Abstract
In the present paper we show the optoacoustic (OA) response of two solutions of gold nanorods dispersed in distilled water (0.8 mg/ml) and hosted in tissue-like phantoms by using small arrays of high-power diode lasers [corrected] at 870 and 905 nm as excitation sources. The high-power diode lasers [corrected] are coupled to a 7-to-1 optical fiber bundle with output diameter of 675 μm. Each solution of gold nanorods exhibits an absorption peak close to the operating wavelength, i.e. ~860 nm and ~900 nm, respectively, to optimize the generation of OA signals. The phantoms are made of agar, intralipid and hemoglobin to simulate a soft biological tissue with reduced properties of scattering. Three 3-mm diameter tubes done in the phantoms at different depths (0.9 cm, 1.8 cm, and 2.7 cm) have been filled with gold nanorods. In this way, OA signals with appreciable SNR are generated at different depths in the phantoms. The high OA response exhibited by gold nanorods suggests their application in OA spectroscopy as exogenous contrast agents to detect and monitor emerging diseases like metastasis and arteriosclerotic plaques.
Highlights
The detection of cancer at early stages is necessarily important for preventing the growth of the cancer cell population within the corporeal organs in successive stages
In the present paper we show the optoacoustic (OA) response of two solutions of gold nanorods dispersed in distilled water (0.8 mg/ml) and hosted in tissue-like phantoms by using small arrays of HPDLs at 870 and 905 nm as excitation sources
We have presented the optoacoustic response of small inclusions of gold nanorods hosted at different depths in tissue-like phantoms exposed to laser light
Summary
The detection of cancer at early stages is necessarily important for preventing the growth of the cancer cell population within the corporeal organs in successive stages. Optical imaging offers good spatial resolution but is limited to a few millimeters in biological tissues [7] In this regard, optoacoustic tomography (OAT) and microscopy (OAM) have been developed as non-invasive alternatives to the existing imaging techniques, due to their ability of acquiring high-resolution images from deep tissues by using non-ionizing laser radiation [8,9]. Optoacoustic tomography (OAT) and microscopy (OAM) have been developed as non-invasive alternatives to the existing imaging techniques, due to their ability of acquiring high-resolution images from deep tissues by using non-ionizing laser radiation [8,9] They combine the good spatial resolution and the high penetration depth of ultrasonic imaging with the strong optical absorption contrast of optical imaging for functional cancer detection at early stages [10,11,12,13]. Techniques based on OA effect can provide 3D images of optical absorption maps in biological tissues in-vivo [15,16]
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