Advanced Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging in Cardiology

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death worldwide. An effective management and treatment of CVDs highly relies on accurate diagnosis of the disease. As the most common imaging technique for clinical diagnosis of the CVDs, US imaging has been intensively explored. Especially with the introduction of deep learning (DL) techniques, US imaging has advanced tremendously in recent years. Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is one of the most promising new imaging methods in addition to the existing clinical imaging methods. It can characterize different tissue compositions based on optical absorption contrast and thus can assess the functionality of the tissue. This paper reviews some major technological developments in both US (combined with deep learning techniques) and PA imaging in the application of diagnosis of CVDs.

First evidence for an aposematic function of a very common color pattern in small insects

Many small parasitoid wasps have a black head, an orange mesosoma and a black metasoma (BOB color pattern), which is usually present in both sexes. A likely function of this widespread pattern is aposematic (warning) coloration, but this has never been investigated. To test this hypothesis, we presented spider predators (Lyssomanes jemineus), both field-captured and bred in captivity from eggs, to four wasp genera (Baryconus, Chromoteleia, Macroteleia and Scelio), each genus being represented by a BOB morphospecies and black morphospecies. We also used false prey, consisting of lures made of painted rice grains. Behavioral responses were analyzed with respect to presence or absence of the BOB pattern. In order to better understand the results obtained, two additional studies were performed. First, the reflection spectrum of the cuticle of the wasp and a theoretical visual sensibility of the spider were used to calculate a parameter we called “absorption contrast” that allows comparing the perception contrast between black and orange in each wasp genus as viewed by the spider. Second, acute toxicity trials with the water flea, Daphnia magna, were performed to determine toxicity differences between BOB and non-BOB wasps. At least some of the results suggest that the BOB color pattern may possibly play an aposematic role.

Listening to laser light interactions with objects of art: a novel photoacoustic approach for diagnosis and monitoring of laser cleaning interventions

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a novel, rapidly expanding diagnostic technique, which has been predominately developed in the context of contemporary biomedical research studies. In this review, we demonstrate how PA technologies can break through the barriers of biomedicine to find innovative applications in cultural heritage (CH) diagnostics and laser cleaning monitoring. Having over three orders of magnitude higher transmission through strongly scattering media, compared to light in the visible and near infrared, PA signals offer substantially improved detection sensitivity, providing optical absorption contrast at high spatial resolution. This unique combination of features is employed for establishing novel diagnostic methodologies aiming to uncover well-hidden features and provide structural information in multi-layered CH objects such as paintings and documents. Finally, we demonstrate that the PA effect can be successfully utilized for the reliable monitoring of laser cleaning interventions on stonework, allowing for a safe and well-controlled cleaning procedure which will safeguard CH objects’ original surfaces. Simplicity of implementation, effectiveness and low-cost features provided by the developed diagnostic and monitoring systems, highlight the rich potential of emerging PA technologies in CH studies and offer exciting possibilities for future implementations.

First evidence for an aposematic function of a very common color pattern in small insects

Many small parasitoid wasps have a black-orange-black (BOB) color pattern, which is usually present in both sexes. A likely function of this widespread pattern is aposematic (warning) coloration, but this has never been investigated. To test this hypothesis, we presented spider predators (Lyssomanes jemineus), both field-captured and lab-reared individuals, to a species with the BOB pattern and a congeneric all-black species in each of four scelionid genera (Baryconus, Chromoteleia, Macroteleia and Scelio). Each spider/wasp trial was filmed for 40 minutes under controlled conditions and three behavioral responses (detect, attack, avoid) were recorded in each of 136 trials, never using the same predator and prey more than once. In order to better understand the results obtained, two additional studies were performed. First, the reflection spectrum of the cuticle of the wasp and a theoretical visual sensibility model of the spider were used to calculate a parameter we called “absorption contrast” that allowed us to compare the perception contrast between black and orange in each wasp genus as viewed by the spider. Second, acute toxicity trials with the water flea, Daphnia magna, were performed to determine toxicity differences between BOB and non-BOB wasps. By combining the results from the three types of experiments, together with a statistical analysis, we confirmed that BOB color pattern plays an aposematic role.

