size of objects from deconvolved signals.

Antibiofouling polymer coated gold nanoparticles as a dual modal contrast agent for X-ray and photoacoustic imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guojia Huang; Yi Yuan; Xing Da

2011-01-01

X-ray is one of the most useful diagnostic tools in hospitals in terms of frequency of use and cost, while photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a rapidly emerging non-invasive imaging technology that integrates the merits of high optical contrast with high ultrasound resolution. In this study, for the first time, we used gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as a dual modal contrast agent for X-ray and PA imaging. Soft gelatin phantoms with embedded tumor simulators of GNPs in various concentrations are clearly shown in both X-ray and PA imaging. With GNPs as a dual modal contrast agent, X-ray can fast detect the position of tumor and provide morphological information, whereas PA imaging has important potential applications in the image guided therapy of superficial tumors such as breast cancer, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma.

Portable Wideband Microwave Imaging System for Intracranial Hemorrhage Detection Using Improved Back-projection Algorithm with Model of Effective Head Permittivity

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Mobashsher, Ahmed Toaha; Mahmoud, A.; Abbosh, A. M.

2016-02-01

Intracranial hemorrhage is a medical emergency that requires rapid detection and medication to restrict any brain damage to minimal. Here, an effective wideband microwave head imaging system for on-the-spot detection of intracranial hemorrhage is presented. The operation of the system relies on the dielectric contrast between healthy brain tissues and a hemorrhage that causes a strong microwave scattering. The system uses a compact sensing antenna, which has an ultra-wideband operation with directional radiation, and a portable, compact microwave transceiver for signal transmission and data acquisition. The collected data is processed to create a clear image of the brain using an improved back projection algorithm, which is based on a novel effective head permittivity model. The system is verified in realistic simulation and experimental environments using anatomically and electrically realistic human head phantoms. Quantitative and qualitative comparisons between the images from the proposed and existing algorithms demonstrate significant improvements in detection and localization accuracy. The radiation and thermal safety of the system are examined and verified. Initial human tests are conducted on healthy subjects with different head sizes. The reconstructed images are statistically analyzed and absence of false positive results indicate the efficacy of the proposed system in future preclinical trials.

Cellular imaging by targeted assembly of hot-spot SERS and photoacoustic nanoprobes using split-fluorescent protein scaffolds.

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Köker, Tuğba; Tang, Nathalie; Tian, Chao; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Xueding; Martel, Richard; Pinaud, Fabien

2018-02-09

The in cellulo assembly of plasmonic nanomaterials into photo-responsive probes is of great interest for many bioimaging and nanophotonic applications but remains challenging with traditional nucleic acid scaffolds-based bottom-up methods. Here, we address this quandary using split-fluorescent protein (FP) fragments as molecular glue and switchable Raman reporters to assemble gold or silver plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) into photonic clusters directly in live cells. When targeted to diffusing surface biomarkers in cancer cells, the NPs self-assemble into surface-enhanced Raman-scattering (SERS) nanoclusters having hot spots homogenously seeded by the reconstruction of full-length FPs. Within plasmonic hot spots, autocatalytic activation of the FP chromophore and near-field amplification of its Raman fingerprints enable selective and sensitive SERS imaging of targeted cells. This FP-driven assembly of metal colloids also yields enhanced photoacoustic signals, allowing the hybrid FP/NP nanoclusters to serve as contrast agents for multimodal SERS and photoacoustic microscopy with single-cell sensitivity.

Performance evaluation of photoacoustic oximetry imaging systems using a dynamic blood flow phantom with tunable oxygen saturation

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Vogt, William C.; Zhou, Xuewen; Andriani, Rudy; Wear, Keith A.; Garra, Brian S.; Pfefer, Joshua

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI) is an emerging technology with strong potential for broad clinical applications from breast cancer detection to cerebral monitoring due to its ability to compute maps of blood oxygen saturation (SO2) distribution in deep tissues using multispectral imaging. However, no well-validated consensus test methods currently exist for evaluating oximetry-specific performance characteristics of PAI devices. We have developed a phantombased flow system capable of rapid SO2 adjustment to serve as a test bed for elucidation of factors impacting SO2 measurement and quantitative characterization of device performance. The flow system is comprised of a peristaltic pump, membrane oxygenator, oxygen and nitrogen gas, and in-line oxygen, pH, and temperature sensors that enable real-time estimation of SO2 reference values. Bovine blood was delivered through breast-relevant tissue phantoms containing vessel-mimicking fluid channels, which were imaged using a custom multispectral PAI system. Blood was periodically drawn for SO2 measurement in a clinical-grade CO-oximeter. We used this flow phantom system to evaluate the impact of device parameters (e.g.,wavelength-dependent fluence corrections) and tissue parameters (e.g. fluid channel depth, blood SO2, spectral coloring artifacts) on oximetry measurement accuracy. Results elucidated key challenges in PAI oximetry and device design trade-offs, which subsequently allowed for optimization of system performance. This approach provides a robust benchtop test platform that can support PAI oximetry device optimization, performance validation, and clinical translation, and may inform future development of consensus test methods for performance assessment of photoacoustic oximetry imaging systems.

Noninvasive photoacoustic computed tomography of mouse brain metabolism in vivo

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Yao, Junjie; Xia, Jun; Maslov, Konstantin; Avanaki, Mohammadreza R. N.; Tsytsarev, Vassiliy; Demchenko, Alexei V.; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-03-01

To control the overall action of the body, brain consumes a large amount of energy in proportion to its volume. In humans and many other species, the brain gets most of its energy from oxygen-dependent metabolism of glucose. An abnormal metabolic rate of glucose and/or oxygen usually reflects a diseased status of brain, such as cancer or Alzheimer's disease. We have demonstrated the feasibility of imaging mouse brain metabolism using photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT), a fast, noninvasive and functional imaging modality with optical contrast and acoustic resolution. Brain responses to forepaw stimulations were imaged transdermally and transcranially. 2-NBDG, which diffuses well across the blood-brain-barrier, provided exogenous contrast for photoacoustic imaging of glucose response. Concurrently, hemoglobin provided endogenous contrast for photoacoustic imaging of hemodynamic response. Glucose and hemodynamic responses were quantitatively unmixed by using two-wavelength measurements. We found that glucose uptake and blood perfusion around the somatosensory region of the contralateral hemisphere were both increased by stimulations, indicating elevated neuron activity. The glucose response amplitude was about half that of the hemodynamic response. While the glucose response area was more homogenous and confined within the somatosensory region, the hemodynamic response area showed a clear vascular pattern and spread about twice as wide as that of the glucose response. The PACT of mouse brain metabolism was validated by high-resolution open-scalp OR-PAM and fluorescence imaging. Our results demonstrate that 2-NBDG-enhanced PACT is a promising tool for noninvasive studies of brain metabolism.

Vascular elastic photoacoustic tomography in humans

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Hai, Pengfei; Zhou, Yong; Liang, Jinyang; Li, Chiye; Wang, Lihong V.

2016-03-01

Quantification of vascular elasticity can help detect thrombosis and prevent life-threatening conditions such as acute myocardial infarction or stroke. Here, we propose vascular elastic photoacoustic tomography (VE-PAT) to measure vascular elasticity in humans. VE-PAT was developed by incorporating a linear-array-based photoacoustic computed tomography system with a customized compression stage. By measuring the deformation of blood vessels under uniaxial loading, VE-PAT was able to quantify the vascular compliance. We first demonstrated the feasibility of VE-PAT in blood vessel phantoms. In large vessel phantoms, VE-PAT detected a decrease in vascular compliance due to simulated thrombosis, which was validated by a standard compression test. In small blood vessel phantoms embedded 3 mm deep in gelatin, VE-PAT detected elasticity changes at depths that are difficult to image using other elasticity imaging techniques. We then applied VE-PAT to assess vascular compliance in a human subject and detected a decrease in vascular compliance when an occlusion occurred downstream from the measurement point, demonstrating the potential of VE-PAT in clinical applications such as detection of deep venous thrombosis.

Multifunctional BSA-Au nanostars for photoacoustic imaging and X-ray computed tomography.

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Zu, Lihui; Liu, Lin; Qin, Yeshan; Liu, Hongguang; Yang, Haishan

2016-10-01

We report the synthesis and characterization of bovine serum albumin-capped Au nanostars (BSA-AuNSs) for dual-modal computed tomography (CT)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging application. The BSA-AuNSs have an average size of 85nm, and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at approximately 770nm. They have excellent biocompatibility, good X-ray attenuation, and great PA contrast enhancement properties. When injected intravenously, liver signal markedly increases in both CT and PA modalities. The in vivo biodistribution studies and pathology results showed that the BSA-AuNSs were mainly excreted through the liver and intestines with no obvious biotoxicity. These results indicate that BSA-AuNSs have high potential to be used as dual-modal CT/PA imaging contrast agents or further used to develop targeted probes. This preliminary study suggests that PA tomography may be used to non-invasively trace the kinetics and biodistribution of the nanoparticles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of wide-band, time and energy resolving, optical photon detectors with application to imaging astronomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, A.J.; Cabrera, B.; Romani, R.W.; Figueroa-Feliciano, E.; Nam, S.W.; Clarke, R.M.

2000-01-01

Superconducting transition edge sensors (TESs) are showing promise for the wide-band spectroscopy of individual photons from the mid-infrared (IR), through the optical, and into the near ultraviolet (UV). Our TES sensors are ∼20 μm square, 40 nm thick tungsten (W) films with a transition temperature of about 80 mK. We typically attain an energy resolution of 0.15 eV FWHM over the optical range with relative timing resolution of 100 ns. Single photon events with sub-microsecond risetimes and few microsecond falltimes have been achieved allowing count rates in excess of 30 kHz per pixel. Additionally, tungsten is approximately 50% absorptive in the optical (dropping to 10% in the IR) giving these devices an intrinsically high quantum efficiency. These combined traits make our detectors attractive for fast spectrophotometers and photon-starved applications such as wide-band, time and energy resolved astronomical observations. We present recent results from our work toward the fabrication and testing of the first TES optical photon imaging arrays

Compensation of shear waves in photoacoustic tomography with layered acoustic media.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoonover, Robert W; Anastasio, Mark A

2011-10-01

An image reconstruction formula is presented for photoacoustic computed tomography that accounts for conversion between longitudinal and shear waves in a planar-layered acoustic medium. We assume the optical absorber that produces the photoacoustic wave field is embedded in a single fluid layer and any elastic solid layers present are separated by one or more fluid layers. The measurement aperture is assumed to be planar. Computer simulation studies are conducted to demonstrate and investigate the proposed reconstruction formula.

Cytotoxic Induction and Photoacoustic Imaging of Breast Cancer Cells Using Astaxanthin-Reduced Gold Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subramaniyan Bharathiraja

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Astaxanthin, a kind of photosynthetic pigment, was employed for gold nanoparticle formation. Nanoparticles were characterized using Ulteraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, and the possible presence of astaxanthin functional groups were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR. The cytotoxic effect of synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated against MDA-MB-231 (human breast cancer cells using a tetrazolium-based assay, and synthesized nanoparticles exhibited dose-dependent toxicity. The morphology upon cell death was differentiated through fluorescent microscopy using different stains that predicted apoptosis. The synthesized nanoparticles were applied in ultrasound-coupled photoacoustic imaging to obtain good images of treated cells. Astaxanthin-reduced gold nanoparticle has the potential to act as a promising agent in the field of photo-based diagnosis and therapy.

Ultrasound to video registration using a bi-plane transrectal probe with photoacoustic markers

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Alexis; Kang, Hyun Jae; Zhang, Haichong K.; Taylor, Russell H.; Boctor, Emad M.

2016-03-01

Modern surgical scenarios typically provide surgeons with additional information through fusion of video and other imaging modalities. To provide this information, the tools and devices used in surgery must be registered together with interventional guidance equipment and surgical navigation systems. In this work, we focus explicitly on registering ultrasound with a stereo camera system using photoacoustic markers. Previous work has shown that photoacoustic markers can be used in this registration task to achieve target registration errors lower than the current available systems. Photoacoustic markers are defined as a set of non-collinear laser spots projected onto some surface. They can be simultaneously visualized by a stereo camera system and an ultrasound transducer because of the photoacoustic effect. In more recent work, the three-dimensional ultrasound volume was replaced by images from a single ultrasound image pose from a convex array transducer. The feasibility of this approach was demonstrated, but the accuracy was lacking due to the physical limitations of the convex array transducer. In this work, we propose the use of a bi-plane transrectal ultrasound transducer. The main advantage of using this type of transducer is that the ultrasound elements are no longer restricted to a single plane. While this development would be limited to prostate applications, liver and kidney applications are also feasible if a suitable transducer is built. This work is demonstrated in two experiments, one without photoacoustic sources and one with. The resulting target registration error for these experiments were 1.07mm±0.35mm and 1.27mm+/-0.47mm respectively, both of which are better than current available navigation systems.

All-optical photoacoustic microscopy using a MEMS scanning mirror

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sung-Liang; Xie, Zhixing; Ling, Tao; Wei, Xunbin; Guo, L. Jay; Wang, Xueding

2013-03-01

It has been studied that a potential marker to obtain prognostic information about bladder cancer is tumor neoangiogenesis, which can be quantified by morphometric characteristics such as microvascular density. Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) can render sensitive three-dimensional (3D) mapping of microvasculature, providing promise to evaluate the neoangiogenesis that is closely related to the diagnosis of bladder cancer. To ensure good image quality, it is desired to acquire bladder PAM images from its inside via the urethra, like conventional cystoscope. Previously, we demonstrated all-optical PAM systems using polymer microring resonators to detect photoacoustic signals and galvanometer mirrors for laser scanning. In this work, we build a miniature PAM system using a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanning mirror, demonstrating a prototype of an endoscopic PAM head capable of high imaging quality of the bladder. The system has high resolutions of 17.5 μm in lateral direction and 19 μm in the axial direction at a distance of 5.4 mm. Images of printed grids and the 3D structure of microvasculature in animal bladders ex vivo by the system are demonstrated.

Photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality contrast agent and its application to thermotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu-Hsin; Liao, Ai-Ho; Chen, Jui-Hao; Wang, Churng-Ren Chris; Li, Pai-Chi

2012-04-01

This study investigates a photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality contrast agent, including extending its applications from image-contrast enhancement to combined diagnosis and therapy with site-specific targeting. The contrast agent comprises albumin-shelled microbubbles with encapsulated gold nanorods (AuMBs). The gas-filled microbubbles, whose diameters range from submicrometer to several micrometers, are not only echogenic but also can serve as drug-delivery vehicles. The gold nanorods are used to enhance the generation of both photoacoustic and photothermal signals. The optical absorption peak of the gold nanorods is tuned to 760 nm and is invariant after microbubble encapsulation. Dual-modality contrast enhancement is first described here, and the applications to cellular targeting and laser-induced thermotherapy in a phantom are demonstrated. Photoacoustic imaging can be used to monitor temperature increases during the treatment. The targeting capability of AuMBs was verified, and the temperature increased by 26°C for a laser power of 980 mW, demonstrating the potential of combined diagnosis and therapy with the dual-modality agent. Targeted photo- or acoustic-mediated delivery is also possible.

Photoacoustic imaging for assessing ischemic kidney damage in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Berndl, Elizabeth S. L.; He, Xiaolin; Yuen, Darren A.; Kolios, Michael C.

2018-02-01

Ischemic reperfusion injuries (IRIs) occur after blood returns to a tissue or organ after a period without oxygen or nutrients, which causes an inflammatory response leading to heterogeneous scarring of the nearby tissue and vasculature. This is associated with long-term decreases blood flow, and necrosis. Although most commonly associated with heart attacks and strokes, IRIs are also a side effect of organ transplants, when the organ is reperfused in the recipient's body after being transported from the donor to the transplant hospital. Currently, the optimal method of monitoring for IRI is limited to biopsies, which are invasive and poorly monitor the spatial heterogeneity of the damage. To non-invasively identify changes in kidneys, the left renal artery in mice (n=3) was clamped for 45 minutes to create an IRI event. Both kidneys of each animal were monitored using photoacoustics (PA) with the VevoLAZR system (Fujifilm-VisualSonics, Toronto) three, four and eight weeks after surgery. IRI-treated kidneys show increased picosirius red staining, indicative of collagen (0.601 vs 0.042, p < 0.0001), decreased size as assessed by cross-sectional area (7.8 mm2 vs 35.9 mm2 , p < 0.0001), and decreased oxygen saturation (sO2; 62% vs 77%, p = 0.02). Analysis of the photoacoustic data shows that a two-point metric, the 715:930 nm ratio of the whole kidney (1.05 vs 0.57, p = 0.049) and the optical spectral slope (OSS) (0.8 * 10-3 vs 3.0 * 10-3, p = 0.013) are both able to differentiate between IRI-treated and healthy kidneys. These data suggest that photoacoustics can be used as a non-invasive method to observe in vivo changes in the kidney due to IRI.

Influence of nanoscale temperature rises on photoacoustic generation: Discrimination between optical absorbers based on thermal nonlinearity at high frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Simandoux, Olivier; Prost, Amaury; Gateau, Jérôme; Bossy, Emmanuel

2015-03-01

In this work, we experimentally investigate thermal-based nonlinear photoacoustic generation as a mean to discriminate between different types of absorbing particles. The photoacoustic generation from solutions of dye molecules and gold nanospheres (same optical densities) was detected using a high frequency ultrasound transducer (20 MHz). Photoacoustic emission was observed with gold nanospheres at low fluence for an equilibrium temperature around 4 °C, where the linear photoacoustic effect in water vanishes, highlighting the nonlinear emission from the solution of nanospheres. The photoacoustic amplitude was also studied as a function of the equilibrium temperature from 2 °C to 20 °C. While the photoacoustic amplitude from the dye molecules vanished around 4 °C, the photoacoustic amplitude from the gold nanospheres remained significant over the whole temperature range. Our preliminary results suggest that in the context of high frequency photoacoustic imaging, nanoparticles may be discriminated from molecular absorbers based on nanoscale temperature rises.

Spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging of radiofrequency ablation in the left atrium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S. Iskander-Rizk (Sophinese); P. Kruizinga (Pieter); A.F.W. van der Steen (Ton); G. van Soest (Gijs)

2018-01-01

textabstractCatheter-based radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation has long-term success in 60-70% of cases. A better assessment of lesion quality, depth, and continuity could improve the procedure’s outcome. We investigate here photoacoustic contrast between ablated and healthy atrial-wall

Direct tissue oxygen monitoring by in vivo photoacoustic lifetime imaging (PALI)

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Qi; Morgounova, Ekaterina; Ashkenazi, Shai

2014-03-01

Tissue oxygen plays a critical role in maintaining tissue viability and in various diseases, including response to therapy. Images of oxygen distribution provide the history of tissue hypoxia and evidence of oxygen availability in the circulatory system. Currently available methods of direct measuring or imaging tissue oxygen all have significant limitations. Previously, we have reported a non-invasive in vivo imaging modality based on photoacoustic lifetime. The technique maps the excited triplet state of oxygen-sensitive dye, thus reflects the spatial and temporal distribution of tissue oxygen. We have applied PALI on tumor hypoxia in small animals, and the hypoxic region imaged by PALI is consistent with the site of the tumor imaged by ultrasound. Here, we present two studies of applying PALI to monitor changes of tissue oxygen by modulations. The first study involves an acute ischemia model using a thin thread tied around the hind limb of a normal mouse to reduce the blood flow. PALI images were acquired before, during, and after the restriction. The drop of muscle pO2 and recovery from hypoxia due to reperfusion were observed by PALI tracking the same region. The second study modulates tissue oxygen by controlling the percentage of oxygen the mouse inhales. We demonstrate that PALI is able to reflect the change of oxygen level with respect to both hyperbaric and hypobaric conditions. We expect this technique to be very attractive for a range of clinical applications in which tissue oxygen mapping would improve therapy decision making and treatment planning.

Using high-power light emitting diodes for photoacoustic imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, R. S.

2011-01-01

for the experiment consists of a 3mm high x 5mm wide slice of green colored gelatine overlaid by a 3cm layer of colorless gelatine. The light pulses from the LED is focused on the green gelatine. The photoacoustic response from the green gelatine is detected by a single transducer on the opposite (top) surface...

In vivo photoacoustic monitoring of anti-obesity photothermal lipolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Donghyun; Lee, Jung Ho; Hahn, Sei Kwang; Kim, Chulhong

2018-02-01

Obesity with a body mass index is greater than 30 kg/m2 is one of the rapidly growing diseases in advanced societies and can lead to stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure. Common methods of removing subcutaneous adipose tissues are liposuction and laser treatment. In this study, we used photoacoustic imaging to monitor the anti-obesity photothermal degradation process. To improve the photothermal lipid degradation efficiency without any invasive methods, we synthesized hyaluronic acid hollow hold nanosphere adipocyte targeting sequence peptide (HA-HAuNS-ATS) conjugates. The conjugate enhanced the skin penetration ability and biodegradability of the nanoparticles using hyaluronate and enhanced the targeting effect on adipose tissue with adipocyte targeting sequence peptide. Thus, the conjugate can be delivered to the adipose tissue by simply spreading the conjugate on the skin without any invasive method. Then, the photothermal lipolysis and delivery of the conjugate were photoacoustically monitored in vivo. These results demonstrate the potential for photoacoustic method to be applied for photothermal lipolysis monitoring.

Functional photoacoustic microscopy of diabetic vasculature

Science.gov (United States)

Krumholz, Arie; Wang, Lidai; Yao, Junjie; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-06-01

We used functional photoacoustic microscopy to image diabetes-induced damage to the microvasculature. To produce an animal model for Type 1 diabetes, we used streptozotocin (STZ), which is particularly toxic to the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas in mammals. A set number of ND4 Swiss Webster mice received intraperitoneal injections of STZ for five consecutive days at 50 mg/kg. Most mice developed a significant rise in blood glucose level (~400 mg/dL) within three weeks of the first injection. Changes in vasculature and hemodynamics were monitored for six weeks. The mouse ear was imaged with an optical-resolution photoacoustic microscope at a main blood vessel branch from the root of the ear. There are noticeable and measurable changes associated with the disease, including decreased vessel diameter and possible occlusion due to vessel damage and polyurea. We also observed an increase in the blood flow speed in the vein and a decrease in the artery, which could be due to compensation for the dehydration and vessel diameter changes. Functional and metabolic parameters such as hemoglobin oxygen saturation, oxygen extraction fraction, and oxygen consumption rate were also measured, but showed no significant change.

In vivo study of rat cortical hemodynamics using a stereotaxic-apparatus-compatible photoacoustic microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Heng; Chen, Qian; Qi, Weizhi; Chen, Xingxing; Xi, Lei

2018-04-19

Brain imaging is an important technique in cognitive neuroscience. In this article, we designed a stereotaxic-apparatus-compatible photoacoustic microscope for the studies of rat cortical hemodynamics. Compared with existing optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (ORPAM) systems, the probe owns feature of fast, light and miniature. In this microscope, we integrated a miniaturized ultrasound transducer with a center frequency of 10 MHz to detect photoacoustic signals and a 2-dimensional (2D) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanner to achieve raster scanning of the optical focus. Based on phantom evaluation, this imaging probe has a high lateral resolution of 3.8 μm and an effective imaging domain of 2 × 2 mm 2 . Different from conventional ORPAMs, combining with standard stereotaxic apparatus enables broad studies of rodent brains without any motion artifact. To show its capability, we successfully captured red blood cell flow in the capillary, monitored the vascular changes during bleeding and blood infusion and visualized cortical hemodynamics induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dry coupling for whole-body small-animal photoacoustic computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Chenghung; Li, Lei; Zhu, Liren; Xia, Jun; Li, Chiye; Chen, Wanyi; Garcia-Uribe, Alejandro; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Wang, Lihong V.

2017-04-01

We have enhanced photoacoustic computed tomography with dry acoustic coupling that eliminates water immersion anxiety and wrinkling of the animal and facilitates incorporating complementary modalities and procedures. The dry acoustic coupler is made of a tubular elastic membrane enclosed by a closed transparent water tank. The tubular membrane ensures water-free contact with the animal, and the closed water tank allows pressurization for animal stabilization. The dry coupler was tested using a whole-body small-animal ring-shaped photoacoustic computed tomography system. Dry coupling was found to provide image quality comparable to that of conventional water coupling.

Listening to membrane potential: photoacoustic voltage-sensitive dye recording

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haichong K.; Yan, Ping; Kang, Jeeun; Abou, Diane S.; Le, Hanh N. D.; Jha, Abhinav K.; Thorek, Daniel L. J.; Kang, Jin U.; Rahmim, Arman; Wong, Dean F.; Boctor, Emad M.; Loew, Leslie M.

2017-04-01

Voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) are designed to monitor membrane potential by detecting fluorescence changes in response to neuronal or muscle electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo systems for external detection. By contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near-infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. Here, we show that voltage-dependent quenching of dye fluorescence leads to a reciprocal enhancement of PA intensity. We synthesized a near-infrared photoacoustic VSD (PA-VSD), whose PA intensity change is sensitive to membrane potential. In the polarized state, this cyanine-based probe enhances PA intensity while decreasing fluorescence output in a lipid vesicle membrane model. A theoretical model accounts for how the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate PA voltage sensing but also emphasize the interplay of both fluorescence and absorbance properties in the design of optimized PA probes. Together, our results demonstrate PA sensing as a potential new modality for recording and external imaging of electrophysiological and neurochemical events in the brain.

Assessment of the added value of the Twente Photoacoustic Mammoscope in breast cancer diagnosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hilgerink, Marjolein P.; Hummel, J. Marjan; Manohar, Srirang; Vaartjes, Simon R.; IJzerman, Maarten Joost

2011-01-01

Purpose: Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a recently developed breast cancer imaging technique. In order to enhance successful clinical implementation, we quantified the potential clinical value of different scenarios incorporating PA imaging by means of multi-criteria analysis. From this analysis, the

High-resolution photoacoustic tomography of resting-state functional connectivity in the mouse brain

Science.gov (United States)

Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Xia, Jun; Wan, Hanlin; Bauer, Adam Quentin; Culver, Joseph P.; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-01-01

The increasing use of mouse models for human brain disease studies presents an emerging need for a new functional imaging modality. Using optical excitation and acoustic detection, we developed a functional connectivity photoacoustic tomography system, which allows noninvasive imaging of resting-state functional connectivity in the mouse brain, with a large field of view and a high spatial resolution. Bilateral correlations were observed in eight functional regions, including the olfactory bulb, limbic, parietal, somatosensory, retrosplenial, visual, motor, and temporal regions, as well as in several subregions. The borders and locations of these regions agreed well with the Paxinos mouse brain atlas. By subjecting the mouse to alternating hyperoxic and hypoxic conditions, strong and weak functional connectivities were observed, respectively. In addition to connectivity images, vascular images were simultaneously acquired. These studies show that functional connectivity photoacoustic tomography is a promising, noninvasive technique for functional imaging of the mouse brain. PMID:24367107

Music-of-Light Stethoscope: A Demonstration of the Photoacoustic Effect

Science.gov (United States)

Nikitichev, D. I.; Xia, W.; Hill, E.; Mosse, C. A.; Perkins, T.; Konyn, K.; Ourselin, S.; Desjardins, A. E.; Vercauteren, T.

