Optoacoustic monitoring of blood hemoglobin concentration: a pilot clinical study

The optoacoustic technique is noninvasive, has high spatial resolution, and potentially can be used to measure the total hemoglobin concentration ([THb]) continuously and accurately. We performed in vitro measurements in blood and in vivo tests in healthy volunteers. Our clinical protocol included rapid infusion of intravenous saline to simulate rapid change in the [THb] during fluid therapy or surgery. Optoacoustic measurements were made from the wrist area overlying the radial artery for more than 1 h. The amplitude of the optoacoustic signal generated in the radial artery closely followed the [THb] measured directly in concurrently collected blood samples.     

Three-dimensional laser-induced photoacoustic tomography of mouse brain with the skin and skull intact

Three-dimensional laser-induced photoacoustic tomography, also referred to as optoacoustic tomography, is developed to image animal brain structures noninvasively with the skin and skull intact. This imaging modality combines the advantages of optical contrast and ultrasonic resolution. The distribution of optical absorption in a mouse brain is imaged successfully. The intrinsic optical contrast reveals not only blood vessels but also other detailed brain structures, such as the cerebellum, hippocampus, and ventriculi lateralis. The spatial resolution is primarily diffraction limited by the received photoacoustic waves. Imaged structures of the brain at different depths match the corresponding histological pictures well.     

Experimental study using optoacoustic spectroscopy (OAS) on spherical gold nanoparticles

In this paper a spectroscopic characterisation method based on the optoacoustic technique has been used to investigate the optical properties of two separate spherical gold nanoparticle (SGNP) solutions where an absorption peak located at 520 nm has been observed. This analysis has been carried out over the visible wavelength range from 410 to 650 nm using a Q-switched Nd:YAG pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO). To verify the reliability of optoacoustic spectroscopy (OAS), the results obtained have been compared to those from more standard and limited spectrophotometer and reference collimated optical transmission schemes, where good agreement is shown. The experimental procedure presented here demonstrates the potential of this technique for integration along with optoacoustic imaging methods to identify physiological information for non-destructive in-vivo applications.     

Optical and optoacoustic measurements of the absorption properties of spherical gold nanoparticles within a highly scattering medium

In the present paper the requirements for optical parameter characterization of absorbing materials located within a highly scattering medium has been addressed. The measurement scheme incorporates the optoacoustic technique where a single acoustic transducer is used to detect ultrasonic transients generated from laser irradiation. The absorbing medium is based on different concentrations of spherical gold nanoparticles (SGNP’s), these are currently being considered as non-toxic targeted optical contrast agents for both medical imaging and cancer therapeutics. In this paper we present results which demonstrate the two main advantages the optoacoustic technique has over other measurement schemes. These are the possibility to obtain information on the position and dimensions of absorbing bodies using a time of flight analysis (TOF) and secondly, the higher sensitivity of the optoacoustics compared to optical transmission techniques. The former advantage is of particular interest for imaging applications and the latter for detection and characterization of absorbing materials surrounded by high levels of high scattering mediums. We present for the first time the characterization of SGNP within a highly scattering medium. To further demonstrate the feasibility of the optoacoustic technique, the scattering coefficient of the surrounding medium has also been characterized.     

Laser optoacoustic spectroscopy of gold nanorods within a highly scattering medium

We describe a spectroscopic comparative analysis based on the optoacoustic technique over the wavelength range from 410nm to 1000nm using a Q-switched Nd:YAG pumped optical parametric oscillator tunable source on a gold nanostructure solution located within a highly scattering medium. The advantages of this method over standard spectroscopy techniques are the possibility to localize and monitor the spectroscopic response of absorbing materials located within turbid media. The operation is confirmed using a comparative analysis with the spectroscopic results obtained from a reference measurement scheme, based on a highly sensitive collimated optical transmission setup in parallel and under the same experimental conditions as the optoacoustic technique.     

Reconstruction of Optical Energy Deposition for Backward Optoacoustic Imaging

Visualizing optical properties, such as the optical absorption coefficient, helps us to obtain structural information of biological tissues. In this paper, we present an efficient reconstruction algorithm for optical energy deposition in backward optoacoustic imaging. Note that econstruction of optical energy deposition is the first step to imaging the optical absorption coefficient distribution. This algorithm is derived from the optoacoustic wave equations with line focusing, in which the focusing techniques were utilized to reduce the reconstruction problem from three dimensions (3-D) to one dimension (1-D). Simulations and experiments were conducted to verify efficacy of this algorithm. In the simulations, optoacoustic signals were generated based on the solution of the optoacoustic wave equations. In the experiments, a 3-D backward mode optoacoustic imaging system was built. The system consisted of a Nd YAG laser for optical irradiation and an acoustic detection system with a broadband hydrophone. A phantom was used to illustrate validity of the proposed algorithm. The results show that optical energy deposition can be efficiently reconstructed in both simulations and experiments.     

