Platform-Flexible Deep Learning Driven Acoustic Resolution Photoacoustic
Microscopy: Expediting Scanning Speed and Reducing Photobleaching
Effects
Abstract
In acoustic resolution PA microscopy (AR-PAM), high signal-to-noise
ratio (SNR) images require averaging pulse-illuminated A-scans, slowing
data acquisition. Multi-wavelength PA imaging further reduces scan
speed, leading to issues like photobleaching of exogenous contrast
agents due to prolonged exposure. Traditional noise removal algorithms
fall short, while deep learning models like U-Net, though effective,
also compromise image contrast. We propose a platform-flexible denoising
conditional GAN (modified Pix2Pix) to generate high SNR images with
single pulse illumination, reducing AR-PAM scan time by 30-fold. Tested
across various systems, our model minimizes photobleaching, enhances
efficiency, and remains adaptable to diverse hardware setups without
retraining, broadening its preclinical and clinical applications.