2016-01-01

In this paper we present a system aimed at demonstrating the photoacoustic (PA) effect for educational purposes. PA imaging is a hybrid imaging modality that requires no contrast agent and has a great potential for spine and brain lesion characterisation, breast cancer and blood flow monitoring notably in the context of fetal surgery. It relies on…

Poly(vinyl alcohol) gels as photoacoustic breast phantoms revisited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xia, Wenfeng; Piras, Daniele; Heijblom, Michelle; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; van Leeuwen, Ton G.; Manohar, Srirang

2011-01-01

A popular phantom in photoacoustic imaging is poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel fabricated by freezing and thawing (F-T) aqueous solutions of PVA. The material possesses acoustic and optical properties similar to those of tissue. Earlier work characterized PVA gels in small test specimens where

Poly(vinyl alcohol) gels as photoacoustic breast phantoms revisited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xia, W.; Piras, D.; Heijblom, M.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; van Leeuwen, Ton; Manohar, Srirang

2011-01-01

A popular phantom in photoacoustic imaging is poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel fabricated by freezing and thawing (F–T) aqueous solutions of PVA. The material possesses acoustic and optical properties similar to those of tissue. Earlier work characterized PVA gels in small test specimens where

Photoacoustic spectroscopy of β-hematin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samson, Edward B; Goldschmidt, Benjamin S; Whiteside, Paul J D; Sudduth, Amanda S M; Custer, John R; Viator, John A; Beerntsen, Brenda

2012-01-01

Malaria affects over 200 million individuals annually, resulting in 800 000 fatalities. Current tests use blood smears and can only detect the disease when 0.1–1% of blood cells are infected. We are investigating the use of photoacoustic flowmetry to sense as few as one infected cell among 10 million or more normal blood cells, thus diagnosing infection before patients become symptomatic. Photoacoustic flowmetry is similar to conventional flow cytometry, except that rare cells are targeted by nanosecond laser pulses to induce ultrasonic responses. This system has been used to detect single melanoma cells in 10 ml of blood. Our objective is to apply photoacoustic flowmetry to detection of the malaria pigment hemozoin, which is a byproduct of parasite-digested hemoglobin in the blood. However, hemozoin is difficult to purify in quantities greater than a milligram, so a synthetic analog, known as β-hematin was derived from porcine hemin. The specific purpose of this study is to establish the efficacy of using β-hematin, rather than hemozoin, for photoacoustic measurements. We characterized β-hematin using UV–vis spectroscopy, TEM, and FTIR, then tested the effects of laser irradiation on the synthetic product. We finally determined its absorption spectrum using photoacoustic excitation. UV–vis spectroscopy verified that β-hematin was distinctly different from its precursor. TEM analysis confirmed its previously established nanorod shape, and comparison of the FTIR results with published spectroscopy data showed that our product had the distinctive absorbance peaks at 1661 and 1206 cm −1 . Also, our research indicated that prolonged irradiation dramatically alters the physical and optical properties of the β-hematin, resulting in increased absorption at shorter wavelengths. Nevertheless, the photoacoustic absorption spectrum mimicked that generated by UV–vis spectroscopy, which confirms the accuracy of the photoacoustic method and strongly suggests

Imaging and detection of early stage dental caries with an all-optical photoacoustic microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, D. A.; Sampathkumar, A.; Longbottom, C.; Kirk, K. J.

2015-01-01

Tooth decay, at its earliest stages, manifests itself as small, white, subsurface lesions in the enamel. Current methods for detection in the dental clinic are visual and tactile investigations, and bite-wing X-ray radiographs. These techniques suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity at the earliest (and reversible) stages of the disease due to the small size (tooth decay. Ex-vivo tooth samples exhibiting white spot lesions were scanned and were found to generate a larger (one order of magnitude) photoacoustic (PA) signal in the lesion regions compared to healthy enamel. The high contrast in the PA images potentially allows lesions to be imaged and measured at a much earlier stage than current clinical techniques allow. PA images were cross referenced with histology photographs to validate our experimental results. Our PA system provides a noncontact method for early detection of white-spot lesions with a high detection bandwidth that offers advantages over previously demonstrated ultrasound methods. The technique provides the sensing depth of an ultrasound system, but with the spatial resolution of an optical system.

Photoacoustic discrimination of viable and thermally coagulated blood using a two-wavelength method for burn injury monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talbert, Robert J; Holan, Scott H; Viator, John A

2007-01-01

Discriminating viable from thermally coagulated blood in a burn wound can be used to profile burn depth, thus aiding the removal of necrotic tissue. In this study, we used a two-wavelength photoacoustic imaging method to discriminate coagulated and non-coagulated blood in a dermal burn phantom. Differences in the optical absorption spectra of coagulated and non-coagulated blood produce different values of the ratio of peak photoacoustic amplitude at 543 and 633 nm. The absorption values obtained from spectroscopic measurements indicate that the ratio of photoacoustic pressure for 543 and 633 nm for non-coagulated blood was 15.7:1 and 1.6:1 for coagulated blood. Using planar blood layers, we found the photoacoustic ratios to be 13.5:1 and 1.6:1, respectively. Using the differences in the ratios of coagulated and non-coagulated blood, we propose a scheme using statistical classification analysis to identify the different blood samples. Based upon these distinctly different ratios, we identified the planar blood samples with an error rate of 0%. Using a burn phantom with cylindrical vessels containing coagulated and non-coagulated blood, we achieved an error rate of 11.4%. These results have shown that photoacoustic imaging could prove to be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of burns

Real-time co-registered ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging system based on FPGA and DSP architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Alqasemi, Umar; Li, Hai; Aguirre, Andres; Zhu, Quing

2011-03-01

Co-registering ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a logical extension to conventional ultrasound because both modalities provide complementary information of tumor morphology, tumor vasculature and hypoxia for cancer detection and characterization. In addition, both modalities are capable of providing real-time images for clinical applications. In this paper, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and Digital Signal Processor (DSP) module-based real-time US/PA imaging system is presented. The system provides real-time US/PA data acquisition and image display for up to 5 fps* using the currently implemented DSP board. It can be upgraded to 15 fps, which is the maximum pulse repetition rate of the used laser, by implementing an advanced DSP module. Additionally, the photoacoustic RF data for each frame is saved for further off-line processing. The system frontend consists of eight 16-channel modules made of commercial and customized circuits. Each 16-channel module consists of two commercial 8-channel receiving circuitry boards and one FPGA board from Analog Devices. Each receiving board contains an IC† that combines. 8-channel low-noise amplifiers, variable-gain amplifiers, anti-aliasing filters, and ADC's‡ in a single chip with sampling frequency of 40MHz. The FPGA board captures the LVDSξ Double Data Rate (DDR) digital output of the receiving board and performs data conditioning and subbeamforming. A customized 16-channel transmission circuitry is connected to the two receiving boards for US pulseecho (PE) mode data acquisition. A DSP module uses External Memory Interface (EMIF) to interface with the eight 16-channel modules through a customized adaptor board. The DSP transfers either sub-beamformed data (US pulse-echo mode or PAI imaging mode) or raw data from FPGA boards to its DDR-2 memory through the EMIF link, then it performs additional processing, after that, it transfer the data to the PC** for further image processing. The PC code

In Vivo Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Cystography Using Clinically Relevant Dual Modal Indocyanine Green

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungjo Park

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Conventional X-ray-based cystography uses radio-opaque materials, but this method uses harmful ionizing radiation and is not sensitive. In this study, we demonstrate nonionizing and noninvasive photoacoustic (PA and fluorescence (FL cystography using clinically relevant indocyanine green (ICG in vivo. After transurethral injection of ICG into rats through a catheter, their bladders were photoacoustically and fluorescently visualized. A deeply positioned bladder below the skin surface (i.e., ~1.5–5 mm was clearly visible in the PA and FL image using a laser pulse energy of less than 2 mJ/cm2 (1/15 of the safety limit. Then, the in vivo imaging results were validated through in situ studies. Our results suggest that dual modal cystography can provide a nonionizing and noninvasive imaging tool for bladder mapping.

Real-time Near-infrared Virtual Intraoperative Surgical Photoacoustic Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Changho Lee

2015-09-01

Full Text Available We developed a near infrared (NIR virtual intraoperative surgical photoacoustic microscopy (NIR-VISPAM system that combines a conventional surgical microscope and an NIR light photoacoustic microscopy (PAM system. NIR-VISPAM can simultaneously visualize PA B-scan images at a maximum display rate of 45 Hz and display enlarged microscopic images on a surgeon's view plane through the ocular lenses of the surgical microscope as augmented reality. The use of the invisible NIR light eliminated the disturbance to the surgeon's vision caused by the visible PAM excitation laser in a previous report. Further, the maximum permissible laser pulse energy at this wavelength is approximately 5 times more than that at the visible spectral range. The use of a needle-type ultrasound transducer without any water bath for acoustic coupling can enhance convenience in an intraoperative environment. We successfully guided needle and injected carbon particles in biological tissues ex vivo and in melanoma-bearing mice in vivo.

Evolution of a MEMS Photoacoustic Chemical Sensor

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pellegrino, Paul M; Polcawich, Ronald G

2003-01-01

.... Initial MEMS work is centered on fabrication of a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) microphone subsystem to be incorporated in the full photoacoustic device. Preliminary results were very positive for the macro-photoacoustic cell, PZT membrane microphones design / fabrication and elementary monolithic MEMS photoacoustic cavity.

Micromachined silicon parallel acoustic delay lines as time-delayed ultrasound detector array for real-time photoacoustic tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Y.; Chang, C.-C.; Wang, L. V.; Zou, J.

2016-02-01

This paper reports the development of a new 16-channel parallel acoustic delay line (PADL) array for real-time photoacoustic tomography (PAT). The PADLs were directly fabricated from single-crystalline silicon substrates using deep reactive ion etching. Compared with other acoustic delay lines (e.g., optical fibers), the micromachined silicon PADLs offer higher acoustic transmission efficiency, smaller form factor, easier assembly, and mass production capability. To demonstrate its real-time photoacoustic imaging capability, the silicon PADL array was interfaced with one single-element ultrasonic transducer followed by one channel of data acquisition electronics to receive 16 channels of photoacoustic signals simultaneously. A PAT image of an optically-absorbing target embedded in an optically-scattering phantom was reconstructed, which matched well with the actual size of the imaged target. Because the silicon PADL array allows a signal-to-channel reduction ratio of 16:1, it could significantly simplify the design and construction of ultrasonic receivers for real-time PAT.

Micromachined silicon parallel acoustic delay lines as time-delayed ultrasound detector array for real-time photoacoustic tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Y; Chang, C-C; Zou, J; Wang, L V

2016-01-01

This paper reports the development of a new 16-channel parallel acoustic delay line (PADL) array for real-time photoacoustic tomography (PAT). The PADLs were directly fabricated from single-crystalline silicon substrates using deep reactive ion etching. Compared with other acoustic delay lines (e.g., optical fibers), the micromachined silicon PADLs offer higher acoustic transmission efficiency, smaller form factor, easier assembly, and mass production capability. To demonstrate its real-time photoacoustic imaging capability, the silicon PADL array was interfaced with one single-element ultrasonic transducer followed by one channel of data acquisition electronics to receive 16 channels of photoacoustic signals simultaneously. A PAT image of an optically-absorbing target embedded in an optically-scattering phantom was reconstructed, which matched well with the actual size of the imaged target. Because the silicon PADL array allows a signal-to-channel reduction ratio of 16:1, it could significantly simplify the design and construction of ultrasonic receivers for real-time PAT. (paper)

Photoacoustic emission from fluorescent nanodiamonds enhanced with gold nanoparticles

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Bailin; Fang, Chia-Yi; Chang, Cheng-Chun; Peterson, Ralph; Maswadi, Saher; Glickman, Randolph D.; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Ye, Jing Yong

2012-01-01

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) have drawn much attention in recent years for biomedical imaging applications due to their desired physical properties including excellent photostability, high biocompatibility, extended far-red fluorescence emission, and ease of surface functionalization. Here we explore a new feature of FNDs, i.e. their photoacoustic emission capability, which may lead to potential applications of using FNDs as a dual imaging contrast agent for combined fluorescence and photo...

Folding Up of Gold Nanoparticle Strings into Plasmonic Vesicles for Enhanced Photoacoustic Imaging

KAUST Repository

Liu, Yijing

2015-11-11

The stepwise self-assembly of hollow plasmonic vesicles with vesicular membranes containing strings of gold nanoparticles (NPs) is reported. The formation of chain vesicles can be controlled by tuning the density of the polymer ligands on the surface of the gold NPs. The strong absorption of the chain vesicles in the near-infrared (NIR) region leads to a much higher efficiency in photoacoustic (PA) imaging than for non-chain vesicles. The chain vesicles were further employed for the encapsulation of drugs and the NIR light triggered release of payloads. This work not only offers a new platform for controlling the hierarchical self-assembly of NPs, but also demonstrates that the physical properties of the materials can be tailored by controlling the spatial arrangement of NPs within assemblies to achieve a better performance in biomedical applications.

Isometric multimodal photoacoustic microscopy based on optically transparent micro-ring ultrasonic detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Biqin; Li, Hao; Zhang, Zhen; Zhang, Kevin; Chen, Siyu; Sun, Cheng; Zhang, Hao F

2015-01-01

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is an attractive imaging tool complementary to established optical microscopic modalities by providing additional molecular specificities through imaging optical absorption contrast. While the development of optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (ORPAM) offers high lateral resolution, the acoustically-determined axial resolution is limited due to the constraint in ultrasonic detection bandwidth. ORPAM with isometric spatial resolution along both axial and lateral direction is yet to be developed. Although recently developed sophisticated optical illumination and reconstruction methods offer improved axial resolution in ORPAM, the image acquisition procedures are rather complicated, limiting their capabilities for high-speed imaging and being easily integrated with established optical microscopic modalities. Here we report an isometric ORPAM based on an optically transparent micro-ring resonator ultrasonic detector and a commercial inverted microscope platform. Owing to the superior spatial resolution and the ease of integrating our ORPAM with established microscopic modalities, single cell imaging with extrinsic fluorescence staining, intrinsic autofluorescence, and optical absorption can be achieved simultaneously. This technique holds promise to greatly improve the accessibility of PAM to the broader biomedical researchers.

Three-Dimensional Photoacoustic Tomography using Delay Multiply and Sum Beamforming Algorithm

OpenAIRE

Paridar, Roya; Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Orooji, Mahdi

2018-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI), is a promising medical imaging technique that provides the high contrast of the optical imaging and the resolution of ultrasound (US) imaging. Among all the methods, Three-dimensional (3D) PAI provides a high resolution and accuracy. One of the most common algorithms for 3D PA image reconstruction is delay-and-sum (DAS). However, the quality of the reconstructed image obtained from this algorithm is not satisfying, having high level of sidelobes and a wide mainlob...

Skull's acoustic attenuation and dispersion modeling on photoacoustic signal

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Leila; Behnam, Hamid; Tavakkoli, Jahan; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-02-01

Despite the promising results of the recent novel transcranial photoacoustic (PA) brain imaging technology, it has been demonstrated that the presence of the skull severely affects the performance of this imaging modality. We theoretically investigate the effects of acoustic heterogeneity induced by skull on the PA signals generated from single particles, with firstly developing a mathematical model for this phenomenon and then explore experimental validation of the results. The model takes into account the frequency dependent attenuation and dispersion effects occur with wave reflection, refraction and mode conversion at the skull surfaces. Numerical simulations based on the developed model are performed for calculating the propagation of photoacoustic waves through the skull. The results show a strong agreement between simulation and ex-vivo study. The findings are as follow: The thickness of the skull is the most PA signal deteriorating factor that affects both its amplitude (attenuation) and phase (distortion). Also we demonstrated that, when the depth of target region is low and it is comparable to the skull thickness, however, the skull-induced distortion becomes increasingly severe and the reconstructed image would be strongly distorted without correcting these effects. It is anticipated that an accurate quantification and modeling of the skull transmission effects would ultimately allow for aberration correction in transcranial PA brain imaging.

Whole-organ atlas imaged by label-free high-resolution photoacoustic microscopy assisted by a microtome

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Terence T. W.; Zhang, Ruiying; Hsu, Hsun-Chia; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Shi, Junhui; Chen, Ruimin; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa; Wang, Lihong V.

2018-02-01

In biomedical imaging, all optical techniques face a fundamental trade-off between spatial resolution and tissue penetration. Therefore, obtaining an organelle-level resolution image of a whole organ has remained a challenging and yet appealing scientific pursuit. Over the past decade, optical microscopy assisted by mechanical sectioning or chemical clearing of tissue has been demonstrated as a powerful technique to overcome this dilemma, one of particular use in imaging the neural network. However, this type of techniques needs lengthy special preparation of the tissue specimen, which hinders broad application in life sciences. Here, we propose a new label-free three-dimensional imaging technique, named microtomy-assisted photoacoustic microscopy (mPAM), for potentially imaging all biomolecules with 100% endogenous natural staining in whole organs with high fidelity. We demonstrate the first label-free mPAM, using UV light for label-free histology-like imaging, in whole organs (e.g., mouse brains), most of them formalin-fixed and paraffin- or agarose-embedded for minimal morphological deformation. Furthermore, mPAM with dual wavelength illuminations is also employed to image a mouse brain slice, demonstrating the potential for imaging of multiple biomolecules without staining. With visible light illumination, mPAM also shows its deep tissue imaging capability, which enables less slicing and hence reduces sectioning artifacts. mPAM could potentially provide a new insight for understanding complex biological organs.

Photoacoustic imaging of angiogenesis in subdermal islet transplant sites

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Wei; Pawlick, Rena; Bruni, Antonio; Rafiei, Yasmin; Pepper, Andrew R.; Gala-Lopez, Boris; Choi, Min; Malcolm, Andrew; Zemp, Roger J.; Shapiro, A. M. James

2016-03-01

Exogenous insulin administration is the mainstay treatment therapy for patients with Type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, for select patients, clinical islet transplantation is an alternative therapeutic treatment. In this procedure, islets are transplanted into the hepatic portal vein, and despite improved success within the last decade, obstacles are still associated with this approach. It has been discovered that the subcutaneous space may be an effective alternative site for islet transplantation, and may provide advantages of easy access and potential for simple monitoring. The ability to monitor islet viability and the transplant microenvironment may be key to future success in islet transplantation. A subcutaneous device-less technique has been developed to facilitate angiogenesis in the islet transplant site, however, a method for monitoring the potential engraftment site have yet to be explored fully. Here we demonstrate the ability to track angiogenesis in mice with 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks post-catheter implant on both sides of the abdomen using a FujiFilm VisualSonics Vevo-LAZR system. Quantitative analysis on vessel densities exhibited gradual vessel growth successfully induced by catheter implantation. Our study demonstrates the ability of employing photoacoustic and micro-ultrasound imaging to track angiogenesis around the catheter site prior to islet transplantation.

Mathematics of Photoacoustic and Thermoacoustic Tomography

KAUST Repository

Kuchment, Peter; Kunyansky, Leonid

2011-01-01

The chapter surveys the mathematical models, problems, and algorithms of the thermoacoustic tomography (TAT) and photoacoustic tomography (PAT). TAT and PAT represent probably the most developed of the several novel “hybrid” methods of medical imaging. These new modalities combine different physical types of waves (electromagnetic and acoustic in case of TAT and PAT) in such a way that the resolution and contrast of the resulting method are much higher than those achievable using only acoustic or electromagnetic measurements.

Biodegradable polymer based theranostic agents for photoacoustic imaging and cancer therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yan J.; Strohm, Eric M.; Kolios, Michael C.

2016-03-01

In this study, multifunctional theranostic agents for photoacoustic (PA), ultrasound (US), fluorescent imaging, and for therapeutic drug delivery were developed and tested. These agents consisted of a shell made from a biodegradable Poly(lactide-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer, loaded with perfluorohexane (PFH) liquid and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in the core, and lipophilic carbocyanines fluorescent dye DiD and therapeutic drug Paclitaxel (PAC) in the shell. Their multifunctional capacity was investigated in an in vitro study. The PLGA/PFH/DiD-GNPs particles were synthesized by a double emulsion technique. The average PLGA particle diameter was 560 nm, with 50 nm diameter silica-coated gold nano-spheres in the shell. MCF7 human breast cancer cells were incubated with PLGA/PFH/DiDGNPs for 24 hours. Fluorescent and PA images were recorded using a fluorescent/PA microscope using a 1000 MHz transducer and a 532 nm pulsed laser. For the particle vaporization and drug delivery test, MCF7 cells were incubated with the PLGA/PFH-GNPs-PAC or PLGA/PFH-GNPs particles for 6, 12 and 24 hours. The effects of particle vaporization and drug delivery inside the cells were examined by irradiating the cells with a laser fluence of 100 mJ/cm2, and cell viability quantified using the MTT assay. The PA images of MCF7 cells containing PLGA/PFH/DiD-GNPs were spatially coincident with the fluorescent images, and confirmed particle uptake. After exposure to the PLGA/PFHGNP- PAC for 6, 12 and 24 hours, the cell survival rate was 43%, 38%, and 36% respectively compared with the control group, confirming drug delivery and release inside the cells. Upon vaporization, cell viability decreased to 20%. The particles show potential as imaging agents and drug delivery vehicles.

Amphiphilic semiconducting polymer as multifunctional nanocarrier for fluorescence/photoacoustic imaging guided chemo-photothermal therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yuyan; Cui, Dong; Fang, Yuan; Zhen, Xu; Upputuri, Paul Kumar; Pramanik, Manojit; Ding, Dan; Pu, Kanyi

2017-11-01

Chemo-photothermal nanotheranostics has the advantage of synergistic therapeutic effect, providing opportunities for optimized cancer therapy. However, current chemo-photothermal nanotheranostic systems generally comprise more than three components, encountering the potential issues of unstable nanostructures and unexpected conflicts in optical and biophysical properties among different components. We herein synthesize an amphiphilic semiconducting polymer (PEG-PCB) and utilize it as a multifunctional nanocarrier to simplify chemo-photothermal nanotheranostics. PEG-PCB has a semiconducting backbone that not only serves as the diagnostic component for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and photoacoustic (PA) imaging, but also acts as the therapeutic agent for photothermal therapy. In addition, the hydrophobic backbone of PEG-PCB provides strong hydrophobic and π-π interactions with the aromatic anticancer drug such as doxorubicin for drug encapsulation and delivery. Such a trifunctionality of PEG-PCB eventually results in a greatly simplified nanotheranostic system with only two components but multimodal imaging and therapeutic capacities, permitting effective NIR fluorescence/PA imaging guided chemo-photothermal therapy of cancer in living mice. Our study thus provides a molecular engineering approach to integrate essential properties into one polymer for multimodal nanotheranostics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highly sensitive magneto-motive photoacoustic and ultrasound (PAUS) imaging with cyclic excitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnal, B; Wei, C-W; Li, J; Gao, X; O’Donnell, M

2016-01-01

Highly specific molecular imaging with photoacoustics (PA) must suppress background endogenous signals while maintaining signals from target nanoagents. Magneto-motive PA was introduced to perform motion-based background suppression using a low frequency magnetic field. Previous studies show suppression based on displacement magnitude can suffer if significant physiological motion is present. This limitation can be overcome using cyclic magneto-motive PA (cmmPA), where multiple cycles of an ac magnetic field are used and the coherence of detected displacements is the retrieved information. In this paper, we show a method to enhance the magnetic response of an electromagnet specifically for cmmPA. Several magnetic frequencies were tested and a simple model is proposed to describe displacement frequency dependence. By choosing optimal parameters based on this model, we show that the technique can detect a low number of tagged cells using either US-based or PA-based displacement estimation. In addition, robustness to physiological motion is demonstrated in a moving phantom. (paper)

Functional photoacoustic microscopy of pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatni, Muhammad Rameez; Yao, Junjie; Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P; Maslov, Konstantin I; Wang, Lihong V

2011-10-01

pH is a tightly regulated indicator of metabolic activity. In mammalian systems, an imbalance of pH regulation may result from or result in serious illness. In this paper, we report photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) of a commercially available pH-sensitive fluorescent dye (SNARF-5F carboxylic acid) in tissue phantoms. We demonstrated that PAM is capable of pH imaging in absolute values at tissue depths of up to 2.0 mm, greater than possible with other forms of optical microscopy.

Ultra-Wideband Sensors for Improved Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cardiovascular Monitoring and Tumour Diagnostics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Seifert

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The specific advantages of ultra-wideband electromagnetic remote sensing (UWB radar make it a particularly attractive technique for biomedical applications. We partially review our activities in utilizing this novel approach for the benefit of high and ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and other applications, e.g., for intensive care medicine and biomedical research. We could show that our approach is beneficial for applications like motion tracking for high resolution brain imaging due to the non-contact acquisition of involuntary head motions with high spatial resolution, navigation for cardiac MRI due to our interpretation of the detected physiological mechanical contraction of the heart muscle and for MR safety, since we have investigated the influence of high static magnetic fields on myocardial mechanics. From our findings we could conclude, that UWB radar can serve as a navigator technique for high and ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging and can be beneficial preserving the high resolution capability of this imaging modality. Furthermore it can potentially be used to support standard ECG analysis by complementary information where sole ECG analysis fails. Further analytical investigations have proven the feasibility of this method for intracranial displacements detection and the rendition of a tumour’s contrast agent based perfusion dynamic. Beside these analytical approaches we have carried out FDTD simulations of a complex arrangement mimicking the illumination of a human torso model incorporating the geometry of the antennas applied.

Ultra-wideband sensors for improved magnetic resonance imaging, cardiovascular monitoring and tumour diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Thiel, Florian; Kosch, Olaf; Seifert, Frank

2010-01-01

The specific advantages of ultra-wideband electromagnetic remote sensing (UWB radar) make it a particularly attractive technique for biomedical applications. We partially review our activities in utilizing this novel approach for the benefit of high and ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other applications, e.g., for intensive care medicine and biomedical research. We could show that our approach is beneficial for applications like motion tracking for high resolution brain imaging due to the non-contact acquisition of involuntary head motions with high spatial resolution, navigation for cardiac MRI due to our interpretation of the detected physiological mechanical contraction of the heart muscle and for MR safety, since we have investigated the influence of high static magnetic fields on myocardial mechanics. From our findings we could conclude, that UWB radar can serve as a navigator technique for high and ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging and can be beneficial preserving the high resolution capability of this imaging modality. Furthermore it can potentially be used to support standard ECG analysis by complementary information where sole ECG analysis fails. Further analytical investigations have proven the feasibility of this method for intracranial displacements detection and the rendition of a tumour's contrast agent based perfusion dynamic. Beside these analytical approaches we have carried out FDTD simulations of a complex arrangement mimicking the illumination of a human torso model incorporating the geometry of the antennas applied.

Observation of martensitic structure evolution in Cu-Al-Ni single crystals with shape memory effect under external load using photoacoustic microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muratikov, K.L.; Glazov, A.L.; Nikolaev, V.I.; Pul'nev, S.A.

