Imaging of joints with laser-based photoacoustic tomography: an animal study

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), a nonionizing, noninvasive, laser-based technology was adapted to joint imaging for the first time. Pulsed laser light in the near-infrared region was directed toward a joint with resultant ultrasonic signals recorded and used to reconstruct images that present the optical properties in subsurface joint tissues. The feasibility of this joint imaging system was validated on a Sprague Dawley rat tail model and verified through comparison with histology. With sufficient penetration depth, PAT realized tomographic imaging of a joint as a whole organ noninvasively. Based on the optical contrast, various intra- and extra-articular tissues, including skin, fat, muscle, blood vessels, synovium and bone, were presented successfully in images with satisfactory spatial resolution that was primarily limited by the bandwidth of detected photoacoustic signals rather than optical diffusion as occurs in traditional optical imaging. PAT, with its intrinsic advantages, may provide a unique opportunity to enable the early diagnosis of inflammatory joint disorders, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, and to monitor therapeutic outcomes with high sensitivity and accuracy.