Label-free bond-selective imaging by listening to vibrationally excited molecules

Phys Rev Lett. 2011 Jun 10;106(23):238106. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.238106. Epub 2011 Jun 10.

Abstract

We report the realization of vibrational photoacoustic (VPA) microscopy using optical excitation of molecular overtone vibration and acoustic detection of the resultant pressure transients. Our approach eliminates the tissue scattering problem encountered in near-infrared spectroscopy and enables depth-resolved signal collection. The 2nd overtone of the CH bond stretch around 8300 cm(-1), where blood interference is minimal, is excited. We demonstrate 3D VPA imaging of lipid-rich atherosclerotic plaques by excitation from the artery lumen, and lipid storage in live Drosophila larvae, with millimeter scale penetration depth [corrected].

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Auscultation
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Fat Body
  • Larva
  • Microscopy, Acoustic / methods*
  • Molecular Imaging / methods*
  • Optics and Photonics*
  • Plaque, Atherosclerotic / pathology*
  • Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / methods
  • Vibration*