Multi-modality imaging leverages the competitive advantage of different imaging systems to improve the overall resolution and quantitative accuracy. Our new technique, Photo-Magnetic Imaging (PMI) is one of these true multi-modality imaging approaches, which can provide quantitative optical absorption map at MRI spatial resolution. PMI uses laser light to illuminate tissue and elevate its temperature while utilizing MR thermometry to measure the laser-induced temperature variation with high spatial resolution. The high-resolution temperature maps are later converted to tissue absorption maps by a finite element based inverse solver that is based on modeling of photon migration and heat diffusion in tissue. Previously, we have demonstrated the feasibility of PMI with phantom studies. Recently, we have managed to reduce the laser power under ANSI limit for maximum skin exposure therefore, we have well positioned PMI for in vivo imaging. Currently we are expanding our system by adding multi-wavelength imaging capability. This will allow us not only to resolve spatial distribution of tissue chromophores but also exogenous contrast agents. Although we test PMIs feasibility with animal studies, our future goal is to use PMI for breast cancer imaging due to its high translational potential.

We present a rapid, noncontact imaging technique which can obtain the spectrally- and spatially-resolved scattering and absorption coefficients of a turbid medium. The measurement involves combining a spatially modulated illumination pattern with a snapshot imaging spectrometer for measurement. After capture of an (x, y, λ) datacube, an image demodulation scheme is applied in post-processing to obtain the spatial maps of diffuse reflectance, absorption coefficient, and reduced scattering coefficient. The resulting system is used to dynamic maps (in 1 s intervals) of the brain's intrinsic optical signal. © 2011 Copyright Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Imaging the structure and correlating it with the biochemical content of the retina holds promise for fundamental research and for clinical applications. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is commonly used to image the 3D structure of the retina and while the added functionality of biochemical analysis afforded by Raman scattering could provide critical molecular signatures for clinicians and researchers, there are many technical challenges to combining these imaging modalities. We present an ex vivo OCT microscope combined with Raman spectroscopy capable of collecting morphological and molecular information about a sample simultaneously. The combined instrument will be used to investigate remaining technical challenges to combine these imaging modalities, such as the laser power levels needed to achieve a Raman signal above the noise level without damaging the sample. © 2009.