Stiffness of arteries, especially small arteries, is an important marker for many diseases and a good parameter to evaluate the risks of cardiovascular problems. In this research, we proposed a new method for measurement of local arterial distensibility by using photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) technology. Taking advantages from its excellent sensitivity and high spatial resolution, PAM can evaluate the morphology and volume change of a small artery accurately without involving any contrast agent. When working in the linear elastic range of a vessel, measuring the initial and the distended diameters of the vessel before and after pressure change facilitates quantitative assessment of vessel distensibility. The preliminary experiment on well-controlled gel phantoms demonstrates the feasibility of this technology.

Date Published: 11 March 2015
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 9323, Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing 2015, 93234A (11 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2077869

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9323:
Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing 2015
Alexander A. Oraevsky; Lihong V. Wang, Editor(s)