Performance evaluation of mesoscopic photoacoustic imaging

• DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.17.512521
• Publication Date: 2022-10-26T07:06:05Z
• Authors: Lina Hacker; Emma L. Brown; Thierry L. Lefebvre; Paul W. Sweeney; Sarah E Bohndiek
• Keywords: Robustness

Abstract Photoacoustic mesoscopy visualises vascular architecture and associated tissue structures at high resolution up to 3 mm depth. The technique has shown promise in both preclinical clinical imaging studies, with possible applications oncology dermatology, however, the accuracy precision of photoacoustic not been well established. Here, we present a performance evaluation commercial system for structures. Typical artefact types are first highlighted limitations due non-isotropic illumination detection evaluated respect rotation, angularity, depth target. Then, using tailored phantoms mouse models demonstrate precision, acceptable coefficients variation (COV) between repeated scans (short term (1h): COV=1.2%; long (25 days): COV=9.6%), from target repositioning (without: COV=1.2%, with: COV=4.1%), or varying vivo user experience (experienced: COV=15.9%, unexperienced: COV=20.2%). While our findings support robustness technique, they also underscore general challenges limited field-of-view systems accurately vessel-like structures, thereby guiding users correctly interpret biologically-relevant information.