2006-01-01

Photoacoustic microscopy is applied to observe the surface structure of Cu-Al-Ni shape-memory single crystals in both the loaded and unloaded states. Visualizing the early stages of the loading-induced martensitic transformation in Cu-Al-Ni single crystals is demonstrated to be feasible. The photoacoustic images are distinguished to advantage from the corresponding optical images by a higher contrast between different phases of the Cu-Al-Ni shape-memory alloy [ru

Double-Stage Delay Multiply and Sum Beamforming Algorithm: Application to Linear-Array Photoacoustic Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging medical imaging modality capable of providing high spatial resolution of Ultrasound (US) imaging and high contrast of optical imaging. Delay-and-Sum (DAS) is the most common beamforming algorithm in PAI. However, using DAS beamformer leads to low resolution images and considerable contribution of off-axis signals. A new paradigm namely delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS), which was originally used as a reconstruction algorithm in confocal microwave imaging, was introduced to overcome the challenges in DAS. DMAS was used in PAI systems and it was shown that this algorithm results in resolution improvement and sidelobe degrading. However, DMAS is still sensitive to high levels of noise, and resolution improvement is not satisfying. Here, we propose a novel algorithm based on DAS algebra inside DMAS formula expansion, double stage DMAS (DS-DMAS), which improves the image resolution and levels of sidelobe, and is much less sensitive to high level of noise compared to DMAS. The performance of DS-DMAS algorithm is evaluated numerically and experimentally. The resulted images are evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using established quality metrics including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) and contrast ratio (CR). It is shown that DS-DMAS outperforms DAS and DMAS at the expense of higher computational load. DS-DMAS reduces the lateral valley for about 15 dB and improves the SNR and FWHM better than 13% and 30%, respectively. Moreover, the levels of sidelobe are reduced for about 10 dB in comparison with those in DMAS.

High resolution functional photoacoustic tomography of breast cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xiaoqi; Yao, Lei; Xi, Lei; Jiang, Huabei, E-mail: hjiang@bme.ufl.edu [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States); Heldermon, Coy D. [Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States)

2015-09-15

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of functional photoacoustic tomography (fPAT) for high resolution detection and characterization of breast cancer and to demonstrate for the first time quantitative hemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation images of breasts that were formed with model-based reconstruction of tomographic photoacoustic data. Methods: The study was HIPAA compliant and was approved by the university institutional review board. Written informed consents were obtained from all the participants. Ten cases, including six cancer and four healthy (mean age = 50 yr; age range = 41–66 yr), were examined. Functional images of breast tissue including absolute total hemoglobin concentration (Hb{sub T}) and oxygen saturation (StO{sub 2}%) were obtained by fPAT and cross validated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) readings and/or histopathology. Results: Hb{sub T} and StO{sub 2}% maps from all six pathology-confirmed cancer cases (60%) show clear detection of tumor, while MR images indicate clear detection of tumor for five of six cancer cases; one small tumor was read as near-complete-resolution by MRI. The average Hb{sub T} and StO{sub 2}% value of suspicious lesion area for the cancer cases was 61.6 ± 18.9 μM/l and 67.5% ± 5.2% compared to 25.6 ± 7.4 μM/l and 65.2% ± 3.8% for background normal tissue. Conclusions: fPAT has the potential to be a significant add-on in breast cancer detection and characterization as it provides submillimeter resolution functional images of breast lesions.

Enhanced near-infrared photoacoustic imaging of silica-coated rare-earth doped nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sheng, Yang [Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372 (Singapore); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164 (China); Liao, Lun-De [Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Rd., Zhunan Town, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan, ROC (China); Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, #05-COR, Singapore 117456 (Singapore); Bandla, Aishwarya [Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, #05-COR, Singapore 117456 (Singapore); Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077 (Singapore); Liu, Yu-Hang [Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, #05-COR, Singapore 117456 (Singapore); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077 (Singapore); Yuan, Jun [Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, #05-COR, Singapore 117456 (Singapore); Thakor, Nitish [Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, #05-COR, Singapore 117456 (Singapore); Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077 (Singapore); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077 (Singapore); Tan, Mei Chee, E-mail: meichee.tan@sutd.edu.sg [Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372 (Singapore)

2017-01-01

Near-infrared photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging diagnostic technology that utilizes the tissue transparent window to achieve improved contrast and spatial resolution for deep tissue imaging. In this study, we investigated the enhancement effect of the SiO{sub 2} shell on the PA property of our core/shell rare-earth nanoparticles (REs) consisting of an active rare-earth doped core of NaYF{sub 4}:Yb,Er (REDNPs) and an undoped NaYF{sub 4} shell. We observed that the PA signal amplitude increased with SiO{sub 2} shell thickness. Although the SiO{sub 2} shell caused an observed decrease in the integrated fluorescence intensity due to the dilution effect, fluorescence quenching of the rare earth emitting ions within the REDNPs cores was successfully prevented by the undoped NaYF{sub 4} shell. Therefore, our multilayer structure consisting of an active core with successive functional layers was demonstrated to be an effective design for dual-modal fluorescence and PA imaging probes with improved PA property. The result from this work addresses a critical need for the development of dual-modal contrast agent that advances deep tissue imaging with high resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. - Graphical abstract: Illustration of multilayer structured imaging probe with REDNPs as active core, undoped NaYF{sub 4} as intermediate layer and SiO{sub 2} as outer shell. The PA signal amplitude of REs/SiO{sub 2} was increased with the SiO{sub 2} shell thickness. - Highlights: • Silica coating was demonstrated to be much more effective in enhancing the PA signal amplitude comparing to soft polymer. • PA enhancement was attributed to the increased phonon modes and phonon energy with the introduction of the SiO{sub 2} coating. • Multilayer structure was an effective design for dual-modal fluorescence and PA imaging probes with improved PA property.

Photoacoustic Spectroscopy Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lu; Zhao, Bin-xing; Xiao, Hong-tao; Tong, Rong-sheng; Gao, Chun-ming

2013-09-01

Chinese medicine is a historic cultural legacy of China. It has made a significant contribution to medicine and healthcare for generations. The development of Chinese herbal medicine analysis is emphasized by the Chinese pharmaceutical industry. This study has carried out the experimental analysis of ten kinds of Chinese herbal powder including Fritillaria powder, etc., based on the photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) method. First, a photoacoustic spectroscopy system was designed and constructed, especially a highly sensitive solid photoacoustic cell was established. Second, the experimental setup was verified through the characteristic emission spectrum of the light source, obtained by using carbon as a sample in the photoacoustic cell. Finally, as the photoacoustic spectroscopy analysis of Fritillaria, etc., was completed, the specificity of the Chinese herb medicine analysis was verified. This study shows that the PAS can provide a valid, highly sensitive analytical method for the specificity of Chinese herb medicine without preparing and damaging samples.

Music-of-light stethoscope: a demonstration of the photoacoustic effect

Science.gov (United States)

Nikitichev, D. I.; Xia, W.; Hill, E.; Mosse, C. A.; Perkins, T.; Konyn, K.; Ourselin, S.; Desjardins, A. E.; Vercauteren, T.

2016-07-01

In this paper we present a system aimed at demonstrating the photoacoustic (PA) effect for educational purposes. PA imaging is a hybrid imaging modality that requires no contrast agent and has a great potential for spine and brain lesion characterisation, breast cancer and blood flow monitoring notably in the context of fetal surgery. It relies on combining light excitation with ultrasound reception. Our brief was to present and explain PA imaging in a public-friendly way suitable for a variety of ages and backgrounds. We developed a simple, accessible demonstration unit using readily available materials. We used a modulated light emitting diode (LED) torch and an electronic stethoscope. The output of a music player was used for light modulation and the chest piece of the stethoscope covered by a black tape was used as an absorbing target and an enclosed chamber. This demonstration unit was presented to the public at the Bloomsbury Festival On Light in October 2015. Our stall was visited by over 100 people of varying ages. Twenty families returned in-depth evaluation questionnaires, which show that our explanations of the photoacoustic effect were well understood. Their interest in biomedical engineering was increased.

Improved GO/PO method and its application to wideband SAR image of conducting objects over rough surface

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Wang-Qiang; Zhang, Min; Nie, Ding; Jiao, Yong-Chang

2018-04-01

To simulate the multiple scattering effect of target in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image, the hybrid method GO/PO method, which combines the geometrical optics (GO) and physical optics (PO), is employed to simulate the scattering field of target. For ray tracing is time-consuming, the Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) is usually employed to accelerate the process of ray tracing. Furthermore, the GO/PO method is improved for the simulation in low pixel situation. For the improved GO/PO method, the pixels are arranged corresponding to the rectangular wave beams one by one, and the GO/PO result is the sum of the contribution values of all the rectangular wave beams. To get high-resolution SAR image, the wideband echo signal is simulated which includes information of many electromagnetic (EM) waves with different frequencies. Finally, the improved GO/PO method is used to simulate the SAR image of targets above rough surface. And the effects of reflected rays and the size of pixel matrix on the SAR image are also discussed.

All-optically integrated photoacoustic and optical coherence tomography: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Qiao

2017-07-01

Full Text Available All-optically integrated photoacoustic (PA and optical coherence tomography (OCT dual-mode imaging technology that could offer comprehensive pathological information for accurate diagnosis in clinic has gradually become a promising imaging technology in the aspect of biomedical imaging during the recent years. This review refers to the technology aspects of all-optical PA detection and system evolution of optically integrated PA and OCT, including Michelson interferometer dual-mode imaging system, Fabry–Perot (FP interferometer dual-mode imaging system and Mach–Zehnder interferometer dual-mode imaging system. It is believed that the optically integrated PA and OCT has great potential applications in biomedical imaging.

Spectroscopic and photoacoustic characterization of encapsulated iron oxide super-paramagnetic nanoparticles as a new multiplatform contrast agent

Science.gov (United States)

Armanetti, Paolo; Flori, Alessandra; Avigo, Cinzia; Conti, Luca; Valtancoli, Barbara; Petroni, Debora; Doumett, Saer; Cappiello, Laura; Ravagli, Costanza; Baldi, Giovanni; Bencini, Andrea; Menichetti, Luca

2018-06-01

Recently, a number of photoacoustic (PA) agents with increased tissue penetration and fine spatial resolution have been developed for molecular imaging and mapping of pathophysiological features at the molecular level. Here, we present bio-conjugated near-infrared light-absorbing magnetic nanoparticles as a new agent for PA imaging. These nanoparticles exhibit suitable absorption in the near-infrared region, with good photoacoustic signal generation efficiency and high photo-stability. Furthermore, these encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles exhibit strong super-paramagnetic behavior and nuclear relaxivities that make them useful as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast media as well. Their simple bio-conjugation strategy, optical and chemical stability, and straightforward manipulation could enable the development of a PA probe with magnetic and spectroscopic properties suitable for in vitro and in vivo real-time imaging of relevant biological targets.

High-frequency annular array with coaxial illumination for dual-modality ultrasonic and photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Filoux, Erwan; Sampathkumar, Ashwin; Chitnis, Parag V.; Aristizábal, Orlando; Ketterling, Jeffrey A.

2013-05-01

This paper presents a combined ultrasound and photoacoustic (PA) imaging (PAI) system used to obtain high-quality, co-registered images of mouse-embryo anatomy and vasculature. High-frequency ultrasound (HFU, >20 MHz) is utilized to obtain high-resolution anatomical images of small animals while PAI provides high-contrast images of the vascular network. The imaging system is based on a 40 MHz, 5-element, 6 mm aperture annular-array transducer with a 800 μm diameter hole through its central element. The transducer was integrated in a cage-plate assembly allowing for a collimated laser beam to pass through the hole so that the optical and acoustic beams were collinear. The assembly was mounted on a two-axis, motorized stage to enable the simultaneous acquisition of co-registered HFU and PA volumetric data. Data were collected from all five elements in receive and a synthetic-focusing algorithm was applied in post-processing to beamform the data and increase the spatial resolution and depth-of-field (DOF) of the HFU and PA images. Phantom measurements showed that the system could achieve high-resolution images (down to 90 μm for HFU and 150 μm for PAI) and a large DOF of >8 mm. Volume renderings of a mouse embryo showed that the scanner allowed for visualizing morphologically precise anatomy of the entire embryo along with corresponding co-registered vasculature. Major head vessels, such as the superior sagittal sinus or rostral vein, were clearly identified as well as limb bud vasculature.

Integrated wide-band low-background amplifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Il'yushchenko, I.I.

1980-01-01

Ways of increasing stability and reproduction of characteristics of wide-band integral amplifiers that would to the least extent increase their background noises, are discussed. Considered are some certain flowsheets of integral wide-band amplifiers with low background noise of foreign production which differ from one another by construction of inlet cascades as well as by the applied feedback type. The principal flowsheets of the amplifiers and their main performances are presented. The analysis of the data obtained has revealed that microcircuits made of cascades with a common emitter and local combined feedback are most wide-band among all the considered microcircuits [ru

Photoacoustic thermal flowmetry with a single light source

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Lan, Bangxin; Hu, Leo; Chen, Ruimin; Zhou, Qifa; Yao, Junjie

2017-09-01

We report a photoacoustic thermal flowmetry based on optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) using a single laser source for both thermal tagging and photoacoustic excitation. When an optically absorbing medium is flowing across the optical focal zone of OR-PAM, a small volume of the medium within the optical focus is repeatedly illuminated and heated by a train of laser pulses with a high repetition rate. The average temperature of the heated volume at each laser pulse is indicated by the photoacoustic signal excited by the same laser pulse due to the well-established linear relationship between the Grueneisen coefficient and the local temperature. The thermal dynamics of the heated medium volume, which are closely related to the flow speed, can therefore be measured from the time course of the detected photoacoustic signals. Here, we have developed a lumped mathematical model to describe the time course of the photoacoustic signals as a function of the medium's flow speed. We conclude that the rising time constant of the photoacoustic signals is linearly dependent on the flow speed. Thus, the flow speed can be quantified by fitting the measured photoacoustic signals using the derived mathematical model. We first performed proof-of-concept experiments using defibrinated bovine blood flowing in a plastic tube. The experiment results have demonstrated that the proposed method has high accuracy (˜±6%) and a wide range of measurable flow speeds. We further validated the method by measuring the blood flow speeds of the microvasculature in a mouse ear in vivo.

Chirped or time modulated excitation compared to short pulses for photoacoustic imaging in acoustic attenuating media

Science.gov (United States)

Burgholzer, P.; Motz, C.; Lang, O.; Berer, T.; Huemer, M.

2018-02-01

In photoacoustic imaging, optically generated acoustic waves transport the information about embedded structures to the sample surface. Usually, short laser pulses are used for the acoustic excitation. Acoustic attenuation increases for higher frequencies, which reduces the bandwidth and limits the spatial resolution. One could think of more efficient waveforms than single short pulses, such as pseudo noise codes, chirped, or harmonic excitation, which could enable a higher information-transfer from the samples interior to its surface by acoustic waves. We used a linear state space model to discretize the wave equation, such as the Stoke's equation, but this method could be used for any other linear wave equation. Linear estimators and a non-linear function inversion were applied to the measured surface data, for onedimensional image reconstruction. The proposed estimation method allows optimizing the temporal modulation of the excitation laser such that the accuracy and spatial resolution of the reconstructed image is maximized. We have restricted ourselves to one-dimensional models, as for higher dimensions the one-dimensional reconstruction, which corresponds to the acoustic wave without attenuation, can be used as input for any ultrasound imaging method, such as back-projection or time-reversal method.

Photoacoustic spectra of rare earth pentaphosphates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strek, W.; Lukowiak, E.; Marchewka, M.; Ratajczak, H.

1987-01-01

The photoacoustic (PA) spectra of raee earth pentaphosphates of the general formula REP 5 O 14 , where RE = Pr,Nd,Ho,Er,Tm, are reported. The photoacoustic bands were identified and compared with the absorption spectra. For quantitative analysis of PA bands of lanthanide (III) ions, the intensity ratio vector is introduced characterizing the intensity distribution of f-f transitions. It was found that the relative intensities of photoacoustic bands are comparable with the intensities of absorption bands. It is concluded that the nonradiative relaxation mechanism leading to the PA signal is independent of the manifold-to-manifold J-J' radiationless transitions

Introduction to Ultra Wideband for Wireless Communications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nikookar, Homayoun; Prasad, Ramjee

wireless channels, interference, signal processing as well as applications and standardization activities are addressed. Introduction to Ultra Wideband for Wireless Communications provides easy-to-understand material to (graduate) students and researchers working in the field of commercial UWB wireless......Ultra Wideband (UWB) Technology is the cutting edge technology for wireless communications with a wide range of applications. In Introduction to Ultra Wideband for Wireless Communications UWB principles and technologies for wireless communications are explained clearly. Key issues such as UWB...... communications. Due to tutorial nature of the book it can also be adopted as a textbook on the subject in the Telecommunications Engineering curriculum. Problems at the end of each chapter extend the reader's understanding of the subject. Introduction to Ultra Wideband for Wireless Communications will aslo...

Magneto-Plasmonic Janus Vesicles for Magnetic Field-Enhanced Photoacoustic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors

KAUST Repository

Liu, Yijing; Yang, Xiangyu; Huang, Zhiqi; Huang, Peng; Zhang, Yang; Deng, Lin; Wang, Zhantong; Zhou, Zijian; Liu, Yi; Kalish, Heather; Khachab, Niveen M.; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Nie, Zhihong

2016-01-01

Magneto-plasmonic Janus vesicles (JVs) integrated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and magnetic NPs (MNPs) were prepared asymmetrically in the membrane for in vivo cancer imaging. The hybrid JVs were produced by coassembling a mixture of hydrophobic MNPs, free amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs), and AuNPs tethered with amphiphilic BCPs. Depending on the size and content of NPs, the JVs acquired spherical or hemispherical shapes. Among them, hemispherical JVs containing 50 nm AuNPs and 15 nm MNPs showed a strong absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) window and enhanced the transverse relaxation (T2) contrast effect, as a result of the ordering and dense packing of AuNPs and MNPs in the membrane. The magneto-plasmonic JVs were used as drug delivery vehicles, from which the release of a payload can be triggered by NIR light and the release rate can be modulated by a magnetic field. Moreover, the JVs were applied as imaging agents for in vivo bimodal photoacoustic (PA) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of tumors by intravenous injection. With an external magnetic field, the accumulation of the JVs in tumors was significantly increased, leading to a signal enhancement of approximately 2–3 times in the PA and MR imaging, compared with control groups without a magnetic field.

Magneto-Plasmonic Janus Vesicles for Magnetic Field-Enhanced Photoacoustic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors

KAUST Repository

Liu, Yijing

2016-11-10

Magneto-plasmonic Janus vesicles (JVs) integrated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and magnetic NPs (MNPs) were prepared asymmetrically in the membrane for in vivo cancer imaging. The hybrid JVs were produced by coassembling a mixture of hydrophobic MNPs, free amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs), and AuNPs tethered with amphiphilic BCPs. Depending on the size and content of NPs, the JVs acquired spherical or hemispherical shapes. Among them, hemispherical JVs containing 50 nm AuNPs and 15 nm MNPs showed a strong absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) window and enhanced the transverse relaxation (T2) contrast effect, as a result of the ordering and dense packing of AuNPs and MNPs in the membrane. The magneto-plasmonic JVs were used as drug delivery vehicles, from which the release of a payload can be triggered by NIR light and the release rate can be modulated by a magnetic field. Moreover, the JVs were applied as imaging agents for in vivo bimodal photoacoustic (PA) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of tumors by intravenous injection. With an external magnetic field, the accumulation of the JVs in tumors was significantly increased, leading to a signal enhancement of approximately 2–3 times in the PA and MR imaging, compared with control groups without a magnetic field.

Fluence compensated photoacoustic tomography in small animals (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Altaf; Pool, Martin; Daoudi, Khalid; de Vries, Liesbeth G.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt

2017-03-01

Light fluence inside turbid media can be experimentally mapped by measuring ultrasonically modulated light (Acousto-optics). To demonstrate the feasibility of fluence corrected Photoacoustic (PA) imaging, we have realized a tri-modality (i.e. photoacoustic, acousto-optic and ultrasound) tomographic small animal imaging system. Wherein PA imaging provides high resolution map of absorbed optical energy density, Acousto-optics yields the fluence distribution map in the corresponding PA imaging plane and Ultrasound provides morphological information. Further, normalization of the PA image with the acousto-optically measured fluence map results in an image that directly represents the optical absorption. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is commonly found overexpressed in human cancers, among which breast cancers, resulting in a more aggressive tumor phenotype. Identification of HER2-expression is clinically relevant, because cancers overexpressing this marker are amenable to HER2-directed therapies, among which antibodies trastuzumab and pertuzumab. Here, we investigate the feasibility and advantage of acousto-optically assisted fluence compensated PA imaging over PA imaging alone in visualizing and quantifying HER2 expression. For this experiment, nude mice were xenografted with human breast cancer cell lines SKBR3 and BT474 (both HER2 overexpressing), as well as HER2-negative MDA-MB-231. To visualize HER2 expression in these mice, HER2 monoclonal antibody pertuzumab (Perjeta®, Roche), was conjugated to near-infrared dye IRDye 800CW (800CW, LICOR Biosciences) at a ratio of 1∶2 antibody to 800CW. When xenograft tumors measured ≥ 100 mm3, mice received 100 µg 800CW-pertuzumab intravenously. Three days post injection, mice were scanned for fluorescence signal with an IVIS scanner. After fluorescence scans, mice were euthanized and imaged in our PA tomographic imaging system.

Optimization of dual-wavelength intravascular photoacoustic imaging of atherosclerotic plaques using Monte Carlo optical modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Dana, Nicholas; Sowers, Timothy; Karpiouk, Andrei; Vanderlaan, Donald; Emelianov, Stanislav

2017-10-01

Coronary heart disease (the presence of coronary atherosclerotic plaques) is a significant health problem in the industrialized world. A clinical method to accurately visualize and characterize atherosclerotic plaques is needed. Intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging is being developed to fill this role, but questions remain regarding optimal imaging wavelengths. We utilized a Monte Carlo optical model to simulate IVPA excitation in coronary tissues, identifying optimal wavelengths for plaque characterization. Near-infrared wavelengths (≤1800 nm) were simulated, and single- and dual-wavelength data were analyzed for accuracy of plaque characterization. Results indicate light penetration is best in the range of 1050 to 1370 nm, where 5% residual fluence can be achieved at clinically relevant depths of ≥2 mm in arteries. Across the arterial wall, fluence may vary by over 10-fold, confounding plaque characterization. For single-wavelength results, plaque segmentation accuracy peaked at 1210 and 1720 nm, though correlation was poor (blood, a primary and secondary wavelength near 1210 and 1350 nm, respectively, may offer the best implementation of dual-wavelength IVPA imaging. These findings could guide the development of a cost-effective clinical system by highlighting optimal wavelengths and improving plaque characterization.

Single-wavelength functional photoacoustic microscopy in biological tissue

OpenAIRE

Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P.; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V.

2011-01-01

Recently, we developed a reflection-mode relaxation photoacoustic microscope, based on saturation intensity, to measure picosecond relaxation times using a nanosecond laser. Here, using the different relaxation times of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin molecules, both possessing extremely low fluorescence quantum yields, the oxygen saturation was quantified in vivo with single-wavelength photoacoustic microscopy. All previous functional photoacoustic microscopy measurements required ima...

Maritime wideband communication networks video transmission scheduling

CERN Document Server

Yang, Tingting

2014-01-01

This Springer Brief covers emerging maritime wideband communication networks and how they facilitate applications such as maritime distress, urgency, safety and general communications. It provides valuable insight on the data transmission scheduling and protocol design for the maritime wideband network. This brief begins with an introduction to maritime wideband communication networks including the architecture, framework, operations and a comprehensive survey on current developments. The second part of the brief presents the resource allocation and scheduling for video packet transmission wit

A new acoustic lens material for large area detectors in photoacoustic breast tomography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xia, W.; Piras, D.; van Hespen, Johannes C.G.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; Manohar, Srirang

2013-01-01

Objectives We introduce a new acoustic lens material for photoacoustic tomography (PAT) to improve lateral resolution while possessing excellent acoustic acoustic impedance matching with tissue to minimize lens induced image artifacts. Background A large surface area detector due to its high

Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging to monitor ocular stem cell delivery and tissue regeneration (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Kubelick, Kelsey; Snider, Eric; Yoon, Heechul; Ethier, C. Ross; Emelianov, Stanislav Y.

2017-03-01

Glaucoma is associated with dysfunction of the trabecular meshwork (TM), a fluid drainage tissue in the anterior eye. A promising treatment involves delivery of stem cells to the TM to restore tissue function. Currently histology is the gold standard for tracking stem cell delivery and differentiation. To expedite clinical translation, non-invasive longitudinal monitoring in vivo is desired. Our current research explores a technique combining ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging to track mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after intraocular injection. Adipose-derived MSCs were incubated with gold nanospheres to label cells (AuNS-MSCs) for PA imaging. Successful labeling was first verified with in vitro phantom studies. Next, MSC delivery was imaged ex vivo in porcine eyes, while intraocular pressure was hydrostatically clamped to maintain a physiological flow rate through the TM. US/PA imaging was performed before, during, and after AuNS-MSC delivery. Additionally, spectroscopic PA imaging was implemented to isolate PA signals from AuNS-MSCs. In vitro cell imaging showed AuNS-MSCs produce strong PA signals, suggesting that MSCs can be tracked using PA imaging. While the cornea, sclera, iris, and TM region can be visualized with US imaging, pigmented tissues also produce PA signals. Both modalities provide valuable anatomical landmarks for MSC localization. During delivery, PA imaging can visualize AuNS-MSC motion and location, creating a unique opportunity to guide ocular cell delivery. Lastly, distinct spectral signatures of AuNS-MSCs allow unmixing, with potential for quantitative PA imaging. In conclusion, results show proof-of-concept for monitoring MSC ocular delivery, raising opportunities for in vivo image-guided cell delivery.

PHOTOACOUSTIC SPECTROSCOPY USING A SYNCHROTRON LIGHT SOURCE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

JACKSON, R.S.; MICHAELIAN, K.H.; HOMES, C.C.

2001-01-01

We have investigated the use of a synchrotron as a source for infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy. A synchrotron has an intrinsically high radiance, which is beneficial when photoacoustic spectroscopy is applied to small samples, especially at long wavelengths

Apparatus And Method For Wireless Monitoring Using Ultra-wideband Frequencies

KAUST Repository

Sana, Furrukh

2015-04-23

A system for and a method of wirelessly monitoring one or more patients can include transmitting ultra-wideband pulses toward the one or more patients, receiving ultra-wideband signals, and sampling the ultra-wideband signals. Sampling the ultra-wideband pulses can be performed with a sample rate that is less than the Nyquist rate. Impulse response can be estimated and/or recovered by exploiting sparsity of the impulse response.

