Switchable optical and acoustic resolution photoacoustic dermoscope dedicated into in vivo biopsy-like of human skin

As a promising branch of optical absorption-based photoacoustic microscopy, photoacoustic dermoscopy (PAD) can provide manifold morphologic and functional information in clinical diagnosis and the assessment of dermatological conditions. However, most PAD setups are insufficient for clinical dermatology, given their single optical resolution (OR) or acoustic resolution (AR) mode, which results in poor spatiotemporal resolution or imaging depth for visualizing the internal texture of skin. Here, a switchable optical and acoustic resolution photoacoustic dermoscope (S-OR-ARPAD) system is developed, which provides a smooth transition from OR mode in microscopic imaging of superficial skin layers to AR mode when imaging at greater depths within intensely scattering deep skin layers. The lateral resolution can be seamlessly switched between 4.4 and 47 μm as the maximum imaging depth is switched between 1.2 and 1.8 mm for skin imaging. Using the S-OR-ARPAD, we identified the two distinct resolution modes responsible for resolving features of different skin layers and demonstrated the fine structures with strong contrast in the stratum corneum, dermal papillae, and microvascular structures in the horizontal plexus by imaging the healthy human skin at different locations.