Ultrawideband high density polymer-based spherical array for real-time functional optoacoustic micro-angiography.
Pavel V Subochev1, Xosé Luís Deán-Ben2,3, Zhenyue Chen2,3,4
1Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. pavel.subochev@gmail.com.
Light, Science & Applications
|July 7, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a new optoacoustic (OA) tomography system using ultrawideband spherical arrays. This advanced technology achieves high-resolution, real-time imaging for visualizing rapid biological processes across multiple scales.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Optoacoustic Tomography
- Ultrasound Technology
Background:
- Optoacoustic (OA) tomography offers ultrafast volumetric imaging.
- Current OA methods are limited by piezo-composite array bandwidth, affecting scalability and resolution.
- Need for improved signal detection for enhanced OA imaging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel high-density spherical array for OA tomography.
- To enhance spatial resolution, image fidelity, and signal-to-noise ratio in OA imaging.
- To enable real-time, multi-scale, and five-dimensional OA imaging.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of high-density spherical array technology using flexible polyvinylidene difluoride films.
- Utilized ultrawideband elements (0.3-40 MHz) with sub-mm² areas.
- Demonstrated five-dimensional (spectroscopic, time-resolved, volumetric) imaging.
Main Results:
- Achieved real-time multi-scale volumetric imaging with 22-35 µm spatial resolution.
- Demonstrated superior image fidelity and over an order of magnitude signal-to-noise enhancement compared to conventional arrays.
- Successfully visualized stimulus-evoked cerebral oxygenation changes in mice and deep human micro-vasculature.
Conclusions:
- The new spherical array technology significantly advances OA tomography capabilities.
- Enables quantitative, high-resolution visualization of rapid bio-dynamics.
- Leverages the full potential of OA for multi-scale biomedical applications.
