Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is a promising imaging modality that enables noninvasive, label-free visualization of microvasculature with micrometer-scale resolution and optical absorption contrast. Particularly in superficial tissues, PAM offers a unique capability to assess both the structural and functional characteristics of microcirculation. In this study, we developed a high-resolution photoacoustic imaging approach with a focus on enhancing image quality and visualizing vascular properties. To achieve high-quality visualization, several signal processing strategies were employed, including depth-of-field extension achieved by using an annular-array transducer and image sharpening of vascular structures, which appeared blurred due to wide-field laser illumination, by leveraging the coherence of received signals. Furthermore, a clustering-based denoising method was introduced to suppress background artifacts by utilizing the physical and textural differences between vascular signals and noise components. Beyond image enhancement, vessel diameter was evaluated by analyzing the frequency characteristics of the photoacoustic signals, and oxygen saturation was estimated using dual-wavelength laser excitation. This integrated approach combining high-resolution imaging and functional characterization provides a useful framework for detailed evaluation of superficial microvascular networks and holds potential for future diagnostic applications in vascular-related diseases.
Suzuki et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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