Characterization of fluorescence lifetime of organic fluorophores for molecular imaging in the shortwave infrared window

Luis Chavez; Shan Gao; Xavier Intes

doi:10.1117/1.JBO.28.9.094806

10 April 2023 Characterization of fluorescence lifetime of organic fluorophores for molecular imaging in the shortwave infrared window

Luis Chavez, Shan Gao, Xavier Intes

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 28, Issue 9, 094806 (April 2023). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.28.9.094806

Abstract

Significance

Fluorescence lifetime imaging in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) is expected to enable high-resolution multiplexed molecular imaging in highly scattering tissue.

Aim

To characterize the brightness and fluorescence lifetime of commercially available organic SWIR fluorophores and benchmark them against the tail emission of conventional NIR-excited probes.

Approach

Characterization was performed through our established time-domain mesoscopic fluorescence molecular tomography system integrated around a time-correlated single-photon counting-single-photon avalanche diode array. Brightness and fluorescence lifetime were measured for NIR and SWIR probes >1000 nm. Simultaneous probe imaging was then performed to assess their potential for multiplexed studies.

Results

The NIR probes outperformed SWIR probes in brightness while the mean fluorescence lifetimes of the SWIR probes were extremely short. The phantom study demonstrated the feasibility of lifetime multiplexing in the SWIR window with both NIR and SWIR probes.

Conclusions

Long-tail emission of NIR probes outperformed the SWIR probes in brightness >1000 nm. Fluorescence lifetime was readily detectable in the SWIR window, where the SWIR probes showed shorter lifetimes compared to the NIR probes. We demonstrate the feasibility of lifetime multiplexing in the SWIR window, which paves the way for in vivo multiplexed studies of intact tissues at improved resolution.

CC BY: © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

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Luis Chavez, Shan Gao, and Xavier Intes "Characterization of fluorescence lifetime of organic fluorophores for molecular imaging in the shortwave infrared window," Journal of Biomedical Optics 28(9), 094806 (10 April 2023). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.28.9.094806

Received: 30 November 2022; Accepted: 24 March 2023; Published: 10 April 2023

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KEYWORDS

Short wave infrared radiation

Fluorophores

Fluorescence

Near infrared

Windows

Fluorescence intensity

Multiplexing

Significance

Aim

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