a-high-performance-compact-photoacoustic-tomography-system-for-vivo

A High-performance Compact Photoacoustic Tomography System for <em>In Vivo</em> Small-animal Brain Imaging

In vivo small-animal imaging has an important role to play in preclinical studies. Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging hybrid imaging modality ...

pulsed-laser-diode-based-desktop-photoacoustic-tomography-for

Pulsed Laser Diode-Based Desktop Photoacoustic Tomography for Monitoring Wash-In and Wash-Out of Dye in Rat Cortical Vasculature

Photoacoustic (PA) tomography (PAT) imaging is an emerging biomedical imaging modality useful in various preclinical and clinical applications. ...

Nanyang Technological University

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window (1000-1700 nm) holds great promise for deep-tissue diagnosis due to the reduced light scattering and minimized tissue absorption; however, exploration of such a noninvasive imaging technique is greatly constrained by the lack of biodegradable NIR-II absorbing agents. Herein, the first series of metabolizable NIR-II PA agents are reported based on semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs). Such completely organic nanoagents consist of π-conjugated yet oxidizable optical polymer as PA generator and hydrolyzable amphiphilic polymer as particle matrix to provide water solubility. The obtained SPNs are readily degraded by myeloperoxidase and lipase abundant in phagocytes, transforming from nonfluorescent nanoparticles (30 nm) into NIR fluorescent ultrasmall metabolites (≈1 nm). As such, these nanoagents can be effectively cleared out via both hepatobiliary and renal excretions after systematic administration, leaving no toxicity to living mice. Particularly these nanoagents possess high photothermal conversion efficiencies and emit bright PA signals at 1064 nm, enabling sensitive NIR-II PA imaging of both subcutaneous tumor and deep brain vasculature through intact skull in living animals at a low systematic dosage. This study thus provides a generalized molecular design toward organic metabolizable semiconducting materials for biophotonic applications in NIR-II window.

Metabolizable Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles for Second Near-Infrared Photoacoustic Imaging.

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging medical imaging modality that combines optical excitation and ultrasound detection. Because ultrasound scatters much less than light in biological tissues, PA generates high-resolution images at centimeters depth. In recent years, wavelengths in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window (1000 to 1700 nm) have been increasingly explored due to its potential for preclinical and clinical applications. In contrast to the conventional PA imaging in the visible (400 to 700 nm) and the first NIR-I (700 to 1000 nm) window, PA imaging in the NIR-II window offers numerous advantages, including high spatial resolution, deeper penetration depth, reduced optical absorption, and tissue scattering. Moreover, the second window allows a fivefold higher light excitation energy density compared to the visible window for enhancing the imaging depth significantly. We highlight the importance of the second window for PA imaging and discuss the various NIR-II PA imaging systems and contrast agents with strong absorption in the NIR-II spectral region. Numerous applications of NIR-II PA imaging, including whole-body animal imaging and human imaging, are also discussed.

Photoacoustic imaging in the second near-infrared window: a review.

Tumor phototheranostics in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) holds great promise due to high spatiotemporal precision, enhanced penetration depth, and therapeutic efficacy. However, current "always-on" NIR-II phototheranostic agents remain restricted by the inherent nonspecificity from the pseudosignal readout and undesirable treatment-related side effects. To address these challenges, herein we explore an activatable and biocompatible nanotheranostics that generates diagnostic and therapeutic effects only after specific activation and enhancement by tumor microenvironmental redox and acid while keeping silent at normal tissues. Such an intelligent "turn-on" chromogenic nanotheranostics allows in vivo nearly zero-background photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and combined effective photothermal tumor therapy (PTT) both in the NIR-II range with minimal adverse effects. In light of the high sensitivity, superior penetration depth, and biocompatibility, this stimuli-activatable NIR-II photo-nanotheranostics provides broad prospects for the investigation and intervention of deep-tissue redox and acid-associated physiological and pathological events.

Paul Kumar Upputuri

School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Nanyang Technological University

A High-performance Compact Photoacoustic Tomography System for In Vivo Small-animal Brain Imaging

Pulsed Laser Diode-Based Desktop Photoacoustic Tomography for Monitoring Wash-In and Wash-Out of Dye in Rat Cortical Vasculature

Paul Kumar Upputuri

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Nanyang Technological University

A High-performance Compact Photoacoustic Tomography System for In Vivo Small-animal Brain Imaging

Pulsed Laser Diode-Based Desktop Photoacoustic Tomography for Monitoring Wash-In and Wash-Out of Dye in Rat Cortical Vasculature

School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering