Implementation of a new scanning method for high-resolution fluorescence tomography using thermo-sensitive fluorescent agents

Opt Lett. 2015 Nov 1;40(21):4991-4. doi: 10.1364/OL.40.004991.

Abstract

Conventional fluorescence tomography provides images of the distribution of fluorescent agents within highly scattering media, but suffers from poor spatial resolution. Previously, we introduced a new method termed "temperature-modulated fluorescence tomography" (TM-FT) that generates fluorescence images with high spatial resolution. TM-FT first uses focused ultrasound to locate the distribution of temperature-sensitive fluorescence probes. Afterward, this a priori information is utilized to improve the performance of the inverse solver for conventional fluorescence tomography and reveal quantitatively accurate fluorophore concentration maps. However, the disadvantage of this novel method is the long data acquisition time as the ultrasound beam was scanned in a step-and-shoot mode. In this Letter, we present a new, fast scanning method that reduces the imaging time 40 fold. By continuously scanning the ultrasound beam over a 50 mm by 25 mm field-of-view, high-resolution fluorescence images are obtained in less than 29 min, which is critical for in vivo small animal imaging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Contrast Media / chemistry*
  • Contrast Media / radiation effects
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / radiation effects
  • High-Energy Shock Waves
  • Hot Temperature
  • Image Enhancement / instrumentation
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / instrumentation*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sonication / instrumentation*
  • Sonication / methods
  • Temperature
  • Tomography, Optical / instrumentation*
  • Tomography, Optical / methods

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Fluorescent Dyes