Characterization of seeds with different moisture content by photoacoustic microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dominguez Pacheco, Arturo; Hernandez Aguilar, Claudia; Marinez Ortiz, Efrain [Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Sepi-Esime, Zacatenco. Unidad Profesional ' Adolfo Lopez Mateos' . Col. Lindavista. Mexico D.F., CP 07738 (Mexico); Cruz-Orea, Alfredo; Ayala-Maycotte, Esther, E-mail: fartur@hotmail.co [Departamento de Fisica, CINVESTAV - IPN, A. P. 14-740, Mexico D.F., C.P. 07360 (Mexico)

2010-03-01

Photoacoustic (PA) technique has important applications for material characterization and nondestructive evaluation of opaque solid materials. PA microscopy allows the acquisition of information of samples with inhomogeneous structures as agricultural seeds. A determining factor for seed safe storage is their moisture content. Seeds stored at high moisture content exhibit increased respiration, heating, and fungal invasion resulting in poor seed vigor and viability. Low moisture content, in the seed to be stored, is the best prevention for these problems. In this study, Photoacoustic Microscopy (PAM) was used to characterize seeds with different moisture content. In the PAM experimental setup the photoacoustic cell and its sensor, an electret microphone, are mounted on an x-y stage of mobile axes, with spatial resolution of 70 {mu}m. The excitation light source is a fiber coupled laser diode, at 650 nm wavelength, modulated in intensity at 1 Hz of frequency, by the reference oscillator of a lock-in amplifier. By using a microscope objective the laser beam was focused on the seed surface. The resolution was enough to obtain differences in the obtained images, which are dependent on the moisture content. This method, to study differences in the seed moisture content, is nondestructive and could be useful for a sustainable Agriculture.

Functional photoacoustic microscopy of pH

Science.gov (United States)

Chatni, Muhammad Rameez; Yao, Junjie; Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P.; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Wang, Lihong V.

2011-01-01

pH is a tightly regulated indicator of metabolic activity. In mammalian systems, an imbalance of pH regulation may result from or result in serious illness. In this paper, we report photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) of a commercially available pH-sensitive fluorescent dye (SNARF-5F carboxylic acid) in tissue phantoms. We demonstrated that PAM is capable of pH imaging in absolute values at tissue depths of up to 2.0 mm, greater than possible with other forms of optical microscopy. PMID:22029342

Indocyanine green loaded graphene oxide for high-efficient photoacoustic tumor therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baoyun Yan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Photoacoustic therapy, using the photoacoustic effect of agents for selectively killing tumor cells, has shown promising for treating tumor. Utilization of high optical absorption probes can help to effectively improve the photoacoustic therapy efficiency. Herein, we report a novel high-absorption photoacoustic probe that is composed of indocyanine green (ICG and graphene oxide (GO, entitled GO-ICG, for photoacoustic therapy. The attached ICG with narrow absorption spectral profile has strong optical absorption in the infrared region. The absorption spectrum of the GO-ICG solution reveals that the GO-ICG particles exhibited a 10-fold higher absorbance at 780nm (its peak absorbance as compared with GO. Importantly, ICG’s fluorescence is quenched by GO via fluorescence resonance energy transfer. As a result, GO-ICG can high-efficiently convert the absorbed light energy to acoustic wave under pulsed laser irradiation. We further demonstrate that GO-ICG can produce stronger photoacoustic wave than the GO and ICG alone. Moreover, we conjugate this contrast agent with integrin αvβ3 mono-clonal antibody to molecularly target the U87-MG human glioblastoma cells for selective tumor cell killing. Finally, our results testify that the photoacoustic therapy efficiency of GO-ICG is higher than the existing photoacoustic therapy agent. Our work demonstrates that GO-ICG is a high-efficiency photoacoustic therapy agent. This novel photoacoustic probe is likely to be an available candidate for tumor therapy.

Non-invasive detection of the early phase of kidney injury by photoacoustic/computed tomography imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Wanma; Peng, Wen; Ning, Fengling; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Yunfei; Wang, Yinhang; Xie, Weiyi; Zhang, Jing; Xin, Hong; Li, Cong; Zhang, Xuemei

2018-06-01

The early diagnosis of kidney diseases, which can remarkably impair the quality of life and are costly, has encountered great difficulties. Therefore, the development of methods for early diagnosis has great clinical significance. In this study, we used an emerging technique of photoacoustic (PA) imaging, which has relatively high spatial resolution and good imaging depth. Two kinds of PA gold nanoparticle (GNP)-based bioprobes were developed based on their superior photo detectability, size controllability and biocompatibility. The kidney injury mouse model was developed by unilateral ureteral obstruction for 96 h and the release of obstruction model). Giving 3.5 and 5.5 nm bioprobes by tail vein injection, we found that the 5.5 nm probe could be detected in the bladder in the model group, but not in the control group. These results were confirmed by computed tomography imaging. Furthermore, the model group did not show changes in the blood biochemical indices (BUN and Scr) and histologic examination. The 5.5 nm GNPs were found to be the critical point for early diagnosis of kidney injury. This new method was faster and more sensitive and accurate for the detection of renal injury, compared with conventional methods, and can be used for the development of a PA GNP-based bioprobe for diagnosing renal injury.

Miniature fibre optic probe for minimally invasive photoacoustic sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Mathews, Sunish J.; Zhang, Edward Z.; Desjardins, Adrien E.; Beard, Paul C.

2016-03-01

A miniature (175 μm) all-optical photoacoustic probe has been developed for minimally invasive sensing and imaging applications. The probe comprises a single optical fibre which delivers the excitation light and a broadband 50 MHz Fabry-Pérot (F-P) ultrasound sensor at the distal end for detecting the photoacoustic waves. A graded index lens proximal to the F-P sensor is used to reduce beam walk-off and thus increase sensitivity as well as confine the excitation beam in order to increase lateral spatial resolution. The probe was evaluated in non-scattering media and found to provide lateral and axial resolutions of < 100 μm and < 150 μm respectively for distances up to 1 cm from the tip of the probe. The ability of the probe to detect a blood vessel mimicking phantom at distances up to 7 mm from the tip was demonstrated in order to illustrate its potential suitability for needle guidance applications.

Iterative methods for photoacoustic tomography in attenuating acoustic media

Science.gov (United States)

Haltmeier, Markus; Kowar, Richard; Nguyen, Linh V.

2017-11-01

The development of efficient and accurate reconstruction methods is an important aspect of tomographic imaging. In this article, we address this issue for photoacoustic tomography. To this aim, we use models for acoustic wave propagation accounting for frequency dependent attenuation according to a wide class of attenuation laws that may include memory. We formulate the inverse problem of photoacoustic tomography in attenuating medium as an ill-posed operator equation in a Hilbert space framework that is tackled by iterative regularization methods. Our approach comes with a clear convergence analysis. For that purpose we derive explicit expressions for the adjoint problem that can efficiently be implemented. In contrast to time reversal, the employed adjoint wave equation is again damping and, thus has a stable solution. This stability property can be clearly seen in our numerical results. Moreover, the presented numerical results clearly demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the derived iterative reconstruction algorithms in various situations including the limited view case.

Multi-source quantitative photoacoustic tomography in a diffusive regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bal, Guillaume; Ren, Kui

2011-01-01

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a novel hybrid medical imaging technique that aims to combine the large contrast of optical coefficients with the high-resolution capabilities of ultrasound. We assume that the first step of PAT, namely the reconstruction of a map of absorbed radiation from ultrasound boundary measurement, has been done. We focus on quantitative photoacoustic tomography, which aims at quantitatively reconstructing the optical coefficients from knowledge of the absorbed radiation map. We present a non-iterative procedure to reconstruct such optical coefficients, namely the diffusion and absorption coefficients, and the Grüneisen coefficient when the propagation of radiation is modeled by a second-order elliptic equation. We show that PAT measurements allow us to uniquely reconstruct only two out of the above three coefficients, even when data are collected using an arbitrary number of radiation illuminations. We present uniqueness and stability results for the reconstructions of two such parameters and demonstrate the accuracy of the reconstruction algorithm with numerical reconstructions from two-dimensional synthetic data

In vivo studies of transdermal nanoparticle delivery with microneedles using photoacoustic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Moothanchery, Mohesh; Seeni, Razina Z.; Xu, Chenjie; Pramanik, Manojit

2017-01-01

Microneedle technology allows micron-sized conduits to be formed within the outermost skin layers for both localized and systemic delivery of therapeutics including nanoparticles. Histological methods are often employed for characterization, and unfortunately do not allow for the in vivo visualization of the delivery process. This study presents the utilization of optical resolution-photoacoustic microscopy to characterize the transdermal delivery of nanoparticles using microneedles. Specifically, we observe the in vivo transdermal delivery of gold nanoparticles using microneedles in mice ear and study the penetration, diffusion, and spatial distribution of the nanoparticles in the tissue. The promising results reveal that photoacoustic microscopy can be used as a potential imaging modality for the in vivo characterization of microneedles based drug delivery. PMID:29296482

Thermoviscous analysis of open photoacoustic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Mannoor, Madhusoodanan; Kang, Sangmo

2017-11-01

Open photoacoustic cells, apart from the conventional spectroscopic applications, are increasingly useful in bio medical applications such as in vivo blood sugar measurement. Maximising the acoustic pressure amplitude and the quality factor are major design considerations associated with open cells.Conventionaly, resonant photoacoustic cells are analyzed by either transmission line analogy or Eigen mode expansion method. In this study, we conducted a more comprehensive thermo viscous analysis of open photoacoustic cells. A Helmholtz cell and a T-shaped cell, which are acoustically different, are considered for analysis. Effect of geometrical dimensions on the acoustic pressure, quality factor and the intrusion of noise are analyzed and compared between these cells. Specific attention is given to the sizing of the opening and fixtures on it to minimize the radiational losses and the intrusion of noise. Our results are useful for proper selection of the type of open photoacoustic cells for in vivo blood sugar measurement and the optimization of geometric variables of such cells. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and future planning (2017R1A2B4005006).

Molecular imaging of neutropilin-1 receptor using photoacoustic spectroscopy in breast tumors

Science.gov (United States)

Stantz, Keith M.; Cao, Minsong; Liu, Bo; Miller, Kathy D.; Guo, Lili

2010-02-01

Purpose: Our purpose is to develop and test a molecular probe that can detect the expression of neutropilin-1 receptor (NPR-1) in vivo using fluorescence imaging and photoacoustic spectroscopy. Introduction: NPR-1 is expressed on endothelial cells and some breast cancer cells, and binds to vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF165, a growth factor associated with pathological tumor angiogenesis. This receptor is coexpressed with VEGFR2 and shown to enhance the binding of VEGF165; therefore, it has the potential to be used as a marker of angiogenic activity and targeted for therapy. Material and Methods: A peptide specific to NPR-1 receptor was synthesized and conjugated to a NIR fluorochrome (IRDye800CW) and was intravenously injected into mice with breast tumors (MCF7VEGF). Probe kinetics was monitored in vivo via near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) within an optical imager for up to 72 hours within the tumor and compared to other organs (liver, muscle) for binding specificity. A multivariate fitting algorithm was used to spectrally deconvolve the IRDye800CW from endogenous hemoglobin signature (hemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation). Results: Dynamics of the NIR fluorescence signal within the first hour after injection indicates specific binding compared to muscle, with an average tumor-to-muscle ration of 2.00 (+/- 0.27). Spectral analysis clearly indentified the presence of the NPR-1 probe. Based on calibration data, the average tumor concentration from both NIRF and PCT-S was measured to be ~200-300nM. Conclusion: These preliminary results show the capability of PCT to image an exogenous probe in vivo in addition to its hemoglobin state.

High-resolution photoacoustic tomography of resting-state functional connectivity in the mouse brain

OpenAIRE

Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Xia, Jun; Wan, Hanlin; Bauer, Adam Quentin; Culver, Joseph P.; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-01-01

The increasing use of mouse models for human brain disease studies presents an emerging need for a new functional imaging modality. Using optical excitation and acoustic detection, we developed a functional connectivity photoacoustic tomography system, which allows noninvasive imaging of resting-state functional connectivity in the mouse brain, with a large field of view and a high spatial resolution. Bilateral correlations were observed in eight functional regions, including the olfactory bu...

Photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy of single optically trapped aerosol droplets

Science.gov (United States)

Covert, Paul A.; Cremer, Johannes W.; Signorell, Ruth

2017-08-01

Photoacoustics have been widely used for the study of aerosol optical properties. To date, these studies have been performed on particle ensembles, with minimal ability to control for particle size. Here, we present our singleparticle photoacoustic spectrometer. The sensitivity and stability of the instrument is discussed, along with results from two experiments that illustrate the unique capabilities of this instrument. In the first experiment, we present a measurement of the particle size-dependence of the photoacoustic response. Our results confirm previous models of aerosol photoacoustics that had yet to be experimentally tested. The second set of results reveals a size-dependence of photochemical processes within aerosols that results from the nanofocusing of light within individual droplets.

Signal-Characteristic analysis with respect to backing material of PVDF-based high-frequency ultrasound for photoacoustic microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jun Su; Chang, Jin Ho [Dept. of Electronic Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-15

Photoacoustic microscopy is capable of providing high-resolution molecular images, and its spatial resolution is typically determined by ultrasonic transducers used to receive the photoacoustic signals. Therefore, ultrasonic transducers for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) should have a high operating frequency, broad bandwidth, and high signal-reception efficiency. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a suitable material. To take full advantage of this material, the selection of the backing material is crucial, as it influences the center frequency and bandwidth of the transducer. Therefore, we experimentally determined the most suitable backing material among EPO-TEK 301, E-Solder 3022, and RTV. For this, three PVDF high-frequency single-element transducers were fabricated with each backing material. The center frequency and -6 dB bandwidth of each transducer were ascertained by a pulse-echo test. The spatial resolution of each transducer was examined using wire-target images. The experimental results indicated that EPO-TEK 301 is the most suitable backing material for a PAM transducer. This material provides the highest signal magnitude and a reasonable bandwidth because a large portion of the energy propagates toward the front medium, and the PVDF resonates in the half-wave mode.

A calibrated iterative reconstruction for quantitative photoacoustic tomography using multi-angle light-sheet illuminations

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yihan; Lu, Tong; Zhang, Songhe; Song, Shaoze; Wang, Bingyuan; Li, Jiao; Zhao, Huijuan; Gao, Feng

2018-02-01

Quantitative photoacoustic tomography (q-PAT) is a nontrivial technique can be used to reconstruct the absorption image with a high spatial resolution. Several attempts have been investigated by setting point sources or fixed-angle illuminations. However, in practical applications, these schemes normally suffer from low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or poor quantification especially for large-size domains, due to the limitation of the ANSI-safety incidence and incompleteness in the data acquisition. We herein present a q-PAT implementation that uses multi-angle light-sheet illuminations and a calibrated iterative multi-angle reconstruction. The approach can acquire more complete information on the intrinsic absorption and SNR-boosted photoacoustic signals at selected planes from the multi-angle wide-field excitations of light-sheet. Therefore, the sliced absorption maps over whole body can be recovered in a measurementflexible, noise-robust and computation-economic way. The proposed approach is validated by the phantom experiment, exhibiting promising performances in image fidelity and quantitative accuracy.

Detection of Photoacoustic Transients Originating from Microstructures in Optically Diffuse Media such as Biological Tissue

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoelen, C.G.A.; Dekker, Andre; de Mul, F.F.M.

2001-01-01

The generation and detection of broadband photoacoustic (PA) transients may be used for on-axis monitoring or for imaging of optically different structures in the interior of diffuse bodies such as biological tissue. Various piezoelectric sensors are characterized and compared in terms of

Enlarged acceptance angle of a finite size detector in photoacoustic imaging using acoustic lenses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xia, W.; Piras, D.; Heijblom, Michelle; van Hespen, Johannes C.G.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; Manohar, Srirang; van Veldhoven, Spiridon; Prins, Christian; van Leeuwen, Ton

2011-01-01

A large surface area transducer is preferable to be used to detect extremely weak photoacoustic signals in mammography due to its high sensitivity. The lateral resolution is limited by the small acceptance angle of such a transducer. We introduce an excellent material for an acoustic lens used to

Tracking of Range and Azimuth for Continuous Imaging of Marine Target in Monopulse ISAR with Wideband Echoes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junhao Xie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Real-time tracking of maneuvering targets is the prerequisite for continuous imaging of moving targets in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR. In this paper, the range and azimuth tracking (RAT method with wideband radar echoes is first presented for a mechanical scanning monopulse ISAR, which is regarded as the simplest phased array unit due to the two antenna feeds. To relieve the estimation fluctuation and poor robustness of the RAT method with a single snapshot, a modified range and azimuth tracking approach based on centroid algorithm (RATCA with forgotten factor and multiple echoes is then proposed. The performances of different forgotten factors are investigated. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that RATCA is superior to RAT method. Particularly, when target echo is missing occasionally, RAT method fails while RATCA still keeps good performance. The potential of continuous imaging with shipborne ISAR is verified by experimental results. With minor modification, the method proposed in this paper can be potentially applied in the phased array radar.

Wideband Piezomagnetoelastic Vibration Energy Harvesting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lei, Anders; Thomsen, Erik Vilain

2014-01-01

This work presents a small-scale wideband piezomagnetoelastic vibration energy harvester (VEH) aimed for operation at frequencies of a few hundred Hz. The VEH consists of a tape-casted PZT cantilever with thin sheets of iron foil attached on each side of the free tip. The wideband operation...... is achieved by placing the cantilever in a magnetic field induced by either one or two magnets located oppositely of the cantilever. The attraction force created by the magnetic field and iron foils introduces a mechanical force in opposite direction of the cantilevers restoring force causing a spring...

Recording membrane potential changes through photoacoustic voltage sensitive dye

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Haichong K.; Kang, Jeeun; Yan, Ping

2017-01-01

Monitoring of the membrane potential is possible using voltage sensitive dyes (VSD), where fluorescence intensity changes in response to neuronal electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo...... systems for external detection. In contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. In this work, we develop the theoretical concept whereby the voltage-dependent quenching...... the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate the voltage sensing capability of the dye, but also indicate the necessity of considering both fluorescence and absorbance spectral sensitivities in order to optimize...

Wide-band IR imaging in the NIR-MIR-FIR regions for in situ analysis of frescoes

Science.gov (United States)

Daffara, C.; Pezzati, L.; Ambrosini, D.; Paoletti, D.; Di Biase, R.; Mariotti, P. I.; Frosinini, C.

2011-06-01

Imaging methods offer several advantages in the field of conservation allowing to perform non-invasive inspection of works of art. In particular, non-invasive techniques based on imaging in different infrared (IR) regions are widely used for the investigation of paintings. Using radiation beyond the visible range, different characteristics of the inspected artwork may be revealed according to the bandwidth acquired. In this paper we present the recent results of a joint project among the two research institutes DIMEG and CNR-INO, and the restoration facility Opificio delle Pietre Dure, concerning the wide-band integration of IR imaging techniques, in the spectral ranges NIR 0.8-2.5 μm, MIR 3-5 μm, and FIR 8-12 μm, for in situ analysis of artworks. A joint, multi-mode use of reflection and thermal bands is proposed for the diagnostics of mural paintings, and it is demonstrated to be an effective tool in inspecting the layered structure. High resolution IR reflectography and, to a greater extent, IR imaging in the 3-5 μm band, are effectively used to characterize the superficial layer of the fresco and to analyze the stratigraphy of different pictorial layers. IR thermography in the 8-12 μm band is used to characterize the support deep structure. The integration of all the data provides a multi- layered and multi-spectral representation of the fresco that yields a comprehensive analysis.

A photoacoustic technique to measure the properties of single cells

Science.gov (United States)

Strohm, Eric M.; Berndl, Elizabeth S. L.; Kolios, Michael C.

2013-03-01

We demonstrate a new technique to non-invasively determine the diameter and sound speed of single cells using a combined ultrasonic and photoacoustic technique. Two cell lines, B16-F1 melanoma cells and MCF7 breast cancer cells were examined using this technique. Using a 200 MHz transducer, the ultrasound backscatter from a single cell in suspension was recorded. Immediately following, the cell was irradiated with a 532 nm laser and the resulting photoacoustic wave recorded by the same transducer. The melanoma cells contain optically absorbing melanin particles, which facilitated photoacoustic wave generation. MCF7 cells have negligible optical absorption at 532 nm; the cells were permeabilized and stained with trypan blue prior to measurements. The measured ultrasound and photoacoustic power spectra were compared to theoretical equations with the cell diameter and sound speed as variables (Anderson scattering model for ultrasound, and a thermoelastic expansion model for photoacoustics). The diameter and sound speed were extracted from the models where the spectral shape matched the measured signals. However the photoacoustic spectrum for the melanoma cell did not match theory, which is likely because melanin particles are located around the cytoplasm, and not within the nucleus. Therefore a photoacoustic finite element model of a cell was developed where the central region was not used to generate a photoacoustic wave. The resulting power spectrum was in better agreement with the measured signal than the thermoelastic expansion model. The MCF7 cell diameter obtained using the spectral matching method was 17.5 μm, similar to the optical measurement of 16 μm, while the melanoma cell diameter obtained was 22 μm, similar to the optical measurement of 21 μm. The sound speed measured from the MCF7 and melanoma cell was 1573 and 1560 m/s, respectively, which is within acceptable values that have been published in literature.

An Analog Correlator for Ultra-Wideband Receivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tu Chunjiang

2005-01-01

Full Text Available We present a new analog circuit exhibiting high bandwidth and low distortion, specially designed for signal correlation in an ultra-wideband receiver front end. The ultra-wideband short impulse signals are correlated with a local pulse template by the correlator. A comparator then samples the output for signal detection. A typical Gilbert mixer core is adopted for multiplication of broadband signals up to . As a result of synchronization of the received signal and the local template, the output voltage level after integration and sampling can reach up to , which is sufficient for detection by the comparator. The circuit dissipates about from double voltage supplies of and using SiGe BiCMOS technology. Simulation results are presented to show the feasibility of this circuit design for use in ultra-wideband receivers.

Ultra-wideband and 60 GHz communications for biomedical applications

CERN Document Server

Yuce, Mehmet R

2013-01-01

This book investigates the design of devices, systems, and circuits for medical applications using the two recently established frequency bands: ultra-wideband (3.1-10.6 GHz) and 60 GHz ISM band. These two bands provide the largest bandwidths available for communication technologies and present many attractive opportunities for medical applications. The applications of these bands in healthcare are wireless body area network (WBAN), medical imaging, biomedical sensing, wearable and implantable devices, fast medical device connectivity, video data transmission, and vital signs monitoring. The r

Linear-array photoacoustic imaging using minimum variance-based delay multiply and sum adaptive beamforming algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Kratkiewicz, Karl; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-02-01

In photoacoustic imaging, delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformer is a common beamforming algorithm having a simple implementation. However, it results in a poor resolution and high sidelobes. To address these challenges, a new algorithm namely delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) was introduced having lower sidelobes compared to DAS. To improve the resolution of DMAS, a beamformer is introduced using minimum variance (MV) adaptive beamforming combined with DMAS, so-called minimum variance-based DMAS (MVB-DMAS). It is shown that expanding the DMAS equation results in multiple terms representing a DAS algebra. It is proposed to use the MV adaptive beamformer instead of the existing DAS. MVB-DMAS is evaluated numerically and experimentally. In particular, at the depth of 45 mm MVB-DMAS results in about 31, 18, and 8 dB sidelobes reduction compared to DAS, MV, and DMAS, respectively. The quantitative results of the simulations show that MVB-DMAS leads to improvement in full-width-half-maximum about 96%, 94%, and 45% and signal-to-noise ratio about 89%, 15%, and 35% compared to DAS, DMAS, MV, respectively. In particular, at the depth of 33 mm of the experimental images, MVB-DMAS results in about 20 dB sidelobes reduction in comparison with other beamformers.

Light and ultrasound activated microbubbles around gold nanorods for photoacoustic microsurgery

Science.gov (United States)

Cavigli, Lucia; Centi, Sonia; Lai, Sarah; Borri, Claudia; Micheletti, Filippo; Tortoli, Paolo; Panettieri, Ilaria; Streit, Ingolf; Rossi, Francesca; Ratto, Fulvio; Pini, Roberto

2017-07-01

Photoacoustic imaging and microsurgery have recently attracted attention for applications in oncology. Here, we present a versatile set-up to trigger vapor microbubbles around plasmonic nanoparticles by a combined light-ultrasound excitation. This system enables the detection and parametrization of bubbles as a function of several variables, such us optical fluence, ultrasound intensity, nanoparticles concentration, thus providing useful directions to the development of new strategies for treatments based on optical cavitation.

Generalized Wideband Cyclic MUSIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang-Meng Liu

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The method of Spectral Correlation-Signal Subspace Fitting (SC-SSF fails to separate wideband cyclostationary signals with coherent second-order cyclic statistics (SOCS. Averaged Cyclic MUSIC (ACM method made up for the drawback to some degree via temporally averaging the cyclic cross-correlation of the array output. This paper interprets ACM from another perspective and proposes a new DOA estimation method by generalizing ACM for wideband cyclostationary signals. The proposed method successfully makes up for the aforementioned drawback of SC-SSF and obtains a more satisfying performance than ACM. It is also demonstrated that ACM is a simplified form of the proposed method when only a single spectral frequency is exploited, and the integration of the frequencies within the signal bandwidth helps the new method to outperform ACM.

An Ultra-Wideband Millimeter-Wave Phased Array

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Markus H.; Miranda, Felix A.; Volakis, John L.

2016-01-01

Wideband millimeter-wave arrays are of increasing importance due to their growing use in high data rate systems, including 5G communication networks. In this paper, we present a new class of ultra-wideband millimeter wave arrays that operate from nearly 20 GHz to 90 GHz. The array is based on tightly coupled dipoles. Feeding designs and fabrication challenges are presented, and a method for suppressing feed resonances is provided.

H2O2-responsive liposomal nanoprobe for photoacoustic inflammation imaging and tumor theranostics via in vivo chromogenic assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qian; Liang, Chao; Sun, Xiaoqi; Chen, Jiawen; Yang, Zhijuan; Zhao, He; Feng, Liangzhu; Liu, Zhuang

2017-05-23

Abnormal H 2 O 2 levels are closely related to many diseases, including inflammation and cancers. Herein, we simultaneously load HRP and its substrate, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), into liposomal nanoparticles, obtaining a Lipo@HRP&ABTS optical nanoprobe for in vivo H 2 O 2 -responsive chromogenic assay with great specificity and sensitivity. In the presence of H 2 O 2 , colorless ABTS would be converted by HRP into the oxidized form with strong near-infrared (NIR) absorbance, enabling photoacoustic detection of H 2 O 2 down to submicromolar concentrations. Using Lipo@HRP&ABTS as an H 2 O 2 -responsive nanoprobe, we could accurately detect the inflammation processes induced by LPS or bacterial infection in which H 2 O 2 is generated. Meanwhile, upon systemic administration of this nanoprobe we realize in vivo photoacoustic imaging of small s.c. tumors (∼2 mm in size) as well as orthotopic brain gliomas, by detecting H 2 O 2 produced by tumor cells. Interestingly, local injection of Lipo@HRP&ABTS further enables differentiation of metastatic lymph nodes from those nonmetastatic ones, based on their difference in H 2 O 2 contents. Moreover, using the H 2 O 2 -dependent strong NIR absorbance of Lipo@HRP&ABTS, tumor-specific photothermal therapy is also achieved. This work thus develops a sensitive H 2 O 2 -responsive optical nanoprobe useful not only for in vivo detection of inflammation but also for tumor-specific theranostic applications.

