In Vivo Monitoring of Neovascularization in Tumour Angiogenesis by Photoacoustic Tomography

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is presented to in vivo monitor neovascularization in tumour angiogenesis with high resolution and high contrast images in a rat. With a circular scan system, the photoacoustic signal, generated by laser pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, is captured by a hydrophone with a diameter of 1 mm and a sensitivity of 850 nV/Pa. The vascular structure around the rat tumour is imaged clearly, with optimal contrast, because blood has strong absorption near this wavelength. Serial noninvasive photoacoustic images of neovascularization in tumour angiogenesis are also obtained consecutively from a growing tumour implanted under the skin of a rat over a period of two weeks. This work demonstrates that PAT can potentially provide a powerful tool for tumour angiogenesis detection in cancer research. It will bring us closer to clinical applications for tumour diagnosis and treatment monitoring.