DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IN VIVO FLOW CYTOMETRY USING THE DETECTION OF PHOTOACOUSTIC WAVES

摘要

A photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC) device for the in vivo detection of cells circulating in blood or lymphatic vessels is described. Ultrasound transducers attached to the skin of an organism detect the photoacoustic ultrasound waves emitted by target objects in response to their illumination by at least one pulse of laser energy delivered using at least one wavelength. The wavelengths of the laser light pulse may be varied to optimize the absorption of the laser energy by the target object. Target objects detected by the device may be unlabelled biological cells or cell products, contrast agents, or biological cells labeled with one or more contrast agents.

主权项

1. A method of detecting moving target objects in blood or lymphatic vessels of a living organism at up to 15 cm away from the vessels, the method comprising:
a. pulsing a target object with a repeating series of at least two laser pulses, wherein each laser pulse in the series is emitted at a different wavelength ranging between about 400 nm and about 2500 nm, a pulse width ranging between about 0.1 ps and about 1000 ns, a pulse repeat rate ranging between about 1 Hz and about 500,000 Hz, and a pulse energy fluence ranging between about 0.1 mJ/cm2 and about 1000 J/cm2; b. detecting at least two photoacoustic pulses emitted by the target object at a sample rate ranging between about 10 kHz and about 100 MHz; and, c. analyzing the at least two photoacoustic pulses to determine at least one characteristic of the target object.