Chemical Society Reviews Blog

Optoacoustic imaging is an emerging new technology that is gaining momentum within the biomedical research community due to its enhanced capability to provide high-resolution in vivo imaging.

Fundamentally, it is a three-dimensional technique that combines features from optics and acoustics. First, tissue is illuminated using short-pulsed light radiation and then undergoes thermo-elastic expansion. This sudden and rapid expansion gives rise to pressure waves with ultrasonic frequency which are detected and analyzed to produce images for study or diagnosis.

Interestingly, the photoacoustic effect has been around since the 1800s however, the surge of interest in this technology has been dependent on the development of adequate laser sources, sensitive ultrasound detection and processing technologies in recent years.

A recent review by Dr. Xosé Luis Deán and Dr. Sven Gottschalk of the Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging in Neurhberg, Germany, Prof. Shy Shoham of the Israel Institute of Technology, and Dr. Ben Mc Larney and Prof. Daniel Razansky of the Technical University of Munich describes the development and new advancements in multiscale imaging of in vivo dynamics using optoacoustic methods.

Purely optical imaging techniques such as optical coherent tomography (OCT), fluorescent imaging and optical microscopies are broadly used for in vivo imaging and have led to numerous advances within medicine as function, disease progression and diagnosis at the cellular and biological scales can be analyzed in real-time. However, the limitation of purely optical techniques lies in resolving deep tissue processes. Beyond millimeter depth, photons are strongly scattered in biological tissues which limits spatial resolution and quantification. 

Optoacoustic imaging on the other hand, combines the best of two worlds by capitalizing on the advantages of both optics and ultrasound which enables multiscale, non-invasive imaging deep within the tissue. Many optoacoustic imaging systems also allow wavelength tenability, which allows a single device to serve multiple purposes.

The review outlines some ground-breaking applications that have come about as a result of advancements in optoacoustic images and sensing methods. These include large-scale neuroimaging, visualization of moving organs, contrast agent kinetics, pharmacokinetic and bio-distribution analysis, treatment monitoring, molecular imaging, cellular and sub-cellular function elucidation and three-dimensional handheld diagnostics of human subjects.

The development of advanced optoacoustic imaging techniques is adding to the toolset of biological imaging by filling gaps in established methods. Since it uses nonionizing visible/near infrared light, it is safe for patients and ideal for frequent-use in routine and preventative examinations. The promise shown in preclinical and early clinical studies as well as the surge of technological advancements provides a solid platform for the application of optoacoustic imaging in mainstream medicine.

To find out more see:

Advanced optoacoustic methods for multiscale imaging of in vivo dynamics
X.L. Deán-Ben, S. Gottschalk, B. Mc Larney, S. Shoham and D. Razansky
DOI: 10.1039/C6CS00765A

Following the success of Peer Review Week in September 2016 (dedicated to reviewer recognition) during which we published a list of our top reviewers, we are delighted to announce that we will continue to recognise the contribution that our reviewers make to the journal by announcing our Outstanding Reviewers each year.

We would like to highlight the Outstanding Reviewers for Chemical Society Reviews in 2016, as selected by the editorial team, for their significant contribution to the journal. The reviewers have been chosen based on the number, timeliness and quality of the reports completed over the last 12 months.

We would like to say a big thank you to those individuals listed here as well as to all of the reviewers that have supported the journal. Each Outstanding Reviewer will receive a certificate to give recognition for their significant contribution.

Dr Kamal Bisht, Ram Chandra Uniyal Post Graduate College

Dr Stephen Goldup, University of Southampton

Professor Graham Hutchings, Cardiff University

Professor Burkhard König, Universität Regensburg

Professor Jonathan Lovell, University at Buffalo

Professor Ian Manners, University of Bristol

Professor Shizhang Qiao, The University of Adelaide

Dr Eric Rivard, University of Alberta

Professor Rein Ulijn, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center

Professor Hua Zhang, Nanyang Technological University

We would also like to thank the Chemical Society Reviews board and the General Chemistry community for their continued support of the journal, as authors, reviewers and readers.

If you would like to become a reviewer for our journal, just email us with details of your research interests and an up-to-date CV or résumé. You can find more details in our author and reviewer resource centre

On 28 November 2016, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Chemical Society Publications Division, ACS Publications, both signed the ORCID Open Letter committing to unambiguous identification of all authors that publish in our journals.

The official press release can be found here: http://rsc.li/orcid

In brief, this partnership with ORCID will resolve ambiguity in researcher identification caused by name changes, cultural differences in name presentation, and the inconsistent use of name abbreviations, thereby ensuring their contributions are appropriately recognized and credited.