title: Applying tattoo dye as a third-harmonic generation contrast agent for in vivo optical virtual biopsy of human skin.
abstract: Third-harmonic generation (THG) microscopy has been reported to provide intrinsic contrast in elastic fibers, cytoplasmic membrane, nucleus, actin filaments, lipid bodies, hemoglobin, and melanin in human skin. For advanced molecular imaging, exogenous contrast agents are developed for a higher structural or molecular specificity. We demonstrate the potential of the commonly adopted tattoo dye as a THG contrast agent for in vivo optical biopsy of human skin. Spectroscopy and microscopy experiments were performed on cultured cells with tattoo dyes, in tattooed mouse skin, and in tattooed human skin to demonstrate the THG enhancement effect. Compared with other absorbing dyes or nanoparticles used as exogenous THG contrast agents, tattoo dyes are widely adopted in human skin so that future clinical biocompatibility evaluation is relatively achievable. Combined with the demonstrated THG enhancement effect, tattoo dyes show their promise for future clinical imaging applications.
authors: National Taiwan University, Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
authors: Ming-Rung
authors: MR
authors: Tsai
authors: Chen-Yu
authors: CY
authors: Lin
authors: Yi-Hua
authors: YH
authors: Liao
authors: Chi-Kuang
authors: CK
authors: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D002460:Cell Line; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013653:Tattooing; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D003287:Contrast Media