Fluorescence Imaging In Vivo at Wavelengths beyond 1500 nm

Abstract

Compared to imaging in the visible and near-infrared regions below 900 nm, imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) is a promising method for deep-tissue high-resolution optical imaging in vivo mainly due to the reduced scattering of photons traversing through biological tissues. Herein, semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes with large diameters were used for in vivo fluorescence imaging in the long-wavelength NIR region (1500-1700 nm, NIR-IIb). With this imaging agent, 3-4 um wide capillary blood vessels at a depth of about 3 mm could be resolved. Meanwhile, the blood-flow speeds in multiple individual vessels could be mapped simultaneously. Furthermore, NIR-IIb tumor imaging of a live mouse was explored. NIR-IIb imaging can be generalized to a wide range of fluorophores emitting at up to 1700 nm for high-performance in vivo optical imaging.

29 pages, 5 main figures and 11 supplementary figures

References in corpus (4)

• Through Skull Fluorescence Imaging of the Brain in a New Near-Infrared Window
• Multifunctional in vivo vascular imaging using near-infrared II fluorescence
• Deep-Tissue Anatomical Imaging of Mice Using Carbon Nanotube Fluorophores in the Second Near Infrared Window
• Ultra-Fast Fluorescence Imaging in Vivo with Conjugated Polymer Fluorophores in the Second Near-Infrared Window