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In vivo imaging of subcutaneous structures using functional photoacoustic microscopy

Nature Protocols volume 2, pages 797–804 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Functional photoacoustic microscopy (fPAM) is a hybrid technology that permits noninvasive imaging of the optical absorption contrast in subcutaneous biological tissues. fPAM uses a focused ultrasonic transducer to detect high-frequency photoacoustic (PA) signals. Volumetric images of biological tissues can be formed by two-dimensional raster scanning, and functional parameters can be further extracted from spectral measurements. fPAM is safe and applicable to animals as well as humans. This protocol provides guidelines for parameter selection, system alignment, imaging operation, laser safety and data processing for in vivo fPAM. It currently takes ∼100 min to carry out this protocol, including ∼50 min for data acquisition using a 10-Hz pulse-repetition-rate laser system. The data acquisition time, however, can be significantly reduced by using a laser system with a higher pulse repetition rate.

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Figure 1: Instrument of fPAM.
Figure 2: Image acquisition by fPAM.
Figure 3
Figure 4: B-scan image of the cross-section of a carbon fiber (diameter: 6 μm) immersed in an optically scattering medium.

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Acknowledgements

We thank G. Stoica, O. Craciun, J. Oh, G. Ku, M.-L. Li, X. Xie, G. Lungu, R. Zemp and M. Sivaramakrishnan for experimental assistance. This work was sponsored by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01 EB000712 and R01 NS46214 to L.V.W.).

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Author notes

  1. Hao F Zhang and Konstantin Maslov: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, 63130, Missouri, USA

    Hao F Zhang, Konstantin Maslov & Lihong V Wang

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  1. Hao F Zhang
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Correspondence to Lihong V Wang.

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Zhang, H., Maslov, K. & Wang, L. In vivo imaging of subcutaneous structures using functional photoacoustic microscopy. Nat Protoc 2, 797–804 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nprot.2007.108

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