Photoacoustic imaging of port-wine stains.
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.


METHODS
PAI uses pulsed light to generate ultrasound upon absorption of short light pulses by blood. In this study we used PAI to image vasculature in PWSs in three human volunteers. Two-dimensional imaging (scan direction vs. depth) was carried out by scanning a double-ring photoacoustic sensor over the tissue surface.


RESULTS
In the photoacoustic images we observed an increased photoacoustic signal intensity at the locations of the PWS that is associated with increased vascularization. From the obtained images we measured the thickness of the vascular layer and estimated lesion depth. In some cases single vessels could be observed at the position of the PWS whereas in other cases the PWS appeared as a region with large photoacoustic signal intensity.


CONCLUSIONS
PAI has the potential to reveal information about the lesion depth as well as thickness of the vascular layer.
Kolkman
Roy G M
RG
Biophysical Engineering, Institute for BioMedical Technology, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. r.g.m.kolkman@utwente.nl
Mulder
Miranda J
MJ
Glade
Conrad P
CP
Steenbergen
Wiendelt
W
van Leeuwen
Ton G
TG
D000162:Acoustics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply; D019339:Port-Wine Stain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted