Open AccessSimultaneous imaging of atherosclerotic plaque composition and structure with dual-mode photoacoustic and optical coherence tomography
Author(s) -
Shuo Shang,
Zhongjiang Chen,
Yue Zhao,
Sihua Yang,
Da Xing
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.25.000530
Subject(s) - optical coherence tomography , materials science , optics , scattering , tomography , absorption (acoustics) , photoacoustic imaging in biomedicine , biomedical engineering , preclinical imaging , fibrous cap , in vivo , medicine , pathology , physics , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
The composition of plaque is a major determinant of coronary-related clinical syndromes. By combining photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), the optical absorption and scattering properties of vascular plaque can be revealed and subsequently used to distinguish the plaque composition and structure. The feasibility and capacity of the dual-mode PAT-OCT technique for resolving vascular plaque was first testified by plaque composition mimicking experiment. PAT obtained lipid information due to optical absorption differences, while owing to scattering differences, OCT achieved imaging of collagen. Furthermore, by combining PAT and OCT, the morphological characteristic and scattering difference of normal and lipid-rich plaque in the ex vivo rabbit aorta was distinguished simultaneously. The experiments demonstrated that the combined PAT and OCT technique is a potential feasible method for detecting the composition and structure of lipid core and fibrous cap in atherosclerosis.