title: Toward the detection of intraplaque hemorrhage in carotid artery lesions using photoacoustic imaging.
abstract: Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) may have the ability to reveal the composition and the anatomical structure of carotid plaques, which determines its mechanical properties and vulnerability. We used PAI and plane wave ultrasound (PUS) imaging to obtain three-dimensional (3-D) images of endarterectomy samples ex vivo and compared the results with histology to investigate the potential of PAI-based identification of intraplaque hemorrhage. Seven carotid plaque samples were obtained from patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and imaged with a fully integrated hand-held photoacoustic (PA) probe, consisting of a pulsed diode laser ( t pulse = 130 ?? ns , E pulse = 1 ?? mJ , ? = 808 ?? nm ) and a linear array transducer ( f c = 7.5 ?? MHz ). The samples were rotated 360 deg with 10 deg steps, and data were spatially compounded to obtain complete 3-D images of the plaques. Areas of high absorption in the 3-D datasets were identified and compared to histological data of the plaques. Data in six out of seven endarterectomy samples revealed the presence of intraplaque hemorrhages that were not visible in the PUS images. Due to the noninvasive nature of PAI, this ex vivo study may elucidate preclinical studies toward the in vivo, noninvasive, vulnerability assessment of the atherosclerotic carotid plaque.
authors.affiliation: Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Biomechanics Group, De Zaale, Eindhoven 5612 AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mustafa Umit
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Arabul
authors.affiliation: Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Biomechanics Group, De Zaale, Eindhoven 5612 AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heres
authors.affiliation: Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Biomechanics Group, De Zaale, Eindhoven 5612 AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marcel C M
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rutten
authors.affiliation: Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Department of Vascular Surgery, Michelangelolaan 2, Eindhoven 5623 EJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marc R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: van Sambeek
authors.affiliation: Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Biomechanics Group, De Zaale, Eindhoven 5612 AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frans N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: van de Vosse
authors.affiliation: Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Biomechanics Group, De Zaale, Eindhoven 5612 AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Richard G P
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lopata
mesh_terms: D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D061088:Photoacoustic Techniques; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*