title: Preclinical detection of liver fibrosis using dual-modality photoacoustic/ultrasound system.
abstract: Liver fibrosis is a major cause for increasing mortality worldwide. Preclinical research using animal models is required for the discovery of new anti-fibrotic therapies, but currently relies on endpoint liver histology. In this study, we investigated a cost-effective and portable photoacoustic/ultrasound (PA/US) imaging system as a potential non-invasive alternative. Fibrosis was induced in mice using CCl4followed by liver imaging and histological analysis. Imaging showed significantly increased PA features with higher frequency signals in fibrotic livers versus healthy livers. This corresponds to more heterogeneous liver structure resulting from collagen deposition and angiogenesis. Importantly, PA response and its frequency were highly correlated with histological parameters. These results demonstrate the preclinical feasibility of the PA imaging approach and applicability of dual PA/US system.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Photonic Imaging, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands; These authors contributed equally to the work; p.j.vandenberg@utwente.nl.
authors.forename: Pim J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Targeted Therapeutics, Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands; These authors contributed equally to the work; r.bansal@utwente.nl.
authors.forename: Ruchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Photonic Imaging, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daoudi
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Photonic Imaging, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands; These authors contributed equally to the work.
authors.forename: Wiendelt
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Steenbergen
authors.affiliation: Targeted Therapeutics, Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands; These authors contributed equally to the work.
authors.forename: Jai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prakash
keywords: (170.0110) Imaging systems; (170.2680) Gastrointestinal; (170.3880) Medical and biological imaging; (170.5120) Photoacoustic imaging; (170.7170) Ultrasound