Toward whole-brain in vivo optoacoustic angiography of rodents: Modeling and experimental observations

We report on a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the optimal wavelengths for in vivo OA angiography in whole rodent brains. Governed by the competing processes of light attenuation through the brain tissues and OA signal generation due to absorption by blood, we identified three distinct spectral ranges centered around 580, 895 and 1100 nm optimally suited for imaging of vessels of different size and depth. The developed model was employed for numerical simulation of OA imaging of murine brain illustrating the effect of probing wavelength on visibility of the cerebral vasculature. In vivo imaging experiments further affirmed the capacity for whole-brain OA angiography in rodents at a wavelength of 1064nm.