High-Frequency 3D Photoacoustic Computed Tomography Using an Optical Microring Resonator.

TitleHigh-Frequency 3D Photoacoustic Computed Tomography Using an Optical Microring Resonator.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2022
AuthorsQ Rong, Y Lee, Y Tang, T Vu, C Taboada, W Zheng, J Xia, DA Czaplewski, HF Zhang, C Sun, and J Yao
JournalBME frontiers
Volume2022
Start Page9891510
Date Published01/2022
Abstract

3D photoacoustic computed tomography (3D-PACT) has made great advances in volumetric imaging of biological tissues, with high spatial-temporal resolutions and large penetration depth. The development of 3D-PACT requires high-performance acoustic sensors with a small size, large detection bandwidth, and high sensitivity. In this work, we present a new high-frequency 3D-PACT system that uses a micro-ring resonator (MRR) as the acoustic sensor. The MRR sensor has a size of 80 μm in diameter, and was fabricated using the nanoimprint lithography technology. Using the MRR sensor, we have developed a transmission-mode 3D-PACT system that has achieved a detection bandwidth of ~23 MHz, an imaging depth of ~8 mm, a lateral resolution of 114 μm, and an axial resolution of 57 μm. We have demonstrated the 3D PACT's performance on <i>in vitro</i> phantoms, <i>ex vivo</i> mouse brain, and <i>in vivo</i> mouse ear and tadpole. The MRR-based 3D-PACT system can be a promising tool for structural, functional, and molecular imaging of biological tissues at depths.

DOI10.34133/2022/9891510
Short TitleBME frontiers