Photoacoustic Imaging Overview

Our unique photoacoustic Imaging technology is an in vivo hybrid imaging modality.

Photoacoustics combines the sensitivity and contrast of optical imaging with the depth and high resolution of our ultrasound technology.

When pulsed laser light illuminates tissue, the optical absorbers there (such as hemoglobin) undergo thermoelastic expansion, generating an acoustic pressure wave which is detected with an ultrasound transducer. Endogenous and exogenous agents absorb light at different wavelengths, creating distinct photoacoustic absorption spectra. Using these spectra, our system is able to distinguish between different molecular agents. 

Learn more about the photoacoustics effect.

The ultrasound imaging provides a high-resolution frame-of-reference for identifying anatomy, while the photoacoustic imaging enables functional measurements such as oxygen saturation, total hemoglobin and the microdistribution of biomarkers. Learn more about our photoacoustic system.

Image in vivo tissue down to 2 cm in depth in real time and with a resolution down to 45 μm!

Get information on:

• Blood oxygen saturation and total hemoglobin
• Characteristics of nanoparticles, dyes and other contrast agents
• Drug delivery and pharmacokinetic analysis
• Microdistribution of biomarkers
• Cell tracking

Better understand complex disease mechanisms! 

1. Real-time co-registration of molecular events with anatomy
2. High resolution oxygen saturation maps for hypoxia and tissue ischemia
3. Multi-target detection and quantification from one live scan

Learn more about our latest multi-modal imaging system combining high frequency ultrasound and photoacoustics using the Vevo F2 LAZR-X20.