Coregistered transcranial optoacoustic and magnetic resonance angiography of the human brain

Imaging modalities capable of visualizing the human brain have led to major advances in neurology and brain research. Multi-spectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) has gained importance for studying cerebral function in rodent models due to its unique capability to map changes in multiple hemo-dynamic parameters and to directly visualize neural activity within the brain. The technique further provides molec-ular imaging capabilities that can facilitate early disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring. However, transcranial imaging of the human brain is hampered by acoustic atten-uation and other distortions introduced by the skull. Here, we demonstrate non-invasive transcranial MSOT angiogra-phy of pial veins through the temporal bone of an adult healthy volunteer. Time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were further acquired to facilitate anatomical registration and interpretation. The superior middle cerebral vein in the temporal cortex was identified in the MSOT images, matching its location observed in the TOF-MRA images. These initial results pave the way toward the application of MSOT in clinical brain imaging.(c) 2023 Optica Publishing Group

Automated summary

Imaging modalities, such as multi-spectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT), have greatly advanced neurology and brain research. Non-invasive transcranial MSOT angiography has been demonstrated to visualize pial veins in the human brain, which can be beneficial for clinical brain imaging.