Optical mesoscopy without the scatter: broadband multispectral optoacoustic mesoscopy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Optics
• Acoustics

Background:

• Optical mesoscopy offers deeper tissue visualization than microscopy but requires invasive methods for opaque samples.
• Current methods involve tissue sectioning or chemical clearing, limiting depth and sample integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel, non-invasive imaging modality for deep-tissue visualization.
• To overcome the depth and invasiveness limitations of existing optical mesoscopy techniques.

Main Methods:

• Development of broadband optoacoustic mesoscopy (2B-MSOM).
• Utilizing a broad frequency range (500 kHz–40 MHz) for tomographic imaging.
• Employing multi-wavelength illumination for enhanced contrast.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated imaging capabilities through several millimeters of tissue without chemical treatment.
• Achieved superior performance compared to previous optical and optoacoustic mesoscopy methods.
• Showcased the necessity of 3D projections and broad frequency range for effective imaging.

Conclusions:

• Broadband optoacoustic mesoscopy provides a non-invasive solution for deep-tissue imaging.
• This tomographic modality significantly advances biological visualization of opaque samples.
• 2B-MSOM offers a powerful tool for research and potential clinical applications.