Transportable Multispectral Optical-Resolution Photoacoustic Microscopy Using Stimulated Raman Scattering Spectrum

Abstract

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has become a powerful biomedical imaging technique in the last decades, combining optical and ultrasound imaging (USI) principles. Among the various configurations, optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) served as a vital tool for high-resolution and high-sensitivity imaging of small animals in vivo. However, the current systems have limited mobility, which hinders preclinical and clinical research in cramped spaces. Here, we propose a compact ( 510times 660times1660 mm3) transportable PAI system with stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) spectroscopy to address this challenge. The proposed system is designed for complete mobility, overcoming space restrictions. We demonstrate the feasibility of the system by imaging in vitro phantoms and in vivo mice. Additionally, we verify its functional imaging capabilities by visualizing oxygen saturation levels in vivo mice ears. Our results indicate that the proposed transportable PAI system maintains fast data acquisition time, superior image quality, and multispectral imaging capabilities. This shows great potential for expanding the applications of OR-PAM to a wider range of research and clinical scenarios. © 1963-2012 IEEE.