.
Significance
To effectively study preclinical animal models, medical imaging technology must be developed with a high enough resolution and sensitivity to perform anatomical, functional, and molecular assessments. Photoacoustic (PA) tomography provides high resolution and specificity, and fluorescence (FL) molecular tomography provides high sensitivity; the combination of these imaging modes will enable a wide range of research applications to be studied in small animals.
Aim
We introduce and characterize a dual-modality PA and FL imaging platform using
in vivo
and phantom experiments.
Approach
The imaging platform’s detection limits were characterized through phantom studies that determined the PA spatial resolution, PA sensitivity, optical spatial resolution, and FL sensitivity.
Results
The system characterization yielded a PA spatial resolution of
in the transverse plane and
in the longitudinal axis, a PA sensitivity detection limit not less than that of a sample with absorption coefficient
, an optical spatial resolution of
in the vertical axis and
in the horizontal axis, and a FL sensitivity detection limit not
concentration of IR-800. The scanned animals displayed in three-dimensional renders showed high-resolution anatomical detail of organs.
Conclusions
The combined PA and FL imaging system has been characterized and has demonstrated its ability to image mice
in vivo
, proving its suitability for biomedical imaging research applications.