Data-driven super-resolution optoacoustic imaging via physically encoded signal acquisition

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Optics and Photonics
• Acoustics

Background:

• Traditional optical imaging faces a resolution-depth trade-off.
• Optoacoustic (OA) imaging offers improved contrast but requires complex setups.
• Super-resolution techniques are needed to enhance OA imaging capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To overcome the resolution-depth trade-off in optical-contrast imaging.
• To develop a novel super-resolution optoacoustic imaging method.
• To enable accurate tomographic reconstructions with fewer transducer elements.

Main Methods:

• Localization and tracking of highly absorbing circulating microparticles.
• Exploiting multiple ultrasound scattering for microparticle localization.
• Calibrating the spatially dependent OA impulse response using microparticle signals.
• Developing a self-calibration methodology using auxiliary transducers.

Main Results:

• Achieved accurate in vivo localization and tracking of intravenously injected microparticles.
• Enabled localization optoacoustic tomography (LOT) with significantly fewer transducer elements.
• Demonstrated super-resolution imaging using a single time-resolved signal through self-calibration.
• Overcame the longstanding resolution-depth trade-off inherent in optical imaging.

Conclusions:

• Super-resolution optoacoustic imaging using microparticle tracking offers a powerful new modality.
• The developed LOT method significantly reduces hardware requirements.
• Self-calibration enhances imaging accuracy and efficiency, paving the way for advanced biomedical applications.