Multispectral photoacoustic microscopy of lipids using a pulsed supercontinuum laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Buma, Takashi; Conley, Nicole C; Choi, Sang Won

2018-01-01

We demonstrate optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) of lipid-rich tissue between 1050-1714 nm using a pulsed supercontinuum laser based on a large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber. OR-PAM experiments of lipid-rich samples show the expected optical absorption peaks near 1210 and 1720 nm. These results show that pulsed supercontinuum lasers are promising for OR-PAM applications such as label-free histology of lipid-rich tissue and imaging small animal models of disease.

Deep neural network-based bandwidth enhancement of photoacoustic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutta, Sreedevi; Kadimesetty, Venkata Suryanarayana; Kalva, Sandeep Kumar; Pramanik, Manojit; Ganapathy, Sriram; Yalavarthy, Phaneendra K

2017-11-01

Photoacoustic (PA) signals collected at the boundary of tissue are always band-limited. A deep neural network was proposed to enhance the bandwidth (BW) of the detected PA signal, thereby improving the quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed PA images. A least square-based deconvolution method that utilizes the Tikhonov regularization framework was used for comparison with the proposed network. The proposed method was evaluated using both numerical and experimental data. The results indicate that the proposed method was capable of enhancing the BW of the detected PA signal, which inturn improves the contrast recovery and quality of reconstructed PA images without adding any significant computational burden. (2017) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

In vivo functional photoacoustic microscopy of cutaneous microvasculature in human skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Favazza, Christopher P; Cornelius, Lynn A; Wang, Lihong V

2011-02-01

Microcirculation is an important component of the cardiovascular system and can be used to assess systemic cardiovascular health. Numerous studies have investigated cutaneous microcirculation as an indicator of cardiovascular related diseases. Such research has shown promising results; however, there are many limitations regarding the employed measurement techniques, such as poor depth and spatial resolution and measurement versatility. Here we show the results of functional cutaneous microvascular experiments measured with photoacoustic microscopy, which provides high spatial resolution and multiparameter measurements. In a set of experiments, microvascular networks located in the palms of volunteers were perturbed by periodic ischemic events, and the subsequent hemodynamic response to the stimulus was recorded. Results indicate that during periods of arterial occlusion, the relative oxygen saturation of the capillary vessels decreased below resting levels, and temporarily increased above resting levels immediately following the occlusion. Furthermore, a hyperemic reaction to the occlusions was measured, and the observation agreed well with similar measurements using more conventional imaging techniques. Due to its exceptional capability to functionally image vascular networks with high spatial resolution, photoacoustic microscopy could be a beneficial biomedical tool to assess microvascular functioning and applied to patients with diseases that affect cardiovascular health. © 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Photoacoustic microscopy of bilirubin in tissue phantoms

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yong; Zhang, Chi; Yao, Da-Kang; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-12-01

Determining both bilirubin's concentration and its spatial distribution are important in disease diagnosis. Here, for the first time, we applied quantitative multiwavelength photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) to detect bilirubin concentration and distribution simultaneously. By measuring tissue-mimicking phantoms with different bilirubin concentrations, we showed that the root-mean-square error of prediction has reached 0.52 and 0.83 mg/dL for pure bilirubin and for blood-mixed bilirubin detection (with 100% oxygen saturation), respectively. We further demonstrated the capability of the PAM system to image bilirubin distribution both with and without blood. Finally, by underlaying bilirubin phantoms with mouse skins, we showed that bilirubin can be imaged with consistent accuracy down to >400 μm in depth. Our results show that PAM has potential for noninvasive bilirubin monitoring in vivo, as well as for further clinical applications.

DFB laser diodes for sensing applications using photoacoustic spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koeth, J; Fischer, M; Legge, M; Seufert, J; Roessner, K; Groninga, H

2010-01-01

We present typical device characteristics of novel DFB laser diodes which are employed in various sensing applications including high resolution photoacoustic spectroscopy. The laser diodes discussed are based on a genuine fabrication technology which allows for the production of ultra stable devices within a broad spectral range from 760 nm up to 3000 nm wavelength. The devices exhibit narrow linewidths down to <1 MHz which makes them ideally suited for all photoacoustic sensing applications where a high spectral purity is required. As an example we will focus on a typical medical application where these diodes are used for breath analysis using photoacoustic spectroscopy.

Simultaneous Photoacoustic and Photopyroelectric Detection of Trace Gas Emissions from Some Plant Parts and Their Related Essential Oils in a Combined Detection Cell

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Taha, M. I.; Abu-Teir, M. M.; Al-Jamal, A. J.; Eideh, H.

The aim of this work was to establish the feasibility of the combined photoacoustic (PA) and photopyroelectric (PPE) detection of the vapours emitted from essential oils and their corresponding uncrushed leaves or flowers. Gas traces of jasmine (Jessamine (Jasminum)), mint (Mentha arvensis L.) and Damask rose (Rosa damascena Miller) and their essential oils were tested using a combined cell fitted with both a photopyroelectric film (PVDF) and a microphone in conjunction with a pulsed wideband infrared source (PWBS) source. Infrared PA and PPE absorbances were obtained simultaneously at room temperatures with excellent reproducibility and high signal-to-noise ratios. Significant similarities found between the PA and PPE spectra of the trace gas emissions of plant parts, i.e., flowers or leaves and their related essential oils show the good correlation of their emissions and that both effects are initiated by the same absorbing molecules.

Photoacoustic CO2-Sensor for Automotive Applications

OpenAIRE

Huber, J.; Weber, C.; Eberhardt, A.; Wöllenstein, J.

2016-01-01

We present a field-tested miniaturized spectroscopic CO2 sensor which is based on the photoacoustic effect. The sensor is developed for automotive applications and considers the requirements for the usage in vehicles. The sensor measures two measurement ranges simultaneously: The monitoring of the indoor air quality and the detection of possible leakages of the coolant in CO2 air-conditioning systems. The sensor consists of a miniaturized innovative photoacoustic sensor unit with integrated e...

A Channelization-Based DOA Estimation Method for Wideband Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui Guo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a novel direction of arrival (DOA estimation method for wideband signals with sensor arrays. The proposed method splits the wideband array output into multiple frequency sub-channels and estimates the signal parameters using a digital channelization receiver. Based on the output sub-channels, a channelization-based incoherent signal subspace method (Channelization-ISM and a channelization-based test of orthogonality of projected subspaces method (Channelization-TOPS are proposed. Channelization-ISM applies narrowband signal subspace methods on each sub-channel independently. Then the arithmetic mean or geometric mean of the estimated DOAs from each sub-channel gives the final result. Channelization-TOPS measures the orthogonality between the signal and the noise subspaces of the output sub-channels to estimate DOAs. The proposed channelization-based method isolates signals in different bandwidths reasonably and improves the output SNR. It outperforms the conventional ISM and TOPS methods on estimation accuracy and dynamic range, especially in real environments. Besides, the parallel processing architecture makes it easy to implement on hardware. A wideband digital array radar (DAR using direct wideband radio frequency (RF digitization is presented. Experiments carried out in a microwave anechoic chamber with the wideband DAR are presented to demonstrate the performance. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Near infrared photoacoustic detection of heptane in synthetic air

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duggen, Lars; Albu, Mihaela; Willatzen, Morten

2013-01-01

Trace contaminations of n-heptane in synthetic air is measured in the parts-per-billion (ppb) range using near infrared photoacoustic detection. We describe the fundamental theory used in the design of the photoacoustic cell for trace gas analysis and determine the detection limit of the cell...

Automation, development and performance of a photoacoustic spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavalheiro, F.R.F.

1985-01-01

This work consists in the development of a circuit to interface a photoacoustic spectrometer with a microcomputer. The obtained spectra are identical to those obtained in commercial photoacoustic spectrometers. The system permits a great versatility and it has possibilities to automatize other types of experiments. The system can be duplicated from national components and at a relatively low coast. (author)

Discriminating between absorption and scattering coefficients in optical characterisation measurements on gold nanoparticle based photoacoustic contrast agents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ungureanu, C.; Manohar, Srirang; van Leeuwen, Ton; Amelink, A.; Sterenborg, Henricus J.C.M.; Oraevsky, Alexander A.; Wang, Lihong V.

2009-01-01

Plasmon resonant nanoparticles such as gold nanoshells and gold nanorods can be tuned to possess sharp interaction peaks in the near-infrared wavelength regions. These have great importance as contrast agents in photoacoustic imaging and as photothermal agents for therapeutic applications due to

Ultra wideband antennas design, methodologies, and performance

CERN Document Server

Galvan-Tejada, Giselle M; Jardón Aguilar, Hildeberto

2015-01-01

Ultra Wideband Antennas: Design, Methodologies, and Performance presents the current state of the art of ultra wideband (UWB) antennas, from theory specific for these radiators to guidelines for the design of omnidirectional and directional UWB antennas. Offering a comprehensive overview of the latest UWB antenna research and development, this book:Discusses the developed theory for UWB antennas in frequency and time domainsDelivers a brief exposition of numerical methods for electromagnetics oriented to antennasDescribes solid-planar equivalen

High-resolution nondestructive testing of multilayer dielectric materials using wideband microwave synthetic aperture radar imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Hee; James, Robin; Narayanan, Ram M.

2017-04-01

Fiber Reinforced Polymer or Plastic (FRP) composites have been rapidly increasing in the aerospace, automotive and marine industry, and civil engineering, because these composites show superior characteristics such as outstanding strength and stiffness, low weight, as well as anti-corrosion and easy production. Generally, the advancement of materials calls for correspondingly advanced methods and technologies for inspection and failure detection during production or maintenance, especially in the area of nondestructive testing (NDT). Among numerous inspection techniques, microwave sensing methods can be effectively used for NDT of FRP composites. FRP composite materials can be produced using various structures and materials, and various defects or flaws occur due to environmental conditions encountered during operation. However, reliable, low-cost, and easy-to-operate NDT methods have not been developed and tested. FRP composites are usually produced as multilayered structures consisting of fiber plate, matrix and core. Therefore, typical defects appearing in FRP composites are disbondings, delaminations, object inclusions, and certain kinds of barely visible impact damages. In this paper, we propose a microwave NDT method, based on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging algorithms, for stand-off imaging of internal delaminations. When a microwave signal is incident on a multilayer dielectric material, the reflected signal provides a good response to interfaces and transverse cracks. An electromagnetic wave model is introduced to delineate interface widths or defect depths from the reflected waves. For the purpose of numerical analysis and simulation, multilayered composite samples with various artificial defects are assumed, and their SAR images are obtained and analyzed using a variety of high-resolution wideband waveforms.

Fabrication of naphthalocyanine nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid and application to contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Yanagihara, Ryuga; Asahi, Tsuyoshi; Ishibashi, Yukihide; Odawara, Osamu; Wada, Hiroyuki

2018-03-01

Naphthalocyanine nanoparticles were prepared by laser ablation in liquid using second-harmonics of nanosecond Nd:YAG laser as an excitation light sauce at various laser fluence, and the properties of naphthalocyanine nanoparticles, such as shape, size, zeta potential, chemical structure and optical absorption were examined. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements showed that the particle size of the nanoparticles could be controlled by the laser fluence. The IR spectra of the nanoparticles indicated the formation of carboxylate anion species at laser fluences above 100 mJ/cm2, which will result the zeta potential of the nanoparticles depending on the laser fluence. We also examined the potential application to contrast agents for photoacoustic, and confirmed that the naphthalocyanine nanoparticles generated a strong photoacoustic signal.

8th conference on Ultra-Wideband Short-Pulse Electromagnetics

CERN Document Server

Tyo, J. Scott; Baum, Carl E; Ultra-Wideband Short-Pulse Electromagnetics 8; UWBSP8

2007-01-01

The purpose of the Ultra-Wideband Short-Pulse Electromagnetics Conference series is to focus on advanced technologies for the generation, radiation and detection of ultra-wideband short pulse signals, taking into account their propagation and scattering from and coupling to targets of interest. This Conference series reports on developments in supporting mathematical and numerical methods and presents current and potential future applications of the technology. Ultra-Wideband Short-Pulse Electromagnetics 8 is based on the American Electromagnetics 2006 conference held from June 3-7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Topical areas covered in this volume include pulse radiation and measurement, scattering theory, target detection and identification, antennas, signal processing, and communications.

Bioinspired Multifunctional Melanin-Based Nanoliposome for Photoacoustic/Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Efficient Photothermal Ablation of Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liang; Sheng, Danli; Wang, Dong; Yao, Yuanzhi; Yang, Ke; Wang, Zhigang; Deng, Liming; Chen, Yu

2018-01-01

Background: The construction of theranostic nanosystems with concurrently high biosafety and therapeutic performance is a challenge but has great significance for the clinical translation of nanomedicine for combating cancer. Methods: Bio-inspired melanin-based nanoliposomes (Lip-Mel) as theranostic agents were constructed for simultaneous photoacoustic (PA) imaging- and T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided photothermal ablation of tumors, which was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. The high biosafety of Lip-Mel was also systematically evaluated. Results: The achieved Lip-Mel nanoliposomes demonstrated their imaging capability for both PA and T1-weighted MR imaging (r1 = 0.25 mM-1·s-1) both in vitro and in vivo, providing the potential for therapeutic guidance and monitoring. Importantly, the desirable photothermal-conversion efficiency of the as-prepared Lip-Mel achieved complete eradication of tumors in breast cancer-bearing mice, exhibiting remarkable photothermal-based therapeutic performance. In particular, the efficient encapsulation of melanin into the PEGylated liposome mitigated the potential toxicity of melanin and improved the photothermal performance of the loaded melanin. Systematic in vivo biosafety evaluations demonstrated the high biocompatibility of Lip-Mel at a high dose of 100 mg/kg. Conclusion: In this work, we reported a bioinspired strategy where melanin, a natural product in the human body, is encapsulated into PEGylated nanoliposomes for efficient theranostics with high biocompatibility. This work provides a new strategy for creating desirable theranostic agents with concurrent high biocompatibility and satisfactory theranostic performance through the use of materials that totally originate from biosystems. PMID:29556343

Linear-array photoacoustic imaging using minimum variance-based delay multiply and sum adaptive beamforming algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Kratkiewicz, Karl; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-02-01

In photoacoustic imaging, delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformer is a common beamforming algorithm having a simple implementation. However, it results in a poor resolution and high sidelobes. To address these challenges, a new algorithm namely delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) was introduced having lower sidelobes compared to DAS. To improve the resolution of DMAS, a beamformer is introduced using minimum variance (MV) adaptive beamforming combined with DMAS, so-called minimum variance-based DMAS (MVB-DMAS). It is shown that expanding the DMAS equation results in multiple terms representing a DAS algebra. It is proposed to use the MV adaptive beamformer instead of the existing DAS. MVB-DMAS is evaluated numerically and experimentally. In particular, at the depth of 45 mm MVB-DMAS results in about 31, 18, and 8 dB sidelobes reduction compared to DAS, MV, and DMAS, respectively. The quantitative results of the simulations show that MVB-DMAS leads to improvement in full-width-half-maximum about 96%, 94%, and 45% and signal-to-noise ratio about 89%, 15%, and 35% compared to DAS, DMAS, MV, respectively. In particular, at the depth of 33 mm of the experimental images, MVB-DMAS results in about 20 dB sidelobes reduction in comparison with other beamformers. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Photoacoustic Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy Of Solids

Science.gov (United States)

Vidrine, D. Warren

1981-10-01

After discovering the photoacoustic effect, Alexander Graham Bell predicted its use in spectrometers, and that it would find its greatest utility "in the ultra-red." More than ninety years were required to fulfil his first prediction, and the second is still a prophecy. There is no record whether he ever imagined that an invention being developed that same winter by a young protege of his named Albert Michelson would ever be combined with his photoacoustic effect. A century later, the combination was made by Farrow Burnham, and Eyring, using a visible-range interferometer spectrometer of their own design. Soon afterwards, Rockley and myself, working independently, applied the technique to infrared measurements of solid samples. Photoacoustic cells are now commercially available as FT-IR accessories, and the technique is in use in the field.

Visualization of Protease Activity In Vivo Using an Activatable Photo-Acoustic Imaging Probe Based on CuS Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Kai; Zhu, Lei; Nie, Liming; Sun, Xiaolian; Cheng, Liang; Wu, Chenxi; Niu, Gang; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Liu, Zhuang

2014-01-01

Herein, we for the first time report a novel activatable photoacoustic (PA) imaging nano-probe for in vivo detection of cancer-related matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). A black hole quencher 3 (BHQ3) which absorbs red light is conjugated to near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles via a MMP-cleavable peptide linker. The obtained CuS-peptide-BHQ3 (CPQ) nano-probe exhibits two distinctive absorption peaks at 630 nm and 930 nm. Inside the tumor microenviorment where MMPs present, the MMP-sensitive peptide would be cleaved, releasing BHQ3 from the CuS nanoparticles, the former of which as a small molecule is then rapidly cleared out from the tumor, whereas the latter of which as large nanoparticles would retain inside the tumor for a much longer period of time. As the result, the PA signal at 680 nm which is contributed by BHQ3 would be quickly diminished while that at 930 nm would be largely retained. The PA signal ratio of 680 nm / 930 nm could thus serve as an in vivo indicator of MMPs activity inside the tumor. Our work presents a novel strategy of in vivo sensing of MMPs based on PA imaging, which should offer remarkably improved detection depth compared with traditional optical imaging techniques. PMID:24465271

Quantitative spatially resolved measurement of tissue chromophore concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy: application to the measurement of blood oxygenation and haemoglobin concentration

Science.gov (United States)

Laufer, Jan; Delpy, Dave; Elwell, Clare; Beard, Paul

2007-01-01

A new approach based on pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy for non-invasively quantifying tissue chromophore concentrations with high spatial resolution has been developed. The technique is applicable to the quantification of tissue chromophores such as oxyhaemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb) for the measurement of physiological parameters such as blood oxygen saturation (SO2) and total haemoglobin concentration. It can also be used to quantify the local accumulation of targeted contrast agents used in photoacoustic molecular imaging. The technique employs a model-based inversion scheme to recover the chromophore concentrations from photoacoustic measurements. This comprises a numerical forward model of the detected time-dependent photoacoustic signal that incorporates a multiwavelength diffusion-based finite element light propagation model to describe the light transport and a time-domain acoustic model to describe the generation, propagation and detection of the photoacoustic wave. The forward model is then inverted by iteratively fitting it to measurements of photoacoustic signals acquired at different wavelengths to recover the chromophore concentrations. To validate this approach, photoacoustic signals were generated in a tissue phantom using nanosecond laser pulses between 740 nm and 1040 nm. The tissue phantom comprised a suspension of intralipid, blood and a near-infrared dye in which three tubes were immersed. Blood at physiological haemoglobin concentrations and oxygen saturation levels ranging from 2% to 100% was circulated through the tubes. The signal amplitude from different temporal sections of the detected photoacoustic waveforms was plotted as a function of wavelength and the forward model fitted to these data to recover the concentrations of HbO2 and HHb, total haemoglobin concentration and SO2. The performance was found to compare favourably to that of a laboratory CO-oximeter with measurement resolutions of ±3.8 g l-1 (±58 µM) and ±4

Quantitative spatially resolved measurement of tissue chromophore concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy: application to the measurement of blood oxygenation and haemoglobin concentration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laufer, Jan; Delpy, Dave; Elwell, Clare; Beard, Paul [Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

2007-01-07

A new approach based on pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy for non-invasively quantifying tissue chromophore concentrations with high spatial resolution has been developed. The technique is applicable to the quantification of tissue chromophores such as oxyhaemoglobin (HbO{sub 2}) and deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb) for the measurement of physiological parameters such as blood oxygen saturation (SO{sub 2}) and total haemoglobin concentration. It can also be used to quantify the local accumulation of targeted contrast agents used in photoacoustic molecular imaging. The technique employs a model-based inversion scheme to recover the chromophore concentrations from photoacoustic measurements. This comprises a numerical forward model of the detected time-dependent photoacoustic signal that incorporates a multiwavelength diffusion-based finite element light propagation model to describe the light transport and a time-domain acoustic model to describe the generation, propagation and detection of the photoacoustic wave. The forward model is then inverted by iteratively fitting it to measurements of photoacoustic signals acquired at different wavelengths to recover the chromophore concentrations. To validate this approach, photoacoustic signals were generated in a tissue phantom using nanosecond laser pulses between 740 nm and 1040 nm. The tissue phantom comprised a suspension of intralipid, blood and a near-infrared dye in which three tubes were immersed. Blood at physiological haemoglobin concentrations and oxygen saturation levels ranging from 2% to 100% was circulated through the tubes. The signal amplitude from different temporal sections of the detected photoacoustic waveforms was plotted as a function of wavelength and the forward model fitted to these data to recover the concentrations of HbO{sub 2} and HHb, total haemoglobin concentration and SO{sub 2}. The performance was found to compare favourably to that of a laboratory CO-oximeter with measurement resolutions of {+-}3

Quantitative spatially resolved measurement of tissue chromophore concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy: application to the measurement of blood oxygenation and haemoglobin concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laufer, Jan; Delpy, Dave; Elwell, Clare; Beard, Paul

2007-01-01

A new approach based on pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy for non-invasively quantifying tissue chromophore concentrations with high spatial resolution has been developed. The technique is applicable to the quantification of tissue chromophores such as oxyhaemoglobin (HbO 2 ) and deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb) for the measurement of physiological parameters such as blood oxygen saturation (SO 2 ) and total haemoglobin concentration. It can also be used to quantify the local accumulation of targeted contrast agents used in photoacoustic molecular imaging. The technique employs a model-based inversion scheme to recover the chromophore concentrations from photoacoustic measurements. This comprises a numerical forward model of the detected time-dependent photoacoustic signal that incorporates a multiwavelength diffusion-based finite element light propagation model to describe the light transport and a time-domain acoustic model to describe the generation, propagation and detection of the photoacoustic wave. The forward model is then inverted by iteratively fitting it to measurements of photoacoustic signals acquired at different wavelengths to recover the chromophore concentrations. To validate this approach, photoacoustic signals were generated in a tissue phantom using nanosecond laser pulses between 740 nm and 1040 nm. The tissue phantom comprised a suspension of intralipid, blood and a near-infrared dye in which three tubes were immersed. Blood at physiological haemoglobin concentrations and oxygen saturation levels ranging from 2% to 100% was circulated through the tubes. The signal amplitude from different temporal sections of the detected photoacoustic waveforms was plotted as a function of wavelength and the forward model fitted to these data to recover the concentrations of HbO 2 and HHb, total haemoglobin concentration and SO 2 . The performance was found to compare favourably to that of a laboratory CO-oximeter with measurement resolutions of ±3.8 g l -1 (±58 �

All-Optical Photoacoustic Sensors for Steel Rebar Corrosion Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cong Du

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This article presents an application of an active all-optical photoacoustic sensing system with four elements for steel rebar corrosion monitoring. The sensor utilized a photoacoustic mechanism of gold nanocomposites to generate 8 MHz broadband ultrasound pulses in 0.4 mm compact space. A nanosecond 532 nm pulsed laser and 400 μm multimode fiber were employed to incite an ultrasound reaction. The fiber Bragg gratings were used as distributed ultrasound detectors. Accelerated corrosion testing was applied to four sections of a single steel rebar with four different corrosion degrees. Our results demonstrated that the mass loss of steel rebar displayed an exponential growth with ultrasound frequency shifts. The sensitivity of the sensing system was such that 0.175 MHz central frequency reduction corresponded to 0.02 g mass loss of steel rebar corrosion. It was proved that the all-optical photoacoustic sensing system can actively evaluate the corrosion of steel rebar via ultrasound spectrum. This multipoint all-optical photoacoustic method is promising for embedment into a concrete structure for distributed corrosion monitoring.

A SIMULTANEOUS MULTI-PROBE DETECTION LABEL-FREE OPTICAL-RESOLUTION PHOTOACOUSTIC MICROSCOPY TECHNIQUE BASED ON MICROCAVITY TRANSDUCER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YONGBO WU

2013-07-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous multi-probe detection for an optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM system. OR-PAM has elicited the attention of biomedical imaging researchers because of its optical absorption contrast and high spatial resolution with great imaging depth. OR-PAM allows label-free and noninvasive imaging by maximizing the optical absorption of endogenous biomolecules. However, given the inadequate absorption of some biomolecules, detection sensitivity at the same incident intensity requires improvement. In this study, a modulated continuous wave with power density less than 3 mW/cm2 (1/4 of the ANSI safety limit excited the weak photoacoustic (PA signals of biological cells. A microcavity transducer is developed based on the bulk modulus of gas five orders of magnitude lower than that of solid; air pressure variation is inversely proportional to cavity volume at the same temperature increase. Considering that a PA wave expands in various directions, detecting PA signals from different positions and adding them together can increase detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, we employ four detectors to acquire tiny PA signals simultaneously. Experimental results show that the developed OR-PAM system allows the label-free imaging of cells with weak optical absorption.

Photoacoustic Sounds from Meteors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Spalding, R.; Tencer, J.; Sweatt, W.; Conley, B.; Hogan, R.; Boslough, M.B.; Gonzales, G.; Spurný, Pavel

2017-01-01

Roč. 7, February (2017), 41251/1-41251/6 ISSN 2045-2322 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : photoacoustic coupling * experimental results * numerical models Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 4.259, year: 2016

Wideband feeds for the upgraded GMRT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandari, Hanumanth Rao; Sankarasubramanian, G; Kumar, A Praveen

2013-01-01

This paper describes the existing feeds in use at the GMRT Observatory and details the ongoing development of next generation wideband feeds for the upgraded GMRT. The existing feeds include: feed with folded thick dipoles (for 150 MHz), dipole-disc feed (for 325 MHz), dual-band coaxial feed (for 233 MHZ and 610 MHz), and corrugated horn feed (for 1400–1450 MHz). The new broadband feeds covered in this paper are: cone-dipole feeds for 250–500 and 500–1000 MHz, wideband horn feed for 550–900 MHz, and dual ring feed for 130–260 MHz. Design techniques and performance results for these are described.

All-optical optoacoustic microscope based on wideband pulse interferometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wissmeyer, Georg; Soliman, Dominik; Shnaiderman, Rami; Rosenthal, Amir; Ntziachristos, Vasilis

2016-05-01

Optical and optoacoustic (photoacoustic) microscopy have been recently joined in hybrid implementations that resolve extended tissue contrast compared to each modality alone. Nevertheless, the application of the hybrid technique is limited by the requirement to combine an optical objective with ultrasound detection collecting signal from the same micro-volume. We present an all-optical optoacoustic microscope based on a pi-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (π-FBG) with coherence-restored pulsed interferometry (CRPI) used as the interrogation method. The sensor offers an ultra-small footprint and achieved higher sensitivity over piezoelectric transducers of similar size. We characterize the spectral bandwidth of the ultrasound detector and interrogate the imaging performance on phantoms and tissues. We show the first optoacoustic images of biological specimen recorded with π-FBG sensors. We discuss the potential uses of π-FBG sensors based on CRPI.

