Highlights
We built a micro-spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging setup, allowing spectral imaging throughout the section.
Spectral differences were primarily due to differences in hydrocarbon chain length and number of unsaturated bonds.
PA signal intensity was most strongly correlated with sphingomyelin and cholesteryl ester area in MALDI-MSI.
The spectral feature of lipids abundant in necrotic core can be used for detection of atherosclerosis with features of instability.