New research describes a new, fast, all-optical 3D photoacoustic scanner for clinical vascular imaging. The scanner uses a novel photoacoustic tomography (PAT) technique to capture high-resolution 3D images of microvasculature within a few seconds or even milliseconds. This innovation paves the way for significantly faster imaging compared to conventional methods.
The scanner’s core lies in an all-optical Fabry-Perot ultrasound sensor. This sensor is complemented by a parallelized optical architecture, high pulse-repetition frequency excitation lasers, and compressed sensing to acquire rapid images. This combination enables the visualization of individual arterioles, venules, venous valves, and millimeter-scale arteries and veins at depths up to 15 millimeters.
Going beyond static imaging, this 3D photoacoustic scanner has the unique ability to capture dynamic 3D images of time-varying tissue perfusion and other hemodynamic events. This breakthrough opens up a world of possibilities for researchers, allowing them to delve into blood flow dynamics in unprecedented detail. The researchers foresee many potential applications for this technology, from the clinical assessment of microvascular pathologies associated with peripheral vascular disease, skin inflammation, and rheumatoid arthritis to potentially even more.
Overall, this new all-optical 3D photoacoustic scanner is promising to revolutionize clinical vascular imaging by offering rapid, high-resolution 3D visualization of microvascular networks.
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