Discrimination of the glucose and the white sugar based on the pulsed laser-induced photoacoustic technique

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Zhong; Liu, Guodong

2017-08-01

In this study, to discriminate the glucose and the white sugar gradient in the food, a noninvasive optical detection system based on pulsed laser-induced photoacoustic technique was developed. Meanwhile, the Nd: YAG 532nm pumped OPO pulsed laser was used as the excitation light source to generate of the photoacoustic signals of the glucose and white sugar. The focused ultrasonic transducer with central detection frequency of 1MHz was used to capture the photoacoustic signals. In experiments, the real-time photoacoustic signals of the glucose and the white sugar aqueous solutions were gotten and compared with each other. In addition, to discriminate the difference of the characteristic photoacoustic signals between both of them, the difference spectrum and the first order derivative technique between the peak-to-peak photoacoustic signals of the water and that of the glucose and white sugar were employed. The difference characteristic photoacoustic wavelengths between the glucose and the white sugar were found based on the established photoacoustic detection system. This study provides the potential possibility for the discrimination of the glucose and the white sugar by using the photoacoustic detection method.

Numerical Study of Photoacoustic Pressure for Cancer Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Grosges

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A commonly used therapy for cancer is based on the necrosis of cells induced by heating through the illumination of nanoparticles embedded in cells. Recently, the photoacoustic pressure shock induced by the illumination pulse was proved and this points to another means of cell destruction. The purpose of this study is to propose a model of the photoacoustic pressure in cells. The numerical resolution of the problem requires the accurate computation of the electromagnetism, the temperature and the pressure around the nanostructures embedded in a cell. Here, the problem of the interaction between an electromagnetic excitation and a gold nanoparticle embedded in a cell domain is solved. The variations of the thermal and photoacoustic pressures are studied in order to analyze the pressure shock wave inducing the collapse of the cell’s membrane in cancer therapy.

Wideband QAMC reflector's antenna for low profile applications

Science.gov (United States)

Grelier, M.; Jousset, M.; Mallégol, S.; Lepage, A. C.; Begaud, X.; LeMener, J. M.

2011-06-01

A wideband reflector's antenna based on quasi-artificial magnetic conductor is proposed. To validate the design, an Archimedean spiral has been backed to this new reflector. In comparison to classical solution using absorbent material, the prototype presents a very low thickness of λ/15 at the lowest operating frequency and an improved gain over a 2.4:1 bandwidth. The whole methodology to design this reflector can be applied to other wideband antennas.

Modification of a commercial spectrophotometer for photoacoustic measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandyopadhyay, S.; Harris, J.M.; Eyring, E.M.

1983-01-01

This note describes how a commercial UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer may be adapted to function as a double beam photoacoustic spectrophotometer operating at visible wavelengths. Modification of a Varian Cary 17 spectrophotometer was carried out first by dismounting the photomultiplier tube detector module and the cell compartment of the spectrophotometer. The sample and the reference beams were focused through two externally mounted quartz lenses onto the sample and reference photoacoustic cells, respectively

An All-Fiber-Optic Combined System of Noncontact Photoacoustic Tomography and Optical Coherence Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Jonghyun; Shin, Jun Geun; Park, Soongho; Rim, Sunghwan; Lee, Byeong Ha

2016-05-20

We propose an all-fiber-based dual-modal imaging system that combines noncontact photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). The PAT remotely measures photoacoustic (PA) signals with a 1550-nm laser on the surface of a sample by utilizing a fiber interferometer as an ultrasound detector. The fiber-based OCT, employing a swept-source laser centered at 1310 nm, shares the sample arm of the PAT system. The fiber-optic probe for the combined system was homemade with a lensed single-mode fiber (SMF) and a large-core multimode fiber (MMF). The compact and robust common probe is capable of obtaining both the PA and the OCT signals at the same position without any physical contact. Additionally, the MMF of the probe delivers the short pulses of a Nd:YAG laser to efficiently excite the PA signals. We experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed dual-modal system with a phantom made of a fishing line and a black polyethylene terephthalate fiber in a tissue mimicking solution. The all-fiber-optic system, capable of providing complementary information about absorption and scattering, has a promising potential in minimally invasive and endoscopic imaging.

An All-Fiber-Optic Combined System of Noncontact Photoacoustic Tomography and Optical Coherence Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Jonghyun; Shin, Jun Geun; Park, Soongho; Rim, Sunghwan; Lee, Byeong Ha

2016-01-01

We propose an all-fiber-based dual-modal imaging system that combines noncontact photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). The PAT remotely measures photoacoustic (PA) signals with a 1550-nm laser on the surface of a sample by utilizing a fiber interferometer as an ultrasound detector. The fiber-based OCT, employing a swept-source laser centered at 1310 nm, shares the sample arm of the PAT system. The fiber-optic probe for the combined system was homemade with a lensed single-mode fiber (SMF) and a large-core multimode fiber (MMF). The compact and robust common probe is capable of obtaining both the PA and the OCT signals at the same position without any physical contact. Additionally, the MMF of the probe delivers the short pulses of a Nd:YAG laser to efficiently excite the PA signals. We experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed dual-modal system with a phantom made of a fishing line and a black polyethylene terephthalate fiber in a tissue mimicking solution. The all-fiber-optic system, capable of providing complementary information about absorption and scattering, has a promising potential in minimally invasive and endoscopic imaging. PMID:27213392

An All-Fiber-Optic Combined System of Noncontact Photoacoustic Tomography and Optical Coherence Tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonghyun Eom

2016-05-01

Full Text Available We propose an all-fiber-based dual-modal imaging system that combines noncontact photoacoustic tomography (PAT and optical coherence tomography (OCT. The PAT remotely measures photoacoustic (PA signals with a 1550-nm laser on the surface of a sample by utilizing a fiber interferometer as an ultrasound detector. The fiber-based OCT, employing a swept-source laser centered at 1310 nm, shares the sample arm of the PAT system. The fiber-optic probe for the combined system was homemade with a lensed single-mode fiber (SMF and a large-core multimode fiber (MMF. The compact and robust common probe is capable of obtaining both the PA and the OCT signals at the same position without any physical contact. Additionally, the MMF of the probe delivers the short pulses of a Nd:YAG laser to efficiently excite the PA signals. We experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed dual-modal system with a phantom made of a fishing line and a black polyethylene terephthalate fiber in a tissue mimicking solution. The all-fiber-optic system, capable of providing complementary information about absorption and scattering, has a promising potential in minimally invasive and endoscopic imaging.

TH-AB-209-05: Validating Hemoglobin Saturation and Dissolved Oxygen in Tumors Using Photoacoustic Computed Tomographic Spectroscopic Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burnett, J; Sick, J; Liu, B [Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Cao, N [University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA (United States); Nakshatri, H; Mendonca, M [Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN (United States); Stantz, K [Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Photoacoustic computed tomographic spectroscopy (PCT-S) provides intra-tumor measurements of oxygenation with high spatial resolution (0.2mm) and temporal fidelity (1–2 minutes) without the need for exogenous agents or ionizing radiation, thus providing a unique in vivo assay to measure SaO{sub 2} and investigate acute and chronic forms of hypoxia. The goal of this study is to validate in vivo SaO{sub 2} levels within tail artery of mice and the relationship between SaO{sub 2} and pO{sub 2} within subcutaneous breast tumors using PCT-S imaging, pulse oximetry and an OxyLite probe. Methods: A closed circuit phantom was fabricated to control blood oxygenation levels, where SaO{sub 2} was measured using a co-oximeter and pO{sub 2} using an Oxylite probe. Next, SaO{sub 2} levels within the tail arteries of mice (n=3) were measured using PCT-S and pulse oximetry while breathing high-to-low oxygen levels (6-cycles). Finally, PCT-S was used to measure SaO{sub 2} levels in MCF-7, MCF-7-VEGF165, and MDA-MB-231 xenograft breast tumors and compared to Oxylite pO{sub 2} levels values. Results: SaO{sub 2} and pO{sub 2} data obtained from the calibration phantom was fit to Hill’s equation: aO{sub 2} levels between 88 and 52% demonstrated a linear relationship (r2=0.96) and a 3.2% uncertainty between PCT-S values relative to pulse oximetry. Scatter plots of localized PCT-S measured SaO2 and Oxylite pO{sub 2} levels in MCF-7/MCF-7-VEGF165 and MDA-MD-231 breast tumors were fit to Hill’s equation: P50=17.2 and 20.7mmHg, and n=1.76 and 1.63. These results are consistent with sigmoidal form of Hill’s equation, where the lower P{sub 50} value is indicative of an acidic tumor microenvironment. Conclusion: The results demonstrate photoacoustic imaging can be used to measure SaO{sub 2} cycling and intra-tumor oxygenation, and provides a powerful in vivo assay to investigate the role of hypoxia in radiation, anti-angiogenic, and immunotherapies.

Photoacoustic Techniques for Trace Gas Sensing Based on Semiconductor Laser Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenzo Spagnolo

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The paper provides an overview on the use of photoacoustic sensors based on semiconductor laser sources for the detection of trace gases. We review the results obtained using standard, differential and quartz enhanced photoacoustic techniques.

Extension of the ITU Channel Models for Wideband (OFDM) Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Troels Bundgaard; Frederiksen, Frank

2005-01-01

for the evaluation of wideband system concepts with frequency dependent characteristics, e.g. frequency domain link adaptation and packet scheduling, both of which are likely to be part of future wideband systems such as based on OFDM. With the suggested procedure the frequency correlation can be kept approximately...

Photoacoustic technique applied to the study of skin and leather

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas, M.; Varela, J.; Hernandez, L.; Gonzalez, A.

1998-01-01

In this paper the photoacoustic technique is used in bull skin for the determination of thermal and optical properties as a function of the tanning process steps. Our results show that the photoacoustic technique is sensitive to the study of physical changes in this kind of material due to the tanning process

In vivo Microscopic Photoacoustic Spectroscopy for Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring Invulnerable to Skin Secretion Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Sim, Joo Yong; Ahn, Chang-Geun; Jeong, Eun-Ju; Kim, Bong Kyu

2018-01-18

Photoacoustic spectroscopy has been shown to be a promising tool for non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. However, the repeatability of such a method is susceptible to changes in skin condition, which is dependent on hand washing and drying due to the high absorption of infrared excitation light to the skin secretion products or water. In this paper, we present a method to meet the challenges of mid-infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy for non-invasive glucose monitoring. By obtaining the microscopic spatial information of skin during the spectroscopy measurement, the skin region where the infrared spectra is insensitive to skin condition can be locally selected, which enables reliable prediction of the blood glucose level from the photoacoustic spectroscopy signals. Our raster-scan imaging showed that the skin condition for in vivo spectroscopic glucose monitoring had significant inhomogeneities and large variability in the probing area where the signal was acquired. However, the selective localization of the probing led to a reduction in the effects of variability due to the skin secretion product. Looking forward, this technology has broader applications not only in continuous glucose monitoring for diabetic patient care, but in forensic science, the diagnosis of malfunctioning sweat pores, and the discrimination of tumors extracted via biopsy.

Whole-body ring-shaped confocal photoacoustic computed tomography of small animals in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Jun; Chatni, Muhammad R.; Maslov, Konstantin; Guo, Zijian; Wang, Kun; Anastasio, Mark; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-05-01

We report a novel small-animal whole-body imaging system called ring-shaped confocal photoacoustic computed tomography (RC-PACT). RC-PACT is based on a confocal design of free-space ring-shaped light illumination and 512-element full-ring ultrasonic array signal detection. The free-space light illumination maximizes the light delivery efficiency, and the full-ring signal detection ensures a full two-dimensional view aperture for accurate image reconstruction. Using cylindrically focused array elements, RC-PACT can image a thin cross section with 0.10 to 0.25 mm in-plane resolutions and 1.6 s/frame acquisition time. By translating the mouse along the elevational direction, RC-PACT provides a series of cross-sectional images of the brain, liver, kidneys, and bladder.

Enhanced linear-array photoacoustic beamforming using modified coherence factor

Science.gov (United States)

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Yan, Yan; Mehrmohammadi, Mohammad; Makkiabadi, Bahador

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a promising medical imaging modality providing the spatial resolution of ultrasound imaging and the contrast of optical imaging. For linear-array PAI, a beamformer can be used as the reconstruction algorithm. Delay-and-sum (DAS) is the most prevalent beamforming algorithm in PAI. However, using DAS beamformer leads to low-resolution images as well as high sidelobes due to nondesired contribution of off-axis signals. Coherence factor (CF) is a weighting method in which each pixel of the reconstructed image is weighted, based on the spatial spectrum of the aperture, to mainly improve the contrast. We demonstrate that the numerator of the formula of CF contains a DAS algebra and propose the use of a delay-multiply-and-sum beamformer instead of the available DAS on the numerator. The proposed weighting technique, modified CF (MCF), has been evaluated numerically and experimentally compared to CF. It was shown that MCF leads to lower sidelobes and better detectable targets. The quantitative results of the experiment (using wire targets) show that MCF leads to for about 45% and 40% improvement, in comparison with CF, in the terms of signal-to-noise ratio and full-width-half-maximum, respectively.

Application of time-resolved glucose concentration photoacoustic signals based on an improved wavelet denoising

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Zhong; Liu, Guodong; Huang, Zhen

2014-10-01

Real-time monitoring of blood glucose concentration (BGC) is a great important procedure in controlling diabetes mellitus and preventing the complication for diabetic patients. Noninvasive measurement of BGC has already become a research hotspot because it can overcome the physical and psychological harm. Photoacoustic spectroscopy is a well-established, hybrid and alternative technique used to determine the BGC. According to the theory of photoacoustic technique, the blood is irradiated by plused laser with nano-second repeation time and micro-joule power, the photoacoustic singals contained the information of BGC are generated due to the thermal-elastic mechanism, then the BGC level can be interpreted from photoacoustic signal via the data analysis. But in practice, the time-resolved photoacoustic signals of BGC are polluted by the varities of noises, e.g., the interference of background sounds and multi-component of blood. The quality of photoacoustic signal of BGC directly impacts the precision of BGC measurement. So, an improved wavelet denoising method was proposed to eliminate the noises contained in BGC photoacoustic signals. To overcome the shortcoming of traditional wavelet threshold denoising, an improved dual-threshold wavelet function was proposed in this paper. Simulation experimental results illustrated that the denoising result of this improved wavelet method was better than that of traditional soft and hard threshold function. To varify the feasibility of this improved function, the actual photoacoustic BGC signals were test, the test reslut demonstrated that the signal-to-noises ratio(SNR) of the improved function increases about 40-80%, and its root-mean-square error (RMSE) decreases about 38.7-52.8%.

Detection, mapping, and quantification of single walled carbon nanotubes in histological specimens with photoacoustic microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Avti, Pramod K; Hu, Song; Favazza, Christopher; Mikos, Antonios G; Jansen, John A; Shroyer, Kenneth R; Wang, Lihong V; Sitharaman, Balaji

2012-01-01

In the present study, the efficacy of multi-scale photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was investigated to detect, map, and quantify trace amounts [nanograms (ng) to micrograms (µg)] of SWCNTs in a variety of histological tissue specimens consisting of cancer and benign tissue biopsies (histological specimens from implanted tissue engineering scaffolds). Optical-resolution (OR) and acoustic-resolution (AR)--Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was employed to detect, map and quantify the SWCNTs in a variety of tissue histological specimens and compared with other optical techniques (bright-field optical microscopy, Raman microscopy, near infrared (NIR) fluorescence microscopy). Both optical-resolution and acoustic-resolution PAM, allow the detection and quantification of SWCNTs in histological specimens with scalable spatial resolution and depth penetration. The noise-equivalent detection sensitivity to SWCNTs in the specimens was calculated to be as low as ∼7 pg. Image processing analysis further allowed the mapping, distribution, and quantification of the SWCNTs in the histological sections. The results demonstrate the potential of PAM as a promising imaging technique to detect, map, and quantify SWCNTs in histological specimens, and could complement the capabilities of current optical and electron microscopy techniques in the analysis of histological specimens containing SWCNTs.

Detection, mapping, and quantification of single walled carbon nanotubes in histological specimens with photoacoustic microscopy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pramod K Avti

Full Text Available In the present study, the efficacy of multi-scale photoacoustic microscopy (PAM was investigated to detect, map, and quantify trace amounts [nanograms (ng to micrograms (µg] of SWCNTs in a variety of histological tissue specimens consisting of cancer and benign tissue biopsies (histological specimens from implanted tissue engineering scaffolds.Optical-resolution (OR and acoustic-resolution (AR--Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM was employed to detect, map and quantify the SWCNTs in a variety of tissue histological specimens and compared with other optical techniques (bright-field optical microscopy, Raman microscopy, near infrared (NIR fluorescence microscopy.Both optical-resolution and acoustic-resolution PAM, allow the detection and quantification of SWCNTs in histological specimens with scalable spatial resolution and depth penetration. The noise-equivalent detection sensitivity to SWCNTs in the specimens was calculated to be as low as ∼7 pg. Image processing analysis further allowed the mapping, distribution, and quantification of the SWCNTs in the histological sections.The results demonstrate the potential of PAM as a promising imaging technique to detect, map, and quantify SWCNTs in histological specimens, and could complement the capabilities of current optical and electron microscopy techniques in the analysis of histological specimens containing SWCNTs.

The design of wideband metamaterial absorber at E band based on defect

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L. S.; Xia, D. Y.; Ding, X. Y.; Wang, Y.

2018-01-01

A kind of wideband metamaterial absorber at E band is designed in this paper; it is composed of round metal cells with defect, dielectric substrate and metal film. The electromagnetic parameters of unit cell are calculated by using the finite element method. The results show that the wideband metamaterial absorber presents nearly perfect absorption above 90% with absorption ranging from 65.38GHz to 67.86GHz; the reason of wideband absorption is the overlap of different absorption frequency which is caused by electromagnetic resonance; the size parameters and position of defect has important effect on its absorption property. It has many advantages, such as simply, easy to preparation and so on. It has potential application on aerospace measurement and control, remote data communication, LTE wideband mobile communication and other fields.

All-optical photoacoustic imaging and detection of early-stage dental caries

Science.gov (United States)

Sampathkumar, Ashwin; Hughes, David A.; Longbottom, Chris; Kirk, Katherine J.

2015-02-01

Dental caries remain one of the most common oral diseases in the world. Current detection methods, such as dental explorer and X-ray radiography, suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity at the earliest (and reversible) stages of the disease because of the small size (tooth decay. This AOPAI system provides a non-contact, non-invasive and non-ionizing means of detecting early-stage dental caries. Ex-vivo teeth exhibiting early-stage, white-spot lesions were imaged using AOPAI. Experimental scans targeted each early-stage lesion and a reference healthy enamel region. Photoacoustic (PA) signals were generated in the tooth using a 532-nm pulsed laser and the light-induced broadband ultrasound signal was detected at the surface of the tooth with an optical path-stabilized Michelson interferometer operating at 532 nm. The measured time-domain signal was spatially resolved and back-projected to form 2D and 3D maps of the lesion using k-wave reconstruction methods. Experimental data collected from areas of healthy and diseased enamel indicate that the lesion generated a larger PA response compared to healthy enamel. The PA-signal amplitude alone was able to detect a lesion on the surface of the tooth. However, time- reversal reconstructions of the PA scans also quantitatively depicted the depth of the lesion. 3D PA reconstruction of the diseased tooth indicated a sub-surface lesion at a depth of 0.6 mm, in addition to the surface lesion. These results suggest that our AOPAI system is well suited for rapid clinical assessment of early-stage dental caries. An overview of the AOPAI system, fine-resolution PA and histology results of diseased and healthy teeth will be presented.

Photoacoustic cavitation for theranostics: mechanism, current progress and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Y; Qin, D; Wan, M

2015-01-01

As an emerging cavitation technology, photoacoustic cavitation (PAC) means the formation of bubbles in liquids using focused laser and pre-established ultrasound synchronously. Its significant advantages include the decreased threshold of each modality and the precise location of cavitation determined by the focused laser. In this paper, a brief review of PAC is presented, including the physical mechanism description, the classic experimental technology, the representative results in variety of media, and its applications in biomedical imaging and therapy. Moreover, some preliminary results of PAC in perfluoropentane (PFP) liquid and PFP droplets investigated by passive cavitation detection (PCD) in our group are also presented. (paper)

Super wideband characteristics of monopolar patch antenna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xi Chen

2013-12-01

Full Text Available A simple method of acquiring super wideband characteristics for monopolar patch antenna is proposed. Through adopting a modified cone as feeding and radiating structure, the monopolar patch antenna can reach the impedance bandwidth of more than 1:23.4 for voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR ≤ 2. In the whole operating band, the antenna has the like-monopole omnidirectional radiation patterns and the peak gains of 3.8–8.7 dB. Meanwhile, the height of the antenna is just 0.074λ(c, and the diameter of the radiated body is 0.205λ(c, which is smaller than other ultra-wideband omnidirectional antenna.

Design of a High Linearity Four-Quadrant Analog Multiplier in Wideband Frequency Range

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul kareem Mokif Obais

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a voltage mode four quadrant analog multiplier in the wideband frequency rangeis designed using a wideband operational amplifier (OPAMP and squaring circuits. The wideband OPAMP is designed using 10 identical NMOS transistorsand operated with supply voltages of ±12V. Two NMOS transistors and two wideband OPAMP are utilized in the design of the proposed squaring circuit. All the NMOS transistors are based on 0.35µm NMOStechnology. The multiplier has input and output voltage ranges of ±10 V, high range of linearity from -10 V to +10 V, and cutoff frequency of about 5 GHz. The proposed multiplier is designed on PSpice in Orcad 16.6

Processing methods for photoacoustic Doppler flowmetry with a clinical ultrasound scanner

Science.gov (United States)

Bücking, Thore M.; van den Berg, Pim J.; Balabani, Stavroula; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; Beard, Paul C.; Brunker, Joanna

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic flowmetry (PAF) based on time-domain cross correlation of photoacoustic signals is a promising technique for deep tissue measurement of blood flow velocity. Signal processing has previously been developed for single element transducers. Here, the processing methods for acoustic resolution PAF using a clinical ultrasound transducer array are developed and validated using a 64-element transducer array with a -6 dB detection band of 11 to 17 MHz. Measurements were performed on a flow phantom consisting of a tube (580 μm inner diameter) perfused with human blood flowing at physiological speeds ranging from 3 to 25 mm / s. The processing pipeline comprised: image reconstruction, filtering, displacement detection, and masking. High-pass filtering and background subtraction were found to be key preprocessing steps to enable accurate flow velocity estimates, which were calculated using a cross-correlation based method. In addition, the regions of interest in the calculated velocity maps were defined using a masking approach based on the amplitude of the cross-correlation functions. These developments enabled blood flow measurements using a transducer array, bringing PAF one step closer to clinical applicability.

Timed arrays wideband and time varying antenna arrays

CERN Document Server

Haupt, Randy L

2015-01-01

Introduces timed arrays and design approaches to meet the new high performance standards The author concentrates on any aspect of an antenna array that must be viewed from a time perspective. The first chapters briefly introduce antenna arrays and explain the difference between phased and timed arrays. Since timed arrays are designed for realistic time-varying signals and scenarios, the book also reviews wideband signals, baseband and passband RF signals, polarization and signal bandwidth. Other topics covered include time domain, mutual coupling, wideband elements, and dispersion. The auth

A new metamaterial-based wideband rectangular invisibility cloak

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, S. S.; Hasan, M. M.; Faruque, M. R. I.

2018-02-01

A new metamaterial-based wideband electromagnetic rectangular cloak is being introduced in this study. The metamaterial unit cell shows sharp transmittances in the C- and X-bands and displays wideband negative effective permittivity region there. The metamaterial unit cell was then applied in designing a rectangular-shaped electromagnetic cloak. The scattering reduction technique was adopted for the cloaking operation. The cloak operates in the certain portion of C-and X-bands that covers more than 4 GHz bandwidth region. The experimental results were provided as well for the metamaterial and the cloak.

Detection of Molecular Oxygen at Low Concentrations Using Quartz Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Pohlkötter

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Molecular oxygen is detected at low concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy despite its unfavorable photoacoustic properties. The system consists of a seed laser diode, a tapered amplifier and a quartz tuning fork based spectrophone, thus employing quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS. With this system a detection limit of 13 ppm is reached with a compact and long term stable setup. Further improvement of the detection limit is possible by adding suitable gases to the sample gas that promote the radiationless de-excitation of the oxygen molecules.

TU-A-9A-10: Verification of Photoacoustic Computed Tomography Perfusion Imaging Using DCE-CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, A; Krutulis, M; Verleker, A; Stantz, K

2014-01-01

Purpose: We propose to verify quantifiable perfusion information generated by a Photoacoustic Computed Tomography (PCT) scanner using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced CT (DCE-CT), and to investigate physicsbased models of acoustic properties of tissue and photon transport to improve quantification. These corrections first necessitate a skin identifying algorithms to reduce speed-of-sound blurring and empirical photon correction methods. Methods: Xenograft mice (n=5) of breast cancer was imaged using DCE-CT which was followed by DCE-PCT. To obtain CT perfusion data, each mouse was i.v. injected (0.2mL Isovue @0.5mL/min) and subsequent radio-opaque time curves fit to a 2-compartmental model on a voxel-wise basis. For DCE-PCT, different concentrations of ICG (250, 125, and 62.5 micro-Molar) were injected at the same rate, but also acquired at different sampling rates (3, 6, and 12 seconds). The time intensity curves from PCT were fit to a 1-compartmental model on a voxel by voxel basis. The images were coregistered (Oncentra) based on the structural similarities of the tumor vasculature after which we compared both the contrastenhanced dynamics and the vascular physiology. Results: Moderate to high doses of ICG impact the washin phase of the PCT contrast due to photon losses as a function of depth. A semi-automatic algorithm has been developed to identify the skin margin, and subsequent MC and empirical models of photon transport and variations in speed-of-sound are being evaluated. Conclusion: From our results we find that there is a need to apply photon and speed-of-sound corrections to our PCT data to improve the quantifiable image data at depth in the tumor for PCT. The dose and injection rate may help in reducing large systematic effects. Our project is partially funded by a NIH SBIR grant

[Auditory training with wide-band white noise: effects on the recruitment (III)].

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez Ugidos, L J; Rodríguez Morejón, C; Vallés Varela, H; Iparraguirre Bolinaga, V; Knaster del Olmo, J

2001-05-01

The auditory training with wide-band white noise is a methodology for the qualitative recovery of the hearing loss in people suffering from sensorineural hearing loss. It is based on the application of a wide-band white modified noise. In a prospective study, we have assessed the modifications of the recruitment coefficient in a sample of 48 patients who have followed a program of 15 auditory training with wide-band white noise sessions. The average improvement of the recruitment coefficient expressed in percentage is a 7.7498%, which comes up to 23.5249% in the case of a binaural recruitment coefficient. From our results, it can be deduced that the auditory training with wide-band white noise reduces the recruitment. That is to say, the decrease of the recruitment in high intensities both binaurally and in all ears.

A wideband absorber for television studios

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, M. D. M.

The acoustic treatment in BBC television has taken various forms to date, all of which have been relatively expensive, some of which provide inadequate absorption. An investigation has been conducted into the possibilities of producing a new type of wideband absorber which would be more economic, also taking installation time into account, than earlier designs. This Report describes the absorption coefficient measurements made on various combinations of materials, from which a wideband sound absorber has been developed. The absorber works efficiently between 50 Hz and 10 kHz, is simple and easy to construct using readily available materials, and is fire resistant. The design lends itself, if necessary, to on-site fine tuning, and savings in the region of 50 percent can be achieved in terms of cost and space with respect to previous designs.

