Simultaneous Dual-modal Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Imaging for Small Animals

Abstract

Photoacoustic imaging is a promising imaging technique, which has been widely used in biomedical studies. Despite its excellent functional imaging capability, the structural information of photoacoustic imaging is limited compared to ultrasound imaging. To acquire morphological information of biological tissues, photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging modalities have been integrated. However, the dual-modal imaging technique is usually implemented on commercial ultrasound imaging machines that may not suitable for preclinical animal studies. In this study, we have successfully developed a dual-modal photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system that can acquire whole-body images of mice in vivo. The photoacoustic and ultrasound images provide complementary structural and functional information of biological tissues. The system can potentially be used for various biomedical studies, including drug delivery, bio-distribution assessment, and agent testing.