title: Fast 3-D dark-field reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy in vivo with a 30-MHz ultrasound linear array.
abstract: We present an in vivo dark-field reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy system that performs cross-sectional (B-scan) imaging at 50 Hz with real-time beamforming and 3-D imaging consisting of 166 B-scan frames at 1 Hz with postbeamforming. To our knowledge, this speed is currently the fastest in photoacoustic imaging. A custom-designed light delivery system is integrated with a 30-MHz ultrasound linear array to realize dark-field reflection-mode imaging. Linear mechanical scanning of the array produces 3-D images. The system has axial, lateral, and elevational resolutions of 25, 70, and 200 microm, respectively, and can image 3 mm deep in scattering biological tissues. Volumetric images of subcutaneous vasculature in rats are demonstrated in vivo. Fast 3-D photoacoustic microscopy is anticipated to facilitate applications of photoacoustic imaging in biomedical studies that involve dynamics and clinical procedures that demand immediate diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Washington University in St. Louis, Optical Imaging Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maslov
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bitton
authors.forename: K Kirk
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shung
authors.forename: Lihong V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers