Small Animal Photoacoustic Imaging Unit: Integrating Optical Imaging with High Fr

描述（由申请人提供）：研究完整小动物疾病模型的动态过程的需要刺激了高分辨率多模态成像方法的发展，这些方法不仅提供功能信息，还提供解剖信息。由于光声成像在肿瘤学、脑成像和纳米颗粒研究等一系列研究课题中的适用性，在过去十年中，生物医学应用的光声成像显示出巨大的增长。基于“光进声出”的概念，光声成像利用了组织在吸收脉冲激光能量后的快速热弹性膨胀。这种热弹性膨胀导致产生宽带超声波，然后可以用将机械声波转换为电信号的换能器检测到。当光声成像与超声结合时，可以同时提供解剖和功能数据。光声成像通过提供微尺度分辨率和合理穿透深度的高光学对比度图像，占据了分子成像的空白，因此可以以远优于纯光学方法的分辨率检测和可视化组织深处的光吸收结构。我们正在申请资金购买高分辨率光声系统，Vevo LAZR (visualsonic, Inc)，配备光学和声学组件和分析软件。该光声系统的加入将加强USC分子成像中心当前用户在肿瘤学、制药科学、工程、神经科学和遗传医学方面正在进行的工作，并极大地增强该中心支持肝病、心脏病学、病理学、发育生物学和纳米颗粒研究的新研究的能力。我们已经收集了14个NIH资助的用户（10个主要用户和4个次要用户），他们的研究学科包括酒精/药物引起的肝脏疾病、工程、牙科、心脏病学、肿瘤学和药学，以支持我们目前的S10申请。这个系统，加上越来越复杂的小鼠模型，概括了人类疾病病理，正在推动疾病和体内正常发育过程研究的革命。光声系统的收购将补充和支持个性化医疗的研究革命。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The need to study dynamic processes in intact small animal models of disease has stimulated the development of high resolution multi-modality imaging methods that provide not only functional but also anatomical information. Photoacoustic imaging for biomedical applications has shown tremendous growth in the last decade due to its applicability to a spectrum of research topics such as oncology, brain imaging and nanoparticle research. Based on the concept of "light in and sound out", photoacoustic imaging capitalizes on the rapid thermoelastic expansion of tissue upon absorption of pulsed laser energy. This thermoelastic expansion results in the generation of a wide band ultrasound wave which then can be detected with a transducer that converts the mechanical acoustic wave into electrical signals. When coupled with ultrasound, photoacoustic imaging can simultaneously provide anatomical and functional data. Photoacoutstic imaging occupies a void in molecular imaging by providing high optical contrast images at microscale resolution and at a reasonable penetration depth, therefore light absorbing structures deep inside tissues can be detected and visualized with resolutions far superior to pure optical methods. We are requesting funds to purchase a high-resolution photoacoustic system, Vevo LAZR (VisualSonics, Inc.), equipped with optical and acoustic components and analysis software. The addition of this photoacoustic system will strengthen both ongoing work in oncology, pharmaceutical sciences, engineering, neurosciences, and genetic medicine by current users of the USC Molecular Imaging Center, as well as greatly enhance the ability of the Center to support new research in liver disease, cardiology, pathology, developmental biology and nanoparticle research. We have gathered 14 NIH funded users (10 major users and 4 minor users) with research disciplines in alcohol/drug induced liver disease, engineering, dentistry, cardiology, oncology and pharmacy to support our current S10 application. This system, coupled with increasingly sophisticated mouse models that recapitulate human disease pathology, is fueling a revolution in the investigation of disease and normal developmental processes in vivo. The acquisition of the photoacoustics system will complement and support the research revolution towards personalized medicine.