Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes

Abstract Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging biomedical imaging modality with promise as a point-of-care diagnostic. This imaging modality relies on optical excitation of an absorber followed by production of ultrasound through the photoacoustic effect, resulting in high spatial resolution wi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Frederik Brøndsted, Julia L. McAfee, Jerimiah D. Moore, Harry R. Shield, Luca Menozzi, Xinqi Zhou, Yuan Fang, Ruwen Yin, Junjie Yao, Kelsey P. Kubelick, Cliff I. Stains
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59121-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850170777498812416
author Frederik Brøndsted
Julia L. McAfee
Jerimiah D. Moore
Harry R. Shield
Luca Menozzi
Xinqi Zhou
Yuan Fang
Ruwen Yin
Junjie Yao
Kelsey P. Kubelick
Cliff I. Stains
author_facet Frederik Brøndsted
Julia L. McAfee
Jerimiah D. Moore
Harry R. Shield
Luca Menozzi
Xinqi Zhou
Yuan Fang
Ruwen Yin
Junjie Yao
Kelsey P. Kubelick
Cliff I. Stains
author_sort Frederik Brøndsted
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging biomedical imaging modality with promise as a point-of-care diagnostic. This imaging modality relies on optical excitation of an absorber followed by production of ultrasound through the photoacoustic effect, resulting in high spatial resolution with imaging depths in the centimeter range. Herein, we disclose the discovery of the first benchmarking parameter for small molecule dye performance in PAI, which we term the acoustic loudness factor (ALF). ALF can predict dye performance in PAI without the need for access to photoacoustic instrumentation and can be used to guide the systematic evaluation of design strategies to enhance photoacoustic signal. Lastly, we demonstrate that enhancements in ALF can be translated to in vivo PAI. Akin to the use of fluorescence brightness in fluorophore design and evaluation for fluorescence imaging, we anticipate that ALF will guide the design and evaluation of improved probes for PAI.
format Article
id doaj-art-0d15c45fb37c468dac7ad36702f8ce72
institution OA Journals
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-0d15c45fb37c468dac7ad36702f8ce722025-08-20T02:20:25ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-59121-6Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probesFrederik Brøndsted0Julia L. McAfee1Jerimiah D. Moore2Harry R. Shield3Luca Menozzi4Xinqi Zhou5Yuan Fang6Ruwen Yin7Junjie Yao8Kelsey P. Kubelick9Cliff I. Stains10Department of Chemistry, University of VirginiaDepartment of Chemistry, University of VirginiaDepartment of Chemistry, University of VirginiaDepartment of Chemistry, University of VirginiaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-LincolnDepartment of Chemistry, University of VirginiaDepartment of Chemistry, University of VirginiaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of VirginiaDepartment of Chemistry, University of VirginiaAbstract Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging biomedical imaging modality with promise as a point-of-care diagnostic. This imaging modality relies on optical excitation of an absorber followed by production of ultrasound through the photoacoustic effect, resulting in high spatial resolution with imaging depths in the centimeter range. Herein, we disclose the discovery of the first benchmarking parameter for small molecule dye performance in PAI, which we term the acoustic loudness factor (ALF). ALF can predict dye performance in PAI without the need for access to photoacoustic instrumentation and can be used to guide the systematic evaluation of design strategies to enhance photoacoustic signal. Lastly, we demonstrate that enhancements in ALF can be translated to in vivo PAI. Akin to the use of fluorescence brightness in fluorophore design and evaluation for fluorescence imaging, we anticipate that ALF will guide the design and evaluation of improved probes for PAI.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59121-6
spellingShingle Frederik Brøndsted
Julia L. McAfee
Jerimiah D. Moore
Harry R. Shield
Luca Menozzi
Xinqi Zhou
Yuan Fang
Ruwen Yin
Junjie Yao
Kelsey P. Kubelick
Cliff I. Stains
Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes
Nature Communications
title Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes
title_full Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes
title_fullStr Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes
title_full_unstemmed Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes
title_short Acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes
title_sort acoustic loudness factor as an experimental parameter for benchmarking small molecule photoacoustic probes
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59121-6
work_keys_str_mv AT frederikbrøndsted acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT julialmcafee acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT jerimiahdmoore acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT harryrshield acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT lucamenozzi acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT xinqizhou acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT yuanfang acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT ruwenyin acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT junjieyao acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT kelseypkubelick acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes
AT cliffistains acousticloudnessfactorasanexperimentalparameterforbenchmarkingsmallmoleculephotoacousticprobes