Optoacoustic analysis of the laser-cleaning process

Laser cleaning is an optodynamic process in which the optically induced removal of a liquid or a solid contaminant from a substrate is accompanied by a optoacoustic wave in the surrounding air. In our experiments we used both dry and steam laser-cleaning techniques for various samples. Optoacoustic wave, produced by the abrupt heating and detachment of the contaminants, was observed with a probe-beam deflection technique. We determined two characteristic parameters of the optoacoustic wave: the amplitude and the time-of-flight of the acoustic signal. With an analysis of these waves we also determined possible generating mechanisms. The decrease of the amplitude and the velocity of propagation, which approaches sonic speed, of the consecutive waves indicate that the dynamics during the laser-cleaning process is progressively weakened. The cleaning process is over when both the parameters reach a constant value, so with measuring optoacoustic waves the progress of the cleaning process could be observed on-line.     

Nonlinear optoacoustic transformation in the system of dielectric substrate/submicron metal coating/liquid

The optoacoustic method has been shown to be an accurate technique for the measurement of the properties of submicron metal coatings deposited on a dielectric substrate, i.e., mirrors. The method has been previously theoretically described in terms of a linear model of optoacoustic transformation in a system substrate/coating/liquid. The goal of the present work was to determine the limits at which the linear model is still applicable. The modification of the laser induced acoustic signal profiles and transfer functions of optoacoustic transformation versus the laser fluence was studied for two liquids: ethanol and water.     

时域光声谱技术及其在生物组织检测中的应用

当强度调制的光束照射于吸收物质,周期性热流使周围的介质热胀冷缩而激发声波,这种将光能转化为声能的现象称为光声效应。基于光声效应的时域光声谱技术将光学和声学有机地结合,为生物组织的无损检测技术提供了新的检测手段。该技术能够实现类似光学技术的高对比度和近似于声学技术的高精度和穿透深度,在生物医学检测中具有广阔的应用前景。文章介绍时域光声谱技术的原理及其在生物组织成分检测和层析成像检测中的应用。     

Sub-Doppler optoacoustic spectroscopy

We report the observation of saturation Lamb-dips in the optoacoustic spectrum of CH₃OH and CO₂ excited by CO₂ laser. An intermodulation technique is used to get Doppler-free resolution of the lines. Because of the small sample size and the high sensitivity intermodulated optoacoustic spectroscopy compares favorably with other Doppler-free methods.     

Control of tissue mechanics upon the repetitive-pulse laser heating of cartilage

The viscoelastic properties of laser-irradiated cartilages are studied with optoacoustic methods upon the thermal excitation of mechanical oscillations by repetitive-pulse laser radiation. The effect of laser power, pulse duration, repetition rate, and irradiation time on the shape of the optoacoustic signal is analyzed. It is demonstrated that the optoacoustic response of the cartilage to the repetitive-pulse radiation of a fiber laser depends on the softening of the tissue upon the variation in its shape. Under repetitive-pulse laser irradiation, the optoacoustic response of the cartilage depends on the mechanical characteristics of the biotissue (elastic modulus, hydraulic permeability, and thickness). A simple model that makes it possible to estimate the contribution of the viscoelastic properties to the formation of the optoacoustic response at various laser repetition rates is proposed.     

Thickness measurement for submicron metallic coatings on a transparent substrate by laser optoacoustic technique

A new nondestructive technique for determining the thicknesses of submicron metallic coatings on transparent substrates is developed. The technique is based on measuring the frequency dependence of the efficiency of thermooptical conversion on the thickness of a metallic film in the case of its contact with a transparent fluid. Experiments were conducted with three chromium coatings of different thicknesses (0.2, 0.3, and 0.6 μm) on quartz substrates. Two different experimental schemes were used: a direct scheme (laser radiation hits the film from the side of the substrate) and an indirect one (the laser action upon the film occurs from the side of the fluid). The film thickness is determined by approximating the experimental frequency dependences of thermooptical conversion efficiency by theoretical curves with the use of the least-squares method. The optoacoustic method can be used for determination of coating thicknesses in the range from 50 nm to 5 μm with an error of about 50 nm.     

