Photoacoustic remote sensing elastography

Abstract

The mechanical properties of organisms are important indicators for clinical disputes and disease monitoring, yet most existing elastography techniques are based on contact measurements, which are limited in many application scenarios. Photoacoustic remote sensing elastography (PARSE) is the first, to the best of our knowledge, elastography modality based on acoustic pressure monitoring, where elastic contrast information is obtained by using an all-optical non-contact and non-coherent intensity monitoring method through the time-response properties of laser-induced photoacoustic pressure. To validate PARSE, sections of different elastic organs were measured and this modality was applied to differentiate between bronchial cartilage and soft tissue to confirm the validity of the elasticity evaluation. PARSE, through a mathematical derivation process, has a 9.5-times greater distinction detection capability than photoacoustic remote sensing (PARS) imaging in stained bronchial sections, expands the scope of conventional PARS imaging, and has potential to become an important complementary imaging modality.

Deep learning-enabled realistic virtual histology with ultraviolet photoacoustic remote sensing microscopy

“…Future work will also look to include additional contrasts of diagnostic interest beyond H&E histology. Collagen structure and NADH/FAD-linked metabolic indicators can be resolved through the detection of existing autofluorescence emission generated by our 266 nm excitation, and recent work suggests that biomechanical tissue properties can also be identified through elastography measurements from existing temporal UV-PARS signals 60 . This rich spectrum of information can be obtained simultaneously with a single scan of the sample.…”