Dual-Modal Fast Photoacoustic/Ultrasound Localization Imaging with Sparsity-Constrained Optimization

Dual-modal imaging, combining photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasound localization (UL) with microbubbles, holds substantial promise across biomedical fields such as oncology, neuroscience, nephrology, and immunology. The combination of PA and UL imaging faces challenges due to acquisition speed mismatches, limiting their combined efficacy. Here, we introduce a protocol that applies sparsity constraint optimization to accelerate dual-modal data acquisition, enabling in vivo super-resolution imaging of vascular and physiological structures at under two seconds per frame. The protocol provides detailed guidelines for constructing an interleaved PA/UL (PAUL) imaging system, covering material selection, system setup, and calibration, as well as methods for image acquisition, reconstruction, post-processing, and troubleshooting. This approach empowers the biomedical community to establish a rapid, dual-modal PAUL imaging platform, broadening biomedical applications and advancing imaging capabilities in clinical research. Key features • Introducing high-temporal-resolution dual-modal imaging that integrates PA and UL techniques, enabling super-resolution vascular and physiological imaging in less than two seconds per frame. • Providing step-by-step guidelines for constructing an interleaved PAUL imaging system, including material selection, system calibration, image acquisition, reconstruction, and troubleshooting methods. • Demonstrating super-resolved imaging of renal hemodynamics and oxygenation with PAUL imaging, enhancing the study of kidney physiology and disease mechanisms.