Integrated photoacoustic and ultrasonic endoscopy mini-probe for use in the instrument channel of a clinical video endoscope

Abstract

We have developed an integrated photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasonic (US) endoscopy mini-probe system that can provide coregistered PA and US B-scan images at 20 Hz via the 3.8-mm diameter standard instrument channel of a clinical video endoscope. As the probe was adequately implemented in terms of the dimensions required for a typical gastrointestinal endoscopy mini-probe as well as the integrability of the optical and acoustic elements, we could acquire opticalresolution in vivo PA images from the esophagogastric junction of a swine for the first time. We expect that the developed endoscopic technique could make an important contribution to gastrointestinal endoscopy.