title: Photoacoustic imaging of carotid artery atherosclerosis.
abstract: We introduce a method for photoacoustic imaging of the carotid artery, tailored toward detection of lipid-rich atherosclerotic lesions. A common human carotid artery was obtained at autopsy, embedded in a neck mimicking phantom and imaged with a multimodality imaging system using interstitial illumination. Light was delivered through a 1.25-mm-diameter optical probe that can be placed in the pharynx, allowing the carotid artery to be illuminated from within the body. Ultrasound imaging and photoacoustic signal detection is achieved by an external 8-MHz linear array coupled to an ultrasound imaging system. Spectroscopic analysis of photoacoustic images obtained in the wavelength range from 1130 to 1250 nm revealed plaque-specific lipid accumulation in the collagen structure of the artery wall. These spectroscopic findings were confirmed by histology.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Thorax Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kruizinga
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Thorax Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The NetherlandsbDelft University of Technology, Faculty Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 5, 2600 AA, Delft, The NetherlandscInteruniversity Cardiology Institute of The Netherlands, P.O. Bo.
authors.forename: Antonius F W
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: van der Steen
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Thorax Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The NetherlandsbDelft University of Technology, Faculty Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 5, 2600 AA, Delft, The NetherlandscInteruniversity Cardiology Institute of The Netherlands, P.O. Bo.
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Thorax Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Springeling
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Pathology, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan Lukas
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Robertus
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Radiology, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.affiliation: Erasmus Medical Center, Thorax Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Soest
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009333:Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D061088:Photoacoustic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted