Translational and Advanced Bioimaging Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
Sensors (Basel). 2020 Sep 29;20(19):5595. doi: 10.3390/s20195595.
Optical-based sensing approaches have long been an indispensable way to detect molecules in biological tissues for various biomedical research and applications. The advancement in optical microscopy is one of the main drivers for discoveries and innovations in both life science and biomedical imaging. However, the shallow imaging depth due to the use of ballistic photons fundamentally limits optical imaging approaches' translational potential to a clinical setting. Photoacoustic (PA) tomography (PAT) is a rapidly growing hybrid imaging modality that is capable of acoustically detecting optical contrast. PAT uniquely enjoys high-resolution deep-tissue imaging owing to the utilization of diffused photons. The exploration of endogenous contrast agents and the development of exogenous contrast agents further improve the molecular specificity for PAT. PAT's versatile design and non-invasive nature have proven its great potential as a biomedical imaging tool for a multitude of biomedical applications. In this review, representative endogenous and exogenous PA contrast agents will be introduced alongside common PAT system configurations, including the latest advances of all-optical acoustic sensing techniques.
基于光学的传感方法一直是检测生物组织中分子的不可或缺的手段，适用于各种生物医学研究和应用。光学显微镜的进步是生命科学和生物医学成像领域发现和创新的主要驱动力之一。然而，由于使用弹道光子，成像深度较浅，从根本上限制了光学成像方法在临床环境中的转化潜力。光声（PA）断层扫描（PAT）是一种快速发展的混合成像模式，能够对光声对比度进行声学检测。由于利用了漫射光子，PAT 具有独特的高分辨率深层组织成像能力。内源性对比剂的探索和外源性对比剂的开发进一步提高了 PAT 的分子特异性。PAT 的多功能设计和非侵入性本质已证明其作为一种生物医学成像工具，适用于多种生物医学应用具有巨大的潜力。在这篇综述中，将介绍代表性的内源性和外源性 PA 对比剂以及常见的 PAT 系统配置，包括全光学声传感技术的最新进展。