Optoacoustic Laser Stark spectroscopy and FIR laser action on CH3Br using a waveguide CO2 laser

The optoacoustic spectrum of CH₃Br around 10 m band lines of a tunable cw waveguide CO₂ laser is investigated. Several new infrared absorptions are observed and most of the correspond ing molecular transitions are assigned. Far infra red laser action is reported by pumping with the same CO₂ laser: pump offsets are given using the Transferred Lambs dip (TLD) technique. A new FIR laser emission is obtained and assigned. An optoacoustic Laser Stark spectroscopy technique is used to investigate off resonance infrared tran sitions.     

Optoacoustic detection of nonlinear absorption in glasses

We report what we believe to be the first measurement of two photon absorption in a solid using the optoacoustic effect. A number of different glasses were studied. The dispersion of the optoacoustic signal of holmium oxide doped glass is compared with the corresponding absorption spectrum at twice the frequency of the incident light.     

液体光击穿阈值的研究

运用声学基础理论,讨论了激光入射到液体中,激光能量与声信号强度间的变化关系.发现激光能量与声信号强度之间存在着对数线形关系.根据液体中光声信号的连续性,得到了一种求取液体光击穿阈值的新方法.     

Measurement of velocity distribution for longitudinal acoustic waves in welds by a laser optoacoustic technique

An optoacoustic technique for diagnostics of residual stress in metals is proposed. The theoretical part of the technique employs acoustoelastic relations establishing a linear relationship between the biaxial residual stress and the relative variation of the velocity of longitudinal ultrasonic waves. The experimental technique is based on laser excitation of nanosecond ultrasonic pulses at the surface of samples under investigation and their detection with a high time resolution. Distributions of the relative variation of longitudinal wave velocities due to the presence of residual stress in the samples are obtained.     

Shock-wave generation during dry laser cleaning of particles

Generation of shock waves during a dry laser-cleaning process was examined with the probe-beam-deflection technique. Our experimental set-up allows measurement of a density gradient and a time of flight of the generated optoacoustic waves. With analysis of the measured signals we observed supersonic propagation velocities, density profiles matching the shock-wave profile, and reasonable agreement between the shock-wave theory and measured data. Furthermore, we inspected the mechanisms for the generation of these optoacoustic waves. For the clean surface a rapid thermoelastic surface expansion is the main generation mechanism, creating only weak shock waves; however, during the dry laser cleaning the ejected contaminants generate relatively strong shock waves. This difference is easily observed with our experimental set-up, thus enabling the on-line monitoring of the laser-cleaning process. PACS 79.20.Ds; 81.65.Cf; 43.25.+y     

Optoacoustic sensor head for depth profiling

-1 (for 0.25 mJ/cm²). The response function of the total experimental setup is derived from the optoacoustic signal of a black absorber, which is necessary to correct theoretical calculations with regard to the finite time response of the detection system. In the case of homogeneous samples, the theory of optoacoustic signal generation is verified, qualitative results are achieved with layered samples. Received: 14 October 1998 / Published online: 24 February 1999     

Optoacoustic imaging with synthetic aperture focusing and coherence weighting

Optoacoustic imaging takes advantage of high optical contrast and low acoustic scattering and has found several biomedical applications. In the common backward mode a laser beam illuminates the image object, and an acoustic transducer located on the same side as the laser beam detects the optoacoustic signal produced by thermoelastic effects. A cross-sectional image is formed by laterally scanning the laser beam and the transducer. Although the laser beam width is generally narrow to provide good lateral resolution, strong optical scattering in tissue broadens the optical illumination pattern and thus degrades the lateral resolution. To solve this problem, a combination of the synthetic aperture focusing technique with coherence weighting is proposed. This method synthesizes a large aperture by summing properly delayed signals received at different positions. The focusing quality is further improved by using the signal coherence as an image quality index. A phantom comprising hair threads in a 1% milk solution was imaged with an optoacoustic imaging system. The results show that the proposed technique improved lateral resolution by 400-800% and the signal-to-noise ratio by 7-23 dB over conventional techniques.     

Frequency Stabilization of Waveguide CO2 Laser by a Digital Technique

In this work we present a simple technique for laser frequency stabilization, based on Digital signal processing. The technique is used to stabilize a waveguide CO₂ laser of wide tunability by using three kinds of reference signals: the CO₂ laser ouptut power, an infrared absorption optoacoustic signal and the output power of a Far-Infrared optically pumped molecular laser.