Optoacoustic Technology

 

TomoWave technology employs the principles of optoacoustic tomography. Energy from a pulse of laser light is absorbed in tissue and transformed into kinetic energy. After this exchange, local heating results and a pressure wave, or sound, is released from the tissue. By measuring the sound at different frequencies, an optoacoustic spectrum can be obtained and correlated with light-absorbing tissue.

 

Given a capable sound detection array, the emitted sound can also be spatially correlated in three dimensions to tissue surfaces, yielding true and real-time 3-D images. The most advantageous aspect of the optoacoustic approach is that it does not require extraneous contrast materials. Biological tissue naturally absorbs specific wavelengths of light and produces optoacoustic events; blood itself is a contrast agent and can be imaged.

 

When combined with selected wavelengths that target specific tissues, optoacoustic methods can provide strong contrast and resolution of isolated structures. For example, one wavelength of light produces an image of oxygenated blood distribution; at another wavelength, the distribution of deoxygenated blood is shown. Additionally, optoacoustic contrast agents (light-absorbing materials with high sound conversion) enable superior image enhancement and can be applied in various biomedical applications.

 

 

Applications of Optoacoustic Tomography

 

Clinical and preclinical (research) applications include in vivo functional and molecular imaging of abnormal lesions such as cancer, neurophysiology, and vascular disease.  Feasibility of these applications has been demonstrated in both animals and humans. Major challenges include development of quantitative imaging and improvement of contrast and resolution. Commercialization of the technology is underway. Our company designs and develops future generations of preclinical and clinical systems for optoacoustic tomography.

 

 

Optoacoustic Contrast Agent

A unique opportunity for further enhancement of the optoacoustic detection sensitivity and molecular imaging of specific cellular receptors comes from merging optoacoustic tomography with plasmonic nanotechnology. We develop a contrast agent based on strongly absorbing gold nanoparticles selectively delivered to cancer cells in order to substantially increase brightness of cancerous tumors.

 

Currently, TomoWave is exploring the development of several new optoacoustic contrast agents involving gold nanorods (GNR). We are looking for potential collaborations within academia and industry partners to develop applications and validate biochemical properties.