Raster-scanning optoacoustic mesoscopy biomarkers for atopic dermatitis skin lesions.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease worldwide. Its severity is assessed using scores that rely on visual observation of the affected body surface area, the morphology of the lesions and subjective symptoms, like pruritus or insomnia. Ideally, such scores should be complemented by objective and accurate measurements of disease severity to standardize disease scoring in routine care and clinical trials.

Enabling the autofocus approach for parameter optimization in planar measurement geometry clinical optoacoustic imaging.

In optoacoustic (photoacoustic) tomography, several parameters related to tissue and detector features are needed for image formation, but they may not be known a priori. An autofocus (AF) algorithm is generally used to estimate these parameters. However, the algorithm works iteratively and is therefore impractical for clinical imaging with planar geometry systems due to the long reconstruction times.

A method for the calibration of wideband ultrasonic sensors for optoacoustics.

A method for calibration of ultrasonic sensors for optoacoustics that provides both frequency response and sensitivity is presented. In order to obtain the bandwidth and the frequency response of an uncalibrated sensor, a point source with broadband spectra generated by a laser-induced bubble on a copper wire submerged in water is employed. On the other hand, the sensitivity measurement relies on the spatial symmetry of the pressure pulse and on a calibrated transducer.

Low-cost single-point optoacoustic sensor for spectroscopic measurement of local vascular oxygenation.

Optical sensors developed for the assessment of oxygen in tissue microvasculature, such as those based on near-infrared spectroscopy, are limited in application by light scattering. Optoacoustic methods are insensitive to light scattering, and therefore, they can provide higher specificity and accuracy when quantifying local vascular oxygenation. However, currently, to the best of our knowledge, there is no low-cost, single point, optoacoustic sensor for the dedicated measurement of oxygen saturation in tissue microvasculature.