Photoacoustic and photothermal spectroscopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawada, Tsuguo; Kitamori, Takehiko; Nakamura, Masato

1995-01-01

Photoacoustic and photothermal spectroscopy methods can be effectively applied to the analysis of microparticles in condensed matter. A more violent photothermal conversion phenomenon of a particle, laser breakdown and accompanying plasma and acoustic emission, was applied to individual detection and analysis of ultrafine particles in ultrapure water. Laser-like nonlinear emission from the plasma was observed. (author)

Photoacoustic microscopy enables multilayered histological imaging of human breast cancer without staining

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Terence T. W.; Zhang, Ruiying; Hai, Pengfei; Aft, Rebecca L.; Novack, Deborah V.; Wang, Lihong V.

2018-02-01

In 2016, an estimated 250,000 new cases of invasive and non-invasive breast cancer were diagnosed in US women. About 60-75% of these cases were treated with breast conserving surgery (BCS) as the initial therapy. To reduce the local recurrence rate, the goal of BCS is to excise the tumor with a rim of normal surrounding tissue, so that no cancer cells remain at the cut margin, while preserving as much normal breast tissue as possible. Therefore, patients with remaining cancer cells at the cut margin commonly require a second surgical procedure to obtain clear margins. Different approaches have been used to decrease the positive margin rate to avoid re-excision. However, these techniques are variously ineffective in reducing the re-operative rate, difficult to master by surgeons, or time-consuming for large specimens. Thus, 20-60% of patients undergoing BCS still require second surgeries due to positive surgical margins. The ideal tool for margin assessment would provide the same information as histological analysis, without the need for processing specimens. To achieve this goal, we have developed and refined label-free photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) for breast specimens. Exploiting the intrinsic optical contrast of tissue, ultraviolet (UV) laser illumination can highlight cell nuclei, thus providing the same contrast as hematoxylin labeling used in conventional histology and measuring features related to the histological landscape without the need for labels. We demonstrate that our UV-PAM system can provide label-free, high-resolution, and histology-like imaging of fixed, unprocessed breast tissue.

Photoacoustic spectroscopic differences between normal and malignant thyroid tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li; Xie, Wengming; Li, Hui

2012-12-01

The thyroid is one of the main endocrine glands of human body, which plays a crucial role in the body's metabolism. Thyroid cancer mortality ranks only second to ovarian cancer in endocrine cancer. Routine diagnostic methods of thyroid diseases in present clinic exist misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis to varying degrees. Those lead to miss the best period of cancer treatment--early. Photoacoustic spectroscopy technology is a new tool, which provides an effective and noninvasive way for biomedical materials research, being highly sensitive and without sample pretreatment. In this paper, we use photoacoustic spectroscopy technology (PAST) to detect the absorption spectrum between normal and malignant thyroid tissues. The result shows that the photoacoustic spectroscopy technology (PAST) could differentiate malignant thyroid tissue from normal thyroid tissue very well. This technique combined with routine diagnostic methods has the potential to increase the diagnostic accuracy in clinical thyroid cancer diagnosis.

In vivo integrated photoacoustic and confocal microscopy of hemoglobin oxygen saturation and oxygen partial pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Hu, Song; Maslov, Konstantin; Zhang, Yu; Xia, Younan; Wang, Lihong V

2011-04-01

We developed dual-modality microscope integrating photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) and fluorescence confocal microscopy (FCM) to noninvasively image hemoglobin oxygen saturation (sO₂) and oxygen partial pressure (pO₂) in vivo in single blood vessels with high spatial resolution. While PAM measures sO₂ by imaging hemoglobin optical absorption at two wavelengths, FCM quantifies pO₂ using phosphorescence quenching. The variations of sO₂ and pO₂ values in multiple orders of vessel branches under hyperoxic (100% oxygen) and normoxic (21% oxygen) conditions correlate well with the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve. In addition, the total concentration of hemoglobin is imaged by PAM at an isosbestic wavelength.

Quantum cascade laser-based photoacoustic sulfuryl fluoride sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Minini, Kariza Mayra Silva; Bueno, Sâmylla Cristina Espécie; da Silva, Marcelo Gomes; Sthel, Marcelo Silva; Vargas, Helion; Angster, Judit; Miklós, András

2017-02-01

Although sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) is an efficient fumigant that does not react with the surface of indoor materials and does not reduce the stratospheric ozone shield, there are some concerns about its use. It is a toxic gas that attacks the central nervous system, and its global warming potential (GWP) value is 4780 for 100 years' time. Therefore, it is a clear necessity of implementing detection methods for tracing such a molecule. In this work a sensitive photoacoustic setup was built to detect SO2F2 at concentrations of parts per billion by volume (ppbv). The symmetric S-O stretching mode was excited by a continuous-wave quantum cascade laser with radiation wavenumber ranging from 1275.7 to 1269.3 cm-1. The photoacoustic signal was generated by modulating the laser wavenumber at the first longitudinal mode of the photoacoustic cell with amplitude depth of 5 × 10-3 cm-1. The detection of a minimum SO2F2 concentration of 20 ppbv was achieved.

Novel applications of photoacoustic spectroscopy in life sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Stolik, S.

2004-10-01

The Photoacoustic Spectroscopy, based on the generation of acoustic waves following the absorption of the modulated light by an enclosed material, was discovered in 1880 by Alexander Graham Bell. There are a lot of remarkable achievements in this topic since those days. It has been intended to present a relatively new tool to the researchers in biological areas and, simultaneously, to propose new fields of investigation to those who have been attracted by physics. The application of Photoacoustic trace gas detection to the determination of ethylene content in mice exhalation is described as a biomarker of free radicals production. It has been demonstrated the feasibility of studying the lipid peroxidation in vivo by this technique. Specifically, the results of δ-aminolevulinic acid administration in mice are presented. This drug has been used to induce Protoporphyrin IX production and ultimately to apply the Photodynamic Therapy, a recent method in cancer treatment. A kinetic study of Protoporphyrin IX production in mice skin and blood after δ-aminolevulinic acid administration in different doses is also shown. This study was performed using Photoacoustic Spectroscopy in solids.

Bone Composition Diagnostics: Photoacoustics Versus Ultrasound

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Lifeng; Lashkari, Bahman; Mandelis, Andreas; Tan, Joel W. Y.

2015-06-01

Ultrasound (US) backscatter from bones depends on the mechanical properties and the microstructure of the interrogated bone. On the other hand, photoacoustics (PA) is sensitive to optical properties of tissue and can detect composition variation. Therefore, PA can provide complementary information about bone health and integrity. In this work, a comparative study of US backscattering and PA back-propagating signals from animal trabecular bones was performed. Both methods were applied using a linear frequency modulation chirp and matched filtering. A 2.2 MHz ultrasonic transducer was employed to detect both signals. The use of the frequency domain facilitates spectral analysis. The variation of signals shows that in addition to sensitivity to mineral changes, PA exhibits sensitivity to changes in the organic part of the bone. It is, therefore, concluded that the combination of both modalities can provide complementary detailed information on bone health than either method separately. In addition, comparison of PA and US depthwise images shows the higher penetration of US. Surface scan images exhibit very weak correlation between US and PA which could be caused by the different signal generation origins in mechanical versus optical properties, respectively.

GaAs Wideband Low Noise Amplifier Design for Breast Cancer Detection System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yan, Lei; Krozer, Viktor; Delcourt, Sebastien

2009-01-01

Modern wideband systems require low-noise receivers with bandwidth approaching 10 GHz. This paper presents ultra-wideband stable low-noise amplifier MMIC with cascode and source follower buffer configuration using GaAs technology. Source degeneration, gate and shunt peaking inductors are used...

Targeted nanodiamonds as phenotype-specific photoacoustic contrast agents for breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ti; Cui, Huizhong; Fang, Chia-Yi; Cheng, Kun; Yang, Xinmai; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Forrest, M Laird

2015-03-01

The aim is to develop irradiated nanodiamonds (INDs) as a molecularly targeted contrast agent for high-resolution and phenotype-specific detection of breast cancer with photoacoustic (PA) imaging. The surface of acid treated radiation-damaged nanodiamonds was grafted with PEG to improve its stability and circulation time in blood, followed by conjugation to an anti-HER2 peptide with a final nanoparticle size of approximately 92 nm. Immunocompetent mice bearing orthotopic HER2-positive or negative tumors were administered INDs and PA imaged using an 820-nm near-infrared laser. PA images demonstrated that INDs accumulate in tumors and completely delineated the entire tumor within 10 h. HER2 targeting significantly enhanced imaging of HER2-positive tumors. Pathological examination demonstrated INDs are nontoxic. PA technology is adaptable to low-cost bedside medicine, and with new contrast agents described herein, PA can achieve high-resolution (sub-mm) and phenotype-specific monitoring of cancer growth.

Detection of melanoma cells suspended in mononuclear cells and blood plasma using photoacoustic generation

Science.gov (United States)

Spradling, Emily M.; Viator, John A.

2009-02-01

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Although the initial malignant cells are removed, it is impossible to determine whether or not the cancer has metastasized until a secondary tumor forms that is large enough to detect with conventional imaging. Photoacoustic detection of circulating melanoma cells in the bloodstream has shown promise for early detection of metastasis that may aid in treatment of this aggressive cancer. When blood is irradiated with energy from an Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm, photoacoustic signals are created and melanoma cells can be differentiated from the surrounding cells based on waveforms produced by an oscilloscope. Before this can be used as a diagnostic technique, however, we needed to investigate several parameters. Specifically, the current technique involves the in vitro separation of blood through centrifugation to isolate and test only the white blood cell layer. Using this method, we have detected a single cultured melanoma cell among a suspension of white blood cells. However, the process could be made simpler if the plasma layer were used for detection instead of the white blood cell layer. This layer is easier to obtain after blood separation, the optical difference between plasma and melanoma cells is more pronounced in this layer than in the white blood cell layer, and the possibility that any stray red blood cells could distort the results is eliminated. Using the photoacoustic apparatus, we detected no melanoma cells within the plasma of whole blood samples spiked with cultured melanoma cells.

Recent developments in multimodality fluorescence imaging probes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianhong Zhao

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Multimodality optical imaging probes have emerged as powerful tools that improve detection sensitivity and accuracy, important in disease diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we focus on recent developments of optical fluorescence imaging (OFI probe integration with other imaging modalities such as X-ray computed tomography (CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, positron emission tomography (PET, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT, and photoacoustic imaging (PAI. The imaging technologies are briefly described in order to introduce the strengths and limitations of each techniques and the need for further multimodality optical imaging probe development. The emphasis of this account is placed on how design strategies are currently implemented to afford physicochemically and biologically compatible multimodality optical fluorescence imaging probes. We also present studies that overcame intrinsic disadvantages of each imaging technique by multimodality approach with improved detection sensitivity and accuracy. KEY WORDS: Optical imaging, Fluorescence, Multimodality, Near-infrared fluorescence, Nanoprobe, Computed tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging, Positron emission tomography, Single-photon emission computed tomography, Photoacoustic imaging

Wide-band analog frequency modulation of optic signals using indirect techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzmartin, D. J.; Balboni, E. J.; Gels, R. G.

1991-01-01

The wideband frequency modulation (FM) of an optical carrier by a radio frequency (RF) or microwave signal can be accomplished independent of laser type when indirect modulation is employed. Indirect modulators exploit the integral relation of phase to frequency so that phase modulators can be used to impress frequency modulation on an optical carrier. The use of integrated optics phase modulators, which are highly linear, enables the generation of optical wideband FM signals with very low intermodulation distortion. This modulator can be used as part of an optical wideband FM link for RF and microwave signals. Experimental results from the test of an indirect frequency modulator for an optical carrier are discussed.

Assessing carotid atherosclerosis by fiber-optic multispectral photoacoustic tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Hui, Jie; Li, Rui; Wang, Pu; Phillips, Evan; Bruning, Rebecca; Liao, Chien-Sheng; Sturek, Michael; Goergen, Craig J.; Cheng, Ji-Xin

2015-03-01

Atherosclerotic plaque at the carotid bifurcation is the underlying cause of the majority of ischemic strokes. Noninvasive imaging and quantification of the compositional changes preceding gross anatomic changes within the arterial wall is essential for diagnosis of disease. Current imaging modalities such as duplex ultrasound, computed tomography, positron emission tomography are limited by the lack of compositional contrast and the detection of flow-limiting lesions. Although high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging has been developed to characterize atherosclerotic plaque composition, its accessibility for wide clinical use is limited. Here, we demonstrate a fiber-based multispectral photoacoustic tomography system for excitation of lipids and external acoustic detection of the generated ultrasound. Using sequential ultrasound imaging of ex vivo preparations we achieved ~2 cm imaging depth and chemical selectivity for assessment of human arterial plaques. A multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares analysis method was applied to resolve the major chemical components, including intravascular lipid, intramuscular fat, and blood. These results show the promise of detecting carotid plaque in vivo through esophageal fiber-optic excitation of lipids and external acoustic detection of the generated ultrasound. This imaging system has great potential for serving as a point-ofcare device for early diagnosis of carotid artery disease in the clinic.

Enhanced linear-array photoacoustic beamforming using modified coherence factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Yan, Yan; Mehrmohammadi, Mohammad; Makkiabadi, Bahador

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a promising medical imaging modality providing the spatial resolution of ultrasound imaging and the contrast of optical imaging. For linear-array PAI, a beamformer can be used as the reconstruction algorithm. Delay-and-sum (DAS) is the most prevalent beamforming algorithm in PAI. However, using DAS beamformer leads to low-resolution images as well as high sidelobes due to nondesired contribution of off-axis signals. Coherence factor (CF) is a weighting method in which each pixel of the reconstructed image is weighted, based on the spatial spectrum of the aperture, to mainly improve the contrast. We demonstrate that the numerator of the formula of CF contains a DAS algebra and propose the use of a delay-multiply-and-sum beamformer instead of the available DAS on the numerator. The proposed weighting technique, modified CF (MCF), has been evaluated numerically and experimentally compared to CF. It was shown that MCF leads to lower sidelobes and better detectable targets. The quantitative results of the experiment (using wire targets) show that MCF leads to for about 45% and 40% improvement, in comparison with CF, in the terms of signal-to-noise ratio and full-width-half-maximum, respectively. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

An underwater ranging system based on photoacoustic effect occurring on target surface

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Kai; Hu, Kai; Li, Xinghui; Wang, Lidai; Zhou, Qian; Wang, Xiaohao

2016-11-01

In this paper, an underwater ranging system based on photoacoustic effect occurring on target surface is proposed. In this proposal, laser pulse generated by blue-green laser is directly incident on target surface, where the photoacoustic effect occurs and a sound source is formed. And then the sound wave which is also called photoacoustic signal is received by the ultrasonic receiver after passing through water. According to the time delay between transmitting laser and receiving photoacoustic signal, and sound velocity in water, the distance between the target and the ultrasonic receiver can be calculated. Differing from underwater range finding by only laser, this approach can avoid backscattering of laser beam, so easier to implement. Experimental system according to this principle has been constructed to verify the feasibility of this technology. The experimental results showed that a ranging accuracy of 1 mm can be effectively achieved when the target is close to the ultrasonic receiver.

Ultra-Wideband, Short Pulse Electromagnetics 9

CERN Document Server

Rachidi, Farhad; Kaelin, Armin; Sabath, Frank; UWB SP 9

2010-01-01

Ultra-wideband (UWB), short-pulse (SP) electromagnetics are now being used for an increasingly wide variety of applications, including collision avoidance radar, concealed object detection, and communications. Notable progress in UWB and SP technologies has been achieved by investigations of their theoretical bases and improvements in solid-state manufacturing, computers, and digitizers. UWB radar systems are also being used for mine clearing, oil pipeline inspections, archeology, geology, and electronic effects testing. Ultra-wideband Short-Pulse Electromagnetics 9 presents selected papers of deep technical content and high scientific quality from the UWB-SP9 Conference, which was held from July 21-25, 2008, in Lausanne, Switzerland. The wide-ranging coverage includes contributions on electromagnetic theory, time-domain computational techniques, modeling, antennas, pulsed-power, UWB interactions, radar systems, UWB communications, and broadband systems and components. This book serves as a state-of-the-art r...

Laser Fluence Recognition Using Computationally Intelligent Pulsed Photoacoustics Within the Trace Gases Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lukić, M.; Ćojbašić, Ž.; Rabasović, M. D.; Markushev, D. D.; Todorović, D. M.

2017-11-01

In this paper, the possibilities of computational intelligence applications for trace gas monitoring are discussed. For this, pulsed infrared photoacoustics is used to investigate SF6-Ar mixtures in a multiphoton regime, assisted by artificial neural networks. Feedforward multilayer perceptron networks are applied in order to recognize both the spatial characteristics of the laser beam and the values of laser fluence Φ from the given photoacoustic signal and prevent changes. Neural networks are trained in an offline batch training regime to simultaneously estimate four parameters from theoretical or experimental photoacoustic signals: the laser beam spatial profile R(r), vibrational-to-translational relaxation time τ _{V-T} , distance from the laser beam to the absorption molecules in the photoacoustic cell r* and laser fluence Φ . The results presented in this paper show that neural networks can estimate an unknown laser beam spatial profile and the parameters of photoacoustic signals in real time and with high precision. Real-time operation, high accuracy and the possibility of application for higher intensities of radiation for a wide range of laser fluencies are factors that classify the computational intelligence approach as efficient and powerful for the in situ measurement of atmospheric pollutants.

Photoacoustic emission from Au nanoparticles arrayed on thermal insulation layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Namura, Kyoko; Suzuki, Motofumi; Nakajima, Kaoru; Kimura, Kenji

2013-04-08

Efficient photoacoustic emission from Au nanoparticles on a porous SiO(2) layer was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The Au nanoparticle arrays/porous SiO(2)/SiO(2)/Ag mirror sandwiches, namely, local plasmon resonators, were prepared by dynamic oblique deposition (DOD). Photoacoustic measurements were performed on the local plasmon resonators, whose optical absorption was varied from 0.03 (3%) to 0.95 by varying the thickness of the dielectric SiO(2) layer. The sample with high absorption (0.95) emitted a sound that was eight times stronger than that emitted by graphite (0.94) and three times stronger than that emitted by the sample without the porous SiO(2) layer (0.93). The contribution of the porous SiO(2) layer to the efficient photoacoustic emission was analyzed by means of a numerical method based on a one-dimensional heat transfer model. The result suggested that the low thermal conductivity of the underlying porous layer reduces the amount of heat escaping from the substrate and contributes to the efficient photoacoustic emission from Au nanoparticle arrays. Because both the thermal conductivity and the spatial distribution of the heat generation can be controlled by DOD, the local plasmon resonators produced by DOD are suitable for the spatio-temporal modulation of the local temperature.

Photoacoustic measurements of photokinetics in single optically trapped aerosol droplets

Science.gov (United States)

Covert, Paul; Cremer, Johannes; Signorell, Ruth; Thaler, Klemens; Haisch, Christoph

2017-04-01

It is well established that interaction of light with atmospheric aerosols has a large impact on the Earth's climate. However, uncertainties in the magnitude of this impact remain large, due in part to broad distributions of aerosol size, composition, and chemical reactivity. In this context, photoacoustic spectroscopy is commonly used to measure light absorption by aerosols. Here, we present photoacoustic measurements of single, optically-trapped nanodroplets to reveal droplet size-depencies of photochemical and physical processes. Theoretical considerations have pointed to a size-dependence in the magnitude and phase of the photoacoustic response from aerosol droplets. This dependence is thought to originate from heat transfer processes that are slow compared to the acoustic excitation frequency. In the case of a model aerosol, our measurements of single particle absorption cross-section versus droplet size confirm these theoretical predictions. In a related study, using the same model aerosol, we also demonstrate a droplet size-dependence of photochemical reaction rates [1]. Within sub-micron sized particles, photolysis rates were observed to be an order of magnitude greater than those observed in larger droplets. [1] J. W. Cremer, K. M. Thaler, C. Haisch, and R. Signorell. Photoacoustics of single laser-trapped nanodroplets for the direct observation of nanofocusing in aerosol photokinetics. Nat. Commun., 7:10941, 2016.

WE-H-206-01: Photoacoustic Tomography: Multiscale Imaging From Organelles to Patients by Ultrasonically Beating the Optical Diffusion Limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L.

2016-01-01

Lihong V. Wang: Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), combining non-ionizing optical and ultrasonic waves via the photoacoustic effect, provides in vivo multiscale functional, metabolic, and molecular imaging. Broad applications include imaging of the breast, brain, skin, esophagus, colon, vascular system, and lymphatic system in humans or animals. Light offers rich contrast but does not penetrate biological tissue in straight paths as x-rays do. Consequently, high-resolution pure optical imaging (e.g., confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy, and optical coherence tomography) is limited to penetration within the optical diffusion limit (∼1 mm in the skin). Ultrasonic imaging, on the contrary, provides fine spatial resolution but suffers from both poor contrast in early-stage tumors and strong speckle artifacts. In PAT, pulsed laser light penetrates tissue and generates a small but rapid temperature rise, which induces emission of ultrasonic waves due to thermoelastic expansion. The ultrasonic waves, orders of magnitude less scattering than optical waves, are then detected to form high-resolution images of optical absorption at depths up to 7 cm, conquering the optical diffusion limit. PAT is the only modality capable of imaging across the length scales of organelles, cells, tissues, and organs (up to whole-body small animals) with consistent contrast. This rapidly growing technology promises to enable multiscale biological research and accelerate translation from microscopic laboratory discoveries to macroscopic clinical practice. PAT may also hold the key to label-free early detection of cancer by in vivo quantification of hypermetabolism, the quintessential hallmark of malignancy. Learning Objectives: To understand the contrast mechanism of PAT To understand the multiscale applications of PAT Benjamin M. W. Tsui: Multi-modality molecular imaging instrumentation and techniques have been major developments in small animal imaging that has contributed significantly

WE-H-206-01: Photoacoustic Tomography: Multiscale Imaging From Organelles to Patients by Ultrasonically Beating the Optical Diffusion Limit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, L. [Washington University (United States)

2016-06-15

Lihong V. Wang: Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), combining non-ionizing optical and ultrasonic waves via the photoacoustic effect, provides in vivo multiscale functional, metabolic, and molecular imaging. Broad applications include imaging of the breast, brain, skin, esophagus, colon, vascular system, and lymphatic system in humans or animals. Light offers rich contrast but does not penetrate biological tissue in straight paths as x-rays do. Consequently, high-resolution pure optical imaging (e.g., confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy, and optical coherence tomography) is limited to penetration within the optical diffusion limit (∼1 mm in the skin). Ultrasonic imaging, on the contrary, provides fine spatial resolution but suffers from both poor contrast in early-stage tumors and strong speckle artifacts. In PAT, pulsed laser light penetrates tissue and generates a small but rapid temperature rise, which induces emission of ultrasonic waves due to thermoelastic expansion. The ultrasonic waves, orders of magnitude less scattering than optical waves, are then detected to form high-resolution images of optical absorption at depths up to 7 cm, conquering the optical diffusion limit. PAT is the only modality capable of imaging across the length scales of organelles, cells, tissues, and organs (up to whole-body small animals) with consistent contrast. This rapidly growing technology promises to enable multiscale biological research and accelerate translation from microscopic laboratory discoveries to macroscopic clinical practice. PAT may also hold the key to label-free early detection of cancer by in vivo quantification of hypermetabolism, the quintessential hallmark of malignancy. Learning Objectives: To understand the contrast mechanism of PAT To understand the multiscale applications of PAT Benjamin M. W. Tsui: Multi-modality molecular imaging instrumentation and techniques have been major developments in small animal imaging that has contributed significantly

Photoacoustic microscopy of complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS-1) after stellate ganglion blocks in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yong; Yi, Xiaobin; Xing, Wenxin; Hu, Song; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Wang, Lihong V.

2015-03-01

We used photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) to assist diagnoses and monitor the progress and treatment outcome of complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1). Blood vasculature and oxygen saturation (sO2) were imaged by PAM in eight adult patients with CRPS-1. Patients' hands and cuticles were imaged both before and after stellate ganglion block (SGB) for comparison. For all patients, both the vascular structure and sO2 could be assessed by PAM. In addition, more vessels and stronger signals were observed after SGB.

Wideband CMOS receivers

CERN Document Server

Oliveira, Luis

2015-01-01

This book demonstrates how to design a wideband receiver operating in current mode, in which the noise and non-linearity are reduced, implemented in a low cost single chip, using standard CMOS technology.  The authors present a solution to remove the transimpedance amplifier (TIA) block and connect directly the mixer’s output to a passive second-order continuous-time Σ∆ analog to digital converter (ADC), which operates in current-mode. These techniques enable the reduction of area, power consumption, and cost in modern CMOS receivers.

Photoacoustical and pyroelectric dosimetry of X-ray radiation in diagnostic region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, A.A. de.

1987-01-01

Three new types of radiation dosimeters, designed to measure X rays in its diagnostic region are described: the pulsed photoacoustical radiation dosimeter, the pyroelectric radiation dosimeter and the pulsed pyroelectric radiation dosimeter. The photoacoustical radiation dosimeter with the scope of to compare its carachteristics with the carachteristics of the new developed dosimeters is also studied. A methodology for calibration of a photoacoustical dosimeter which doesn't require the calibration of its response in a known field of ionizing radiation is proposed. A theoretical model to explain the results produced by the pulsed pyroelectric radiation dosimeter is presented. The obtained results show that the developed dosimeters are of calorimetric type, being linear its response with the X ray energy fluence rate. (author) [pt

Conjugation of fiber-coupled wide-band light sources and acousto-optical spectral elements

Science.gov (United States)

Machikhin, Alexander; Batshev, Vladislav; Polschikova, Olga; Khokhlov, Demid; Pozhar, Vitold; Gorevoy, Alexey

2017-12-01

Endoscopic instrumentation is widely used for diagnostics and surgery. The imaging systems, which provide the hyperspectral information of the tissues accessible by endoscopes, are particularly interesting and promising for in vivo photoluminescence diagnostics and therapy of tumour and inflammatory diseases. To add the spectral imaging feature to standard video endoscopes, we propose to implement acousto-optical (AO) filtration of wide-band illumination of incandescent-lamp-based light sources. To collect maximum light and direct it to the fiber-optic light guide inside the endoscopic probe, we have developed and tested the optical system for coupling the light source, the acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) and the light guide. The system is compact and compatible with the standard endoscopic components.