Focusing light inside live tissue using reversibly switchable bacterial phytochrome as a genetically encoded photochromic guide star

Focusing light deep by engineering wavefronts toward guide stars inside scattering media has potential biomedical applications in imaging, manipulation, stimulation, and therapy. However, the lack of endogenous guide stars in biological tissue hinders its translations to in vivo applications. Here, we use a reversibly switchable bacterial phytochrome protein as a genetically encoded photochromic guide star (GePGS) in living tissue to tag photons at targeted locations, achieving light focusing inside the tissue by wavefront shaping. As bacterial phytochrome-based GePGS absorbs light differently upon far-red and near-infrared illumination, a large dynamic absorption contrast can be created to tag photons inside tissue. By modulating the GePGS at a distinctive frequency, we suppressed the competition between GePGS and tissue motions and formed tight foci inside mouse tumors in vivo and acute mouse brain tissue, thus improving light delivery efficiency and specificity. Spectral multiplexing of GePGS proteins with different colors is an attractive possibility.

Comparison of high-resolution synchrotron-radiation-based phase-contrast imaging and absorption-contrast imaging for evaluating microstructure of vascular networks in rat brain: from 2D to 3D views

Conventional imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography have limited temporospatial resolutions and shortcomings like invasive angiography, potential allergy to contrast agents, and image deformation, that restrict their application in high-resolution visualization of the structure of microvessels. In this study, through comparing synchrotron radiation (SR) absorption-contrast imaging to absorption phase-contrast imaging, it was found that SR-based phase-contrast imaging could provide more detailed ultra-high-pixel images of microvascular networks than absorption phase-contrast imaging. Simultaneously, SR-based phase-contrast imaging was used to perform high-quality, multi-dimensional and multi-scale imaging of rat brain angioarchitecture. With the aid of image post-processing, high-pixel-size two-dimensional virtual slices can be obtained without sectioning. The distribution of blood supply is in accordance with the results of traditional tissue staining. Three-dimensional anatomical maps of cerebral angioarchitecture can also be acquired. Functional partitions of regions of interest are reproduced in the reconstructed rat cerebral vascular networks. Imaging analysis of the same sample can also be displayed simultaneously in two- and three-dimensional views, which provides abundant anatomical information together with parenchyma and vessels. In conclusion, SR-based phase-contrast imaging holds great promise for visualizing microstructure of microvascular networks in two- and three-dimensional perspectives during the development of neurovascular diseases.

Non-destructive three-dimensional crystallographic orientation analysis of olivine using laboratory diffraction contrast tomography

X-ray laboratory diffraction contrast tomography (LabDCT) produces three-dimensional (3D) maps of crystallographic orientation. The non-destructive nature of the technique affords the key benefit of full 3D context of these, and other, in situ measurements. This study is the first to apply the technique to any material other than a metal or silicon. We report the first 3D measurements of the crystallographic orientation of olivine, which also makes this study the first to apply LabDCT to (1) a non-metallic, non-cubic system and (2) geological material. First, we scanned fragments of olivine set in resin alongside glass microbeads using LabDCT and absorption contrast tomography (ACT). Then we reconstructed these data assuming an orthorhombic crystal system. We show that: (1) the regions within the sample that index well according to the orthorhombic system correspond to olivine fragments in the ACT image; (2) crystalline regions not corresponding to olivine are not indexed assuming the same lattice parameters; and (3) the diffraction data discriminates crystalline from non-crystalline materials as expected. Finally, we demonstrate that the method resolves sub-degree orientation differences between distinct regions within individual olivine fragments. We conclude that DCT can be applied to the study of rocks and other crystalline materials, and offers advantages over conventional techniques. We also note that LabDCT may offer a solution to the crystallographic measurement of substances that would otherwise be difficult to measure due to challenges in obtaining a perfect sample polish. Future developments to accommodate larger experimental volumes and additional crystallographic systems within a sample promises to expand the applicability and impact of DCT.

A Single Simulation Platform for Hybrid Photoacoustic and RF-Acoustic Computed Tomography

In recent years, multimodal thermoacoustic imaging has demonstrated superior imaging quality compared to other emerging modalities. It provides functional and molecular information, arising due to electromagnetic absorption contrast, at ultrasonic resolution using inexpensive and non-ionizing imaging methods. The development of optical- as well as radio frequency (RF)-induced thermoacoustic imaging systems would benefit from reliable numerical simulations. To date, most numerical models use a combination of different software in order to model the hybrid thermoacoustic phenomenon. Here, we demonstrate the use of a single open source finite element software platform (ONELAB) for photo- and RF-acoustic computed tomography. The solutions of the optical diffusion equation, frequency domain Maxwell’s equations, and time-domain wave equation are used to solve the optical, electromagnetic, and acoustic propagation problems, respectively, in ONELAB. The results on a test homogeneous phantom and an approximate breast phantom confirm that ONELAB is a very effective software for both photo- and RF-acoustic simulations, and invaluable for developing new reconstruction algorithms and hardware systems.