In vivo whole brain photoacoustic microscopy through a transparent ultrasound transducer

Brain imaging techniques provide in vivo insight into structural and functional phenotypes that are physiologically and clinically relevant. However, most existing brain imaging techniques suffer from balancing trade-offs among the temporal and spatial resolutions as well as the field of view (FOV). Here, we proposed a high-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) system based on a transparent ultrasound transducer (TUT). The system not only retains the advantage of the fast imaging speed of pure optical scanning but also has an imaging FOV of up to 20 mm x 20 mm, which can easily enable rapid imaging of the whole mouse brain in vivo. Based on experimental validation of brain injury, glioma, and cerebral hemorrhage in mice, the system has the capability to visualize the vascular structure and hemodynamic changes in the cerebral cortex. TUT-based PAM provides an important research tool for rapid multi-parametric brain imaging in small animals, providing a solid foundation for the study of brain diseases.