title: In vivo dark-field reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy.
abstract: Reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy with dark-field laser pulse illumination and high-numerical-aperture ultrasonic detection is designed and implemented in noninvasively imaged blood vessels in the skin in vivo. Dark-field optical illumination minimizes the interference caused by strong photoacoustic signals from superficial structures. A high-numerical-aperture acoustic lens provides high lateral resolution, 45-120 microm in this system. A broadband ultrasonic detection system provides high axial resolution, estimated to be approximately 15 microm. The optical illumination and ultrasonic detection are in a coaxial confocal configuration for optimal image quality. The system is capable of imaging optical-absorption contrast as deep as 3 mm in biological tissue.
authors.affiliation: Optical Imaging Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3120, USA.
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maslov
authors.forename: Gheorghe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stoica
authors.forename: Lihong V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*