Abstract
Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a novel hybrid imaging modality that provides excellent optical contrast with the spatial resolution of ultrasound in vivo. The method is widely being investigated in the clinical setting for diagnostic applications in dermatology. In this report, we illustrate the utility of PAI as a non-invasive tool for imaging tattoos. Ten different samples of commercially available tattoo inks were examined for their optoacoustic properties in vitro. In vivo PAI of an intradermal tattoo on the wrist was performed in a healthy human volunteer. Black/gray, green, violet, and blue colored pigments provided higher levels of PA signal compared to white, orange, red, and yellow pigments in vitro. PAI provided excellent contrast and enabled accurate delineation of the extent of the tattoo in the dermis. Our results reveal the photoacoustic properties of tattoo inks and demonstrate the potential clinical utility of PAI for intradermal imaging of tattoos. PAI may be useful as a clinical adjunct for objective preoperative evaluation of tattoos and potentially to guide/monitor laser-based tattoo removal procedures.
Highlights
Non-invasive in vivo imaging has been an integral part of the armamentarium in dermatology for decades [1,2]
Low cost and high resolution, US is widely used in dermatology [13]
Tattoo inks exhibited strong yet distinct photoacoustic properties that can be exploited for non-invasive visualization using Photoacoustic imaging (PAI)
Summary
Non-invasive in vivo imaging has been an integral part of the armamentarium in dermatology for decades [1,2]. In addition to traditional dermoscopy and ultrasound (US), optical imaging methods such as Raman spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, and optical coherence tomography have demonstrated utility in the diagnosis of skin diseases [3,4,5]. Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) or optoacoustic imaging is a relatively new imaging method that provides excellent optical contrast with the spatial resolution of US [6,7]. Clinical studies have demonstrated the usefulness of PAI as a label-free imaging tool for assessment of melanomas and non-melanoma skin cancers [8,9,10] and to visualize microvascular and inflammatory changes in the skin [11]. The ability of PAI to visualize tattoos has not been previously reported. Since tattoo dyes are known to absorb and reflect light, we hypothesized that
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