Simultaneous multimodal imaging with integrated photoacoustic microscopy and optical coherence tomography

We have developed a multimodal imaging technique by integrating photoacoustic microscopy and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to provide simultaneous volumetric microscopic imaging of both optical absorption and scattering contrasts in biological tissues. In the integrated system, the two imaging modalities share the same optical scanning and delivery mechanisms after their probing and illumination light beams are combined. By further synchronizing the image acquisitions, the images from the two modalities are intrinsically registered. The capabilities of this novel technique were demonstrated by imaging both the microanatomy and microvasculature in mouse ears in vivo. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America