Photoacoustic imaging in the second near-infrared window: a review

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging medical imaging modality that combines optical excitation and ultrasound detection. Because ultrasound scatters much less than light in biological tissues, PA generates high-resolution images at centimeters depth. In recent years, wavelengths in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window (1000 to 1700 nm) have been increasingly explored due to its potential for preclinical and clinical applications. In contrast to the conventional PA imaging in the visible (400 to 700 nm) and the first NIR-I (700 to 1000 nm) window, PA imaging in the NIR-II window offers numerous advantages, including high spatial resolution, deeper penetration depth, reduced optical absorption, and tissue scattering. Moreover, the second window allows a fivefold higher light excitation energy density compared to the visible window for enhancing the imaging depth significantly. We highlight the importance of the second window for PA imaging and discuss the various NIR-II PA imaging systems and contrast agents with strong absorption in the NIR-II spectral region. Numerous applications of NIR-II PA imaging, including whole-body animal imaging and human imaging, are also discussed.