title: Photoacoustic imaging of the microvasculature with a high-frequency ultrasound array transducer.
abstract: Visualization of microvascular networks could provide new information about function and disease. We demonstrate the capabilities of a 30-MHz ultrasound array system for photoacoustic microscopy of small (< or = 300 microm) vessels in a rat. 3D images obtained by translating the array in the elevation direction are compared with photographs of excised skin. The system is shown to have 100-microm lateral resolution, 25-microm axial resolution, and 3-mm imaging depth. To our knowledge this is the first report on photoacoustic microscopy of the microvasculature with a high-frequency array transducer. It is anticipated that the system can be used for studying and diagnosing a number of diseases including cancer, atherosclerosis, dermatological disorders, and peripheral microvascular complications in diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Washington University, Optical Imaging Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Roger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zemp
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bitton
authors.forename: Meng-Lin
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: K Kirk
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shung
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stoica
authors.forename: Lihong V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers