English

Optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging through thick tissue with a thin capillary as a dual optical-in acoustic-out waveguide

Optics 2017-11-15 v1

Abstract

We demonstrate the ability to guide high-frequency photoacoustic waves through thick tissue with a water-filled silica-capillary (150 \mu m inner diameter and 30 mm long). An optical-resolution photoacoustic image of a 30 \mu m diameter absorbing nylon thread was obtained by guiding the acoustic waves in the capillary through a 3 cm thick fat layer. The transmission loss through the capillary was about -20 dB, much lower than the -120 dB acoustic attenuation through the fat layer. The overwhelming acoustic attenuation of high-frequency acoustic waves by biological tissue can therefore be avoided by the use of a small footprint capillary acoustic waveguide for remote detection. We finally demonstrate that the capillary can be used as a dual optical-in acoustic-out waveguide, paving the way for the development of minimally invasive optical-resolution photoacoustic endoscopes free of any acoustic or optical elements at their imaging tip.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1502.02213,
  title  = {Optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging through thick tissue with a thin capillary as a dual optical-in acoustic-out waveguide},
  author = {Olivier Simandoux and Nicolino Stasio and Jerome Gateau and Jean-Pierre Huignard and Christophe Moser and Demetri Psaltis and Emmanuel Bossy},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1502.02213},
  year   = {2017}
}