Imaging plays a critical role in the diagnosis and assessment of dermatological conditions. However, optical or optoacoustic microscopy techniques are limited to visualizing superficial skin features owing to strong photon scattering, whereas ultrasound methods, which can probe deeper-seated tissue, lack the contrast to image pathophysiological mechanisms in detail. Here, we demonstrate that raster-scan optoacoustic mesoscopy (RSOM) implemented in ultra-broadband (10–180 MHz) detection mode bridges the depth capabilities of ultrasound and the resolution range and high contrast of optical methods in clinical dermatology. Using tomographic reconstruction and frequency equalization to represent low and high spatial-frequency components, we visualize skin morphology and vascular patterns in the dermis and sub-dermis of psoriasis patients, enabling quantification of inflammation and other biomarkers of psoriasis without the need for contrast agents. Implemented in a handheld device, we showcase how label-free biomarkers detected by RSOM correlate with clinical score. The method can also be extended to assess a larger spectrum of dermatological conditions.

中文翻译：

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超宽带光声膜镜技术精确评估无标签牛皮癣生物标志物

影像学在皮肤病学状况的诊断和评估中起着至关重要的作用。但是，由于强烈的光子散射，光学或光声显微镜技术仅限于可视化浅层皮肤特征，而可以探测更深层组织的超声方法在细节上与图像病理生理机制缺乏对比。在这里，我们证明了在超宽带（10–180 MHz）检测模式下实施的光栅扫描光声内窥镜（RSOM）可以在临床皮肤病学中联系超声波的深度功能和光学方法的分辨率范围和高对比度。通过层析成像重建和频率均衡来表示低和高空间频率分量，我们可以观察到牛皮癣患者真皮和真皮下的皮肤形态和血管模式，无需对比剂即可定量测定牛皮癣的炎症和其他生物标志物。通过在手持设备中实施，我们展示了RSOM检测到的无标签生物标志物与临床评分之间的关​​系。该方法还可以扩展到评估更大范围的皮肤病学条件。