Quantitative photo-acoustic tomography with partial data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Jie; Yang, Yang

2012-01-01

Photo-acoustic tomography is a newly developed hybrid imaging modality that combines a high-resolution modality with a high-contrast modality. We analyze the reconstruction of diffusion and absorption parameters in an elliptic equation and extend an earlier result of Bal and Uhlmann (2010 Inverse Problems 26 085010) to the partial data case. We show that the reconstruction can be uniquely determined by the knowledge of four internal data based on well-chosen partial boundary conditions. Stability of this reconstruction is ensured if a convexity condition is satisfied. A similar stability result is obtained without this geometric constraint if 4n well chosen partial boundary conditions are available, where n is the spatial dimension. The set of well chosen boundary measurements is characterized by some complex geometric optics solutions vanishing on a part of the boundary. (paper)

A 2.5-mm diameter probe for photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Joon-Mo; Chen, Ruimin; Favazza, Christopher; Yao, Junjie; Li, Chiye; Hu, Zhilin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K Kirk; Wang, Lihong V

2012-10-08

We have created a 2.5-mm outer diameter integrated photo-acoustic and ultrasonic mini-probe which can be inserted into a standard video endoscope's instrument channel. A small-diameter focused ultrasonic transducer made of PMN-PT provides adequate signal sensitivity, and enables miniaturization of the probe. Additionally, this new endoscopic probe utilizes the same scanning mirror and micromotor-based built-in actuator described in our previous reports; however, the length of the rigid distal section of the new probe has been further reduced to ~35 mm. This paper describes the technical details of the mini-probe and presents experimental results that both quantify the imaging performance and demonstrate its in vivo imaging capability, which suggests that it could work as a mini-probe for certain clinical applications.

A 2.5-mm diameter probe for photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Joon-Mo; Chen, Ruimin; Favazza, Christopher; Yao, Junjie; Li, Chiye; Hu, Zhilin; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K. Kirk; Wang, Lihong V.

2012-01-01

We have created a 2.5-mm outer diameter integrated photo-acoustic and ultrasonic mini-probe which can be inserted into a standard video endoscope’s instrument channel. A small-diameter focused ultrasonic transducer made of PMN-PT provides adequate signal sensitivity, and enables miniaturization of the probe. Additionally, this new endoscopic probe utilizes the same scanning mirror and micromotor-based built-in actuator described in our previous reports; however, the length of the rigid distal section of the new probe has been further reduced to ~35 mm. This paper describes the technical details of the mini-probe and presents experimental results that both quantify the imaging performance and demonstrate its in vivo imaging capability, which suggests that it could work as a mini-probe for certain clinical applications. PMID:23188360

Ultra-wideband radar sensors and networks

Science.gov (United States)

Leach, Jr., Richard R; Nekoogar, Faranak; Haugen, Peter C

2013-08-06

Ultra wideband radar motion sensors strategically placed in an area of interest communicate with a wireless ad hoc network to provide remote area surveillance. Swept range impulse radar and a heart and respiration monitor combined with the motion sensor further improves discrimination.

Substrate Effects in Wideband SiGe HBT Mixer Circuits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Tom Keinicke; Vidkjær, Jens; Krozer, Viktor

2005-01-01

are also applied to predict short distance substrate coupling effects. Simulation results using extracted equivalent circuit models and substrate coupling networks are compared with experimental results obtained on a wideband mixer circuit implemented in a 0.35 μm, 60 GHz ft SiGe HBT BiCMOS process.......In this paper, the influence from substrate effects on the performance of wideband SiGe HBT mixer circuits is investigated. Equivalent circuit models including substrate networks are extracted from on-wafer test structures and compared with electromagnetic simulations. Electromagnetic simulations...

Compact super-wideband optical antenna

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wen C.; Forber, Richard; Bui, Kenneth

2009-05-01

We present progress on advanced optical antennas, which are compact, small size-weight-power units capable to receive super wideband radiated RF signals from 30 MHz to over 3 GHz. Based on electro-optical modulation of fiber-coupled guided wave light, these dielectric E-field sensors exhibit dipole-like azimuthal omni directionality, and combine small size (channels, and high EO sensing materials. The antenna system photonic link consists of a 1550 nm PM fiber-pigtailed laser, a specialized optical modulator antenna in channel waveguide format, a wideband photoreceiver, and optical phase stabilizing components. The optical modulator antenna design employs a dielectric (no electrode) Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) arranged so that sensing RF bandwidth is not limited by optical transit time effects, and MZI phase drift is bias stabilized. For a prototype optical antenna system that is < 100 in3, < 10 W, < 5 lbs, we present test data on sensitivity (< 20 mV/m-Hz1/2), RF bandwidth, and antenna directionality, and show good agreement with theoretical predictions.

Mutual Coupling Reduction for UWB MIMO Antennas with a Wideband Neutralization Line

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Shuai; Pedersen, Gert F.

2016-01-01

A wideband neutralization line is proposed to reduce the mutual coupling of a compact ultrawideband (UWB) MIMO antenna. With the introduced decoupling method, the designed UWB MIMO antenna covers the band of 3.1-5 GHz with an isolation of higher than 22 dB. The proposed wideband neutralization line...

Wideband aperture array using RF channelizers and massively parallel digital 2D IIR filterbank

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Arindam; Madanayake, Arjuna; Gómez-García, Roberto; Engeberg, Erik D.

2014-05-01

Wideband receive-mode beamforming applications in wireless location, electronically-scanned antennas for radar, RF sensing, microwave imaging and wireless communications require digital aperture arrays that offer a relatively constant far-field beam over several octaves of bandwidth. Several beamforming schemes including the well-known true time-delay and the phased array beamformers have been realized using either finite impulse response (FIR) or fast Fourier transform (FFT) digital filter-sum based techniques. These beamforming algorithms offer the desired selectivity at the cost of a high computational complexity and frequency-dependant far-field array patterns. A novel approach to receiver beamforming is the use of massively parallel 2-D infinite impulse response (IIR) fan filterbanks for the synthesis of relatively frequency independent RF beams at an order of magnitude lower multiplier complexity compared to FFT or FIR filter based conventional algorithms. The 2-D IIR filterbanks demand fast digital processing that can support several octaves of RF bandwidth, fast analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for RF-to-bits type direct conversion of wideband antenna element signals. Fast digital implementation platforms that can realize high-precision recursive filter structures necessary for real-time beamforming, at RF radio bandwidths, are also desired. We propose a novel technique that combines a passive RF channelizer, multichannel ADC technology, and single-phase massively parallel 2-D IIR digital fan filterbanks, realized at low complexity using FPGA and/or ASIC technology. There exists native support for a larger bandwidth than the maximum clock frequency of the digital implementation technology. We also strive to achieve More-than-Moore throughput by processing a wideband RF signal having content with N-fold (B = N Fclk/2) bandwidth compared to the maximum clock frequency Fclk Hz of the digital VLSI platform under consideration. Such increase in bandwidth is

An experimental and theoretical approach to the study of the photoacoustic signal produced by cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Pérez Solano

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The distinctive spectral absorption characteristics of cancer cells make photoacoustic techniques useful for detection in vitro and in vivo. Here we report on our evaluation of the photoacoustic signal produced by a series of monolayers of different cell lines in vitro. Only the melanoma cell line HS936 produced a detectable photoacoustic signal in which amplitude was dependent on the number of cells. This finding appears to be related to the amount of melanin available in these cells. Other cell lines (i.e. HL60, SK-Mel-1, T47D, Hela, HT29 and PC12 exhibited values similar to a precursor of melanin (tyrosinase, but failed to produce sufficient melanin to generate a photoacoustic signal that could be distinguished from background noise. To better understand this phenomenon, we determined a formula for the time-domain photoacoustic wave equation for a monolayer of cells in a non-viscous fluid on the thermoelastic regime. The theoretical results showed that the amplitude and profile of the photoacoustic signal generated by a cell monolayer depended upon the number and distribution of the cells and the location of the point of detection. These findings help to provide a better understanding of the factors involved in the generation of a photoacoustic signal produced by different cells in vitro and in vivo.

Detection of circulating breast cancer cells using photoacoustic flow cytometry

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharyya, Kiran

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed this year. Moreover, about 40,000 women died from breast cancer last year alone. As breast cancer progresses in an individual, it can transform from a localized state to a metastatic one with multiple tumors distributed through the body, not necessarily contained within the breast. Metastasis is the spread of cancer through the body by circulating tumor cells (CTCs) which can be found in the blood and lymph of the diagnosed patient. Diagnosis of a metastatic state by the discovery of a secondary tumor can often come too late and hence, significantly reduce the patient's chance of survival. There is a current need for a CTC detection method which would diagnose metastasis before the secondary tumor occurs or reaches a size resolvable by current imaging systems. Since earlier detection would improve prognosis, this study proposes a method of labeling of breast cancer cells for detection with a photoacoustic flow cytometry system as a model for CTC detection in human blood. Gold nanoparticles and fluorescent polystyrene nanoparticles are proposed as contrast agents for T47D, the breast cancer cell line of choice. The labeling, photoacoustic detection limit, and sensitivity are first characterized and then applied to a study to show detection from human blood.

Wideband amplifier design

CERN Document Server

Hollister, Allen L

2007-01-01

In this book, the theory needed to understand wideband amplifier design using the simplest models possible will be developed. This theory will be used to develop algebraic equations that describe particular circuits used in high frequency design so that the reader develops a ""gut level"" understanding of the process and circuit. SPICE and Genesys simulations will be performed to show the accuracy of the algebraic models. By looking at differences between the algebraic equations and the simulations, new algebraic models will be developed that include parameters originally left out of the model

An Ultra-wideband and Polarization-independent Metasurface for RCS Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Pei; Zhao, Yongjiu; Jia, Shengli; Shi, Wenwen; Wang, Hongli

2016-02-11

In this paper, an ultra-wideband and polarization-independent metasurface for radar cross section (RCS) reduction is proposed. The unit cell of the metasurface operates in a linear cross-polarization scheme in a broad band. The phase and amplitude of cross-polarized reflection can be separately controlled by its geometry and rotation angle. Based on the diffuse reflection theory, a 3-bit coding metasurface is designed to reduce the RCS in an ultra-wide band. The wideband property of the metasurface benefits from the wideband cross polarization conversion and flexible phase modulation. In addition, the polarization-independent feature of the metasurface is achieved by tailoring the rotation angle of each element. Both the simulated and measured results demonstrate that the proposed metasurface can reduce the RCS significantly in an ultra-wide frequency band for both normal and oblique incidences, which makes it promising in the applications such as electromagnetic cloaking.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy for analytical measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haisch, Christoph

2012-01-01

Many different techniques, such as UV/vis absorption, IR spectroscopy, fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy are routinely applied in chemical (micro-)analysis and chemical imaging, and a large variety of instruments is commercially available. Up to now, opto- or photoacoustic (PA) and other optothermal (OT) methods are less common and only a limited number of instruments reached a level of application beyond prototypes in research laboratories. The underlying principle of all these techniques is the detection of local heating due to the conversion of light into heat by optical absorption. Considering the versatility, robustness and instrumental simplicity of many PA techniques, it is surprising that the number of commercial instruments based on such approaches is so sparse. The impetus of this review is to summarize basic principles and possible applications described in the literature, in order to foster routine application of these techniques in industry, process analysis and environmental screening. While the terms OT and PA methods cover a very wide range of methods and physical phenomena, this review will concentrate on techniques with applications for analytical measurements. (topical review)

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations of A High Affinity and Specificity Photoacoustic Nanoparticle Targeting to Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Lixin; Xu, Hang; Lee, Li Ean

oxide (SIO) nanoparticle as a potent cancer cell selective PA contrast agent, with a high binding affinity and selectivity to the gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) which is overexpressed in many human cancers including prostate cancer, breast cancer and small cell lung cancer etc.......Photoacoustic (PA) imaging uses a short-pulsed laser to create ultrasound signals for the high resolution acoustic imaging. The development of targeting PA contrast agents offers a unique opportunity to improve the early detection of cancer cells. This work aims to develop a silica coated iron...

Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Patimisco, Pietro; Scamarcio, Gaetano; Tittel, Frank K.; Spagnolo, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

A detailed review on the development of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic sensors (QEPAS) for the sensitive and selective quantification of molecular trace gas species with resolved spectroscopic features is reported. The basis of the QEPAS technique, the technology available to support this field in terms of key components, such as light sources and quartz-tuning forks and the recent developments in detection methods and performance limitations will be discussed. Furthermore, different experimental QEPAS methods such as: on-beam and off-beam QEPAS, quartz-enhanced evanescent wave photoacoustic detection, modulation-cancellation approach and mid-IR single mode fiber-coupled sensor systems will be reviewed and analysed. A QEPAS sensor operating in the THz range, employing a custom-made quartz-tuning fork and a THz quantum cascade laser will be also described. Finally, we evaluated data reported during the past decade and draw relevant and useful conclusions from this analysis. PMID:24686729

Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy: A Review

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Pietro Patimisco

2014-03-01

Full Text Available A detailed review on the development of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic sensors (QEPAS for the sensitive and selective quantification of molecular trace gas species with resolved spectroscopic features is reported. The basis of the QEPAS technique, the technology available to support this field in terms of key components, such as light sources and quartz-tuning forks and the recent developments in detection methods and performance limitations will be discussed. Furthermore, different experimental QEPAS methods such as: on-beam and off-beam QEPAS, quartz-enhanced evanescent wave photoacoustic detection, modulation-cancellation approach and mid-IR single mode fiber-coupled sensor systems will be reviewed and analysed. A QEPAS sensor operating in the THz range, employing a custom-made quartz-tuning fork and a THz quantum cascade laser will be also described. Finally, we evaluated data reported during the past decade and draw relevant and useful conclusions from this analysis.

DEEP WIDEBAND SINGLE POINTINGS AND MOSAICS IN RADIO INTERFEROMETRY: HOW ACCURATELY DO WE RECONSTRUCT INTENSITIES AND SPECTRAL INDICES OF FAINT SOURCES?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rau, U.; Bhatnagar, S.; Owen, F. N., E-mail: rurvashi@nrao.edu [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, NM-87801 (United States)

2016-11-01

Many deep wideband wide-field radio interferometric surveys are being designed to accurately measure intensities, spectral indices, and polarization properties of faint source populations. In this paper, we compare various wideband imaging methods to evaluate the accuracy to which intensities and spectral indices of sources close to the confusion limit can be reconstructed. We simulated a wideband single-pointing (C-array, L-Band (1–2 GHz)) and 46-pointing mosaic (D-array, C-Band (4–8 GHz)) JVLA observation using a realistic brightness distribution ranging from 1 μ Jy to 100 mJy and time-, frequency-, polarization-, and direction-dependent instrumental effects. The main results from these comparisons are (a) errors in the reconstructed intensities and spectral indices are larger for weaker sources even in the absence of simulated noise, (b) errors are systematically lower for joint reconstruction methods (such as Multi-Term Multi-Frequency-Synthesis (MT-MFS)) along with A-Projection for accurate primary beam correction, and (c) use of MT-MFS for image reconstruction eliminates Clean-bias (which is present otherwise). Auxiliary tests include solutions for deficiencies of data partitioning methods (e.g., the use of masks to remove clean bias and hybrid methods to remove sidelobes from sources left un-deconvolved), the effect of sources not at pixel centers, and the consequences of various other numerical approximations within software implementations. This paper also demonstrates the level of detail at which such simulations must be done in order to reflect reality, enable one to systematically identify specific reasons for every trend that is observed, and to estimate scientifically defensible imaging performance metrics and the associated computational complexity of the algorithms/analysis procedures.

Inverse transport theory of photoacoustics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bal, Guillaume; Jollivet, Alexandre; Jugnon, Vincent

2010-01-01

We consider the reconstruction of optical parameters in a domain of interest from photoacoustic data. Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) radiates high-frequency electromagnetic waves into the domain and measures acoustic signals emitted by the resulting thermal expansion. Acoustic signals are then used to construct the deposited thermal energy map. The latter depends on the constitutive optical parameters in a nontrivial manner. In this paper, we develop and use an inverse transport theory with internal measurements to extract information on the optical coefficients from knowledge of the deposited thermal energy map. We consider the multi-measurement setting in which many electromagnetic radiation patterns are used to probe the domain of interest. By developing an expansion of the measurement operator into singular components, we show that the spatial variations of the intrinsic attenuation and the scattering coefficients may be reconstructed. We also reconstruct coefficients describing anisotropic scattering of photons, such as the anisotropy coefficient g(x) in a Henyey–Greenstein phase function model. Finally, we derive stability estimates for the reconstructions

Wideband two-port beam splitter of a binary fused-silica phase grating.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bo; Zhou, Changhe; Feng, Jijun; Ru, Huayi; Zheng, Jiangjun

2008-08-01

The usual beam splitter of multilayer-coated film with a wideband spectrum is not easy to achieve. We describe the realization of a wideband transmission two-port beam splitter based on a binary fused-silica phase grating. To achieve high efficiency and equality in the diffracted 0th and -1st orders, the grating profile parameters are optimized using rigorous coupled-wave analysis at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Holographic recording and the inductively coupled plasma dry etching technique are used to fabricate the fused-silica beam splitter grating. The measured efficiency of (45% x 2) = 90% diffracted into the both orders can be obtained with the fabricated grating under Littrow mounting. The physical mechanism of such a wideband two-port beam splitter grating can be well explained by the modal method based on two-beam interference of the modes excited by the incident wave. With the high damage threshold, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and wideband high efficiency, the presented beam splitter etched in fused silica should be a useful optical element for a variety of practical applications.

In vivo detection of hemoglobin oxygen saturation and carboxyhemoglobin saturation with multiwavelength photoacoustic microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhongjiang; Yang, Sihua; Xing, Da

2012-08-15

A method for noninvasively detecting hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO2) and carboxyhemoglobin saturation (SCO) in subcutaneous microvasculature with multiwavelength photoacoustic microscopy is presented. Blood samples mixed with different concentrations of carboxyhemoglobin were used to test the feasibility and accuracy of photoacoustic microscopy compared with the blood-gas analyzer. Moreover, fixed-point detection of SO2 and SCO in mouse ear was obtained, and the changes from normoxia to carbon monoxide hypoxia were dynamically monitored in vivo. Experimental results demonstrate that multiwavelength photoacoustic microscopy can detect SO2 and SCO, which has future potential clinical applications.

Superconducting microphone for photoacoustic spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro, P.C.; Labrunie, M.; Weid, J.P. von der; Symko, O.G.

1982-07-01

A superconducting microphone has been developed for photoacoustic spectroscopy at low temperatures. The microphone consists of a thin mylar membrane coated with a film of lead whose motion is detected by a SQUID magnetometer. For the simple set-up presented here, the limiting pressure sensitivity is 7.5x10 -14 atmospheres/√Hz. (Author) [pt

Photoacoustic signal attenuation analysis for the assessment of thin layers thickness in paintings

Science.gov (United States)

Tserevelakis, George J.; Dal Fovo, Alice; Melessanaki, Krystalia; Fontana, Raffaella; Zacharakis, Giannis

2018-03-01

This study introduces a novel method for the thickness estimation of thin paint layers in works of art, based on photoacoustic signal attenuation analysis (PAcSAA). Ad hoc designed samples with acrylic paint layers (Primary Red Magenta, Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine Blue) of various thicknesses on glass substrates were realized for the specific application. After characterization by Optical Coherence Tomography imaging, samples were irradiated at the back side using low energy nanosecond laser pulses of 532 nm wavelength. Photoacoustic waves undergo a frequency-dependent exponential attenuation through the paint layer, before being detected by a broadband ultrasonic transducer. Frequency analysis of the recorded time-domain signals allows for the estimation of the average transmitted frequency function, which shows an exponential decay with the layer thickness. Ultrasonic attenuation models were obtained for each pigment and used to fit the data acquired on an inhomogeneous painted mock-up simulating a real canvas painting. Thickness evaluation through PAcSAA resulted in excellent agreement with cross-section analysis with a conventional brightfield microscope. The results of the current study demonstrate the potential of the proposed PAcSAA method for the non-destructive stratigraphic analysis of painted artworks.

Targeted Nanodiamonds as Phenotype Specific Photoacoustic Contrast Agents for Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ti; Cui, Huizhong; Fang, Chia-Yi; Cheng, Kun; Yang, Xinmai; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Forrest, M. Laird

2015-01-01

Aim The aim is to develop irradiated nanodiamonds (INDs) as a molecularly-targeted contrast agent for high resolution and phenotype-specific detection of breast cancer with photoacoustic (PA) imaging. Materials & Methods The surface of acid treated radiation-damaged nanodiamonds was grafted with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to improve its stability and circulation time in blood, followed by conjugation to an anti-Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) peptide (KCCYSL) with a final nanoparticle size of ca. 92 nm. Immunocompetent mice bearing orthotopic HER2 positive or negative tumors were administered INDs and PA imaged using an 820-nm near infrared laser. Results PA images demonstrated that INDs accumulate in tumors and completely delineated the entire tumor within 10 hours. HER2 targeting significantly enhanced imaging of HER2-positive tumors. Pathological examination demonstrated INDs are non-toxic. Conclusions PA technology is adaptable to low-cost bedside medicine, and with new contrast agents described herein, PA can achieve high resolution (sub-mm) and phenotype specific monitoring of cancer growth. PMID:25723091

Effects of optical attenuation, heat diffusion, and acoustic coherence in photoacoustic signals produced by nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Alba-Rosales, J. E.; Ramos-Ortiz, G.; Escamilla-Herrera, L. F.; Reyes-Ramírez, B.; Polo-Parada, L.; Gutiérrez-Juárez, G.

2018-04-01

The behavior of the photoacoustic signal produced by nanoparticles as a function of their concentration was studied in detail. As the concentration of nanoparticles is increased in a sample, the peak-to-peak photoacoustic amplitude increases linearly up to a certain value, after which an asymptotic saturated behavior is observed. To elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these observations, we evaluate the effects of nanoparticles concentration, the optical attenuation, and the effects of heat propagation from nano-sources to their surroundings. We found that the saturation effect of the photoacoustic signal as a function of the concentration of nanoparticles is explained by a combination of two different mechanisms. As has been suggested previously, but not modeled correctly, the most important mechanism is attributed to optical attenuation. The second mechanism is due to an interference destructive process attributed to the superimposition of the photoacoustic amplitudes generated for each nanoparticle, and this explanation is reinforced through our experimental and simulations results; based on this, it is found that the linear behavior of the photoacoustic amplitude could be restricted to optical densities ≤0.5.

Photoacoustic imaging to assess pixel-based sO2 distributions in experimental prostate tumors

Science.gov (United States)

Bendinger, Alina L.; Glowa, Christin; Peter, Jörg; Karger, Christian P.

2018-03-01

A protocol for photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has been developed to assess pixel-based oxygen saturation (sO2) distributions of experimental tumor models. The protocol was applied to evaluate the dependence of PAI results on measurement settings, reproducibility of PAI, and for the characterization of the oxygenation status of experimental prostate tumor sublines (Dunning R3327-H, -HI, -AT1) implanted subcutaneously in male Copenhagen rats. The three-dimensional (3-D) PA data employing two wavelengths were used to estimate sO2 distributions. If the PA signal was sufficiently strong, the distributions were independent from signal gain, threshold, and positioning of animals. Reproducibility of sO2 distributions with respect to shape and median values was demonstrated over several days. The three tumor sublines were characterized by the shapes of their sO2 distributions and their temporal response after external changes of the oxygen supply (100% O2 or air breathing and clamping of tumor-supplying artery). The established protocol showed to be suitable for detecting temporal changes in tumor oxygenation as well as differences in oxygenation between tumor sublines. PA results were in accordance with histology for hypoxia, perfusion, and vasculature. The presented protocol for the assessment of pixel-based sO2 distributions provides more detailed information as compared to conventional region-of-interest-based analysis of PAI, especially with respect to the detection of temporal changes and tumor heterogeneity.

Photoacoustic imaging to assess pixel-based sO2 distributions in experimental prostate tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bendinger, Alina L; Glowa, Christin; Peter, Jörg; Karger, Christian P

2018-03-01

A protocol for photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has been developed to assess pixel-based oxygen saturation (sO2) distributions of experimental tumor models. The protocol was applied to evaluate the dependence of PAI results on measurement settings, reproducibility of PAI, and for the characterization of the oxygenation status of experimental prostate tumor sublines (Dunning R3327-H, -HI, -AT1) implanted subcutaneously in male Copenhagen rats. The three-dimensional (3-D) PA data employing two wavelengths were used to estimate sO2 distributions. If the PA signal was sufficiently strong, the distributions were independent from signal gain, threshold, and positioning of animals. Reproducibility of sO2 distributions with respect to shape and median values was demonstrated over several days. The three tumor sublines were characterized by the shapes of their sO2 distributions and their temporal response after external changes of the oxygen supply (100% O2 or air breathing and clamping of tumor-supplying artery). The established protocol showed to be suitable for detecting temporal changes in tumor oxygenation as well as differences in oxygenation between tumor sublines. PA results were in accordance with histology for hypoxia, perfusion, and vasculature. The presented protocol for the assessment of pixel-based sO2 distributions provides more detailed information as compared to conventional region-of-interest-based analysis of PAI, especially with respect to the detection of temporal changes and tumor heterogeneity. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

HematoPorphyrin Monomethyl Ether polymer contrast agent for ultrasound/photoacoustic dual-modality imaging-guided synergistic high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Sijing; Lu, Min; Ding, Xiaoya; Chen, Fei; He, Xuemei; Xu, Chunyan; Zhou, Hang; Wang, Qi; Hao, Lan; Zou, Jianzhong

2016-08-18

This study is to prepare a hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsules (HMME/PLGA), which could not only function as efficient contrast agent for ultrasound (US)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging, but also as a synergistic agent for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation. Sonosensitizer HMME nanoparticles were integrated into PLGA microcapsules with the double emulsion evaporation method. After characterization, the cell-killing and cell proliferation-inhibiting effects of HMME/PLGA microcapsules on ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were assessed. The US/PA imaging-enhancing effects and synergistic effects on HIFU were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. HMME/PLGA microcapsules were highly dispersed with well-defined spherical morphology (357 ± 0.72 nm in diameter, PDI = 0.932). Encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading efficiency were 58.33 ± 0.95% and 4.73 ± 0.15%, respectively. The HMME/PLGA microcapsules remarkably killed the SKOV3 cells and inhibited the cell proliferation, significantly enhanced the US/PA imaging results and greatly enhanced the HIFU ablation effects on ovarian cancer in nude mice by the HMME-mediated sono-dynamic chemistry therapy (SDT). HMME/PLGA microcapsules represent a potential multifunctional contrast agent for HIFU diagnosis and treatment, which might provide a novel strategy for the highly efficient imaging-guided non-invasive HIFU synergistic therapy for cancers by SDT in clinic.

Fast optimization method of designing a wideband metasurface without using the Pancharatnam-Berry phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Sai; Ma, Hua; Lv, Yueguang; Wang, Jiafu; Li, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Jieqiu; Xu, Zhuo; Qu, Shaobo

2018-01-22

Arbitrary control of electromagnetic waves remains a significant challenge although it promises many important applications. Here, we proposed a fast optimization method of designing a wideband metasurface without using the Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase, of which the elements are non-absorptive and capable of predicting the wideband and smooth phase-shift. In our design method, the metasurface is composed of low-Q-factor resonant elements without using the PB phase, and is optimized by the genetic algorithm and nonlinear fitting method, having the advantages that the far field scattering patterns can be quickly synthesized by the hybrid array patterns. To validate the design method, a wideband low radar cross section metasurface is demonstrated, showing good feasibility and performance of wideband RCS reduction. This work reveals an opportunity arising from a metasurface in effective manipulation of microwave and flexible fast optimal design method.