Abstract
Background Lymphatic vessels are difficult to identify using existing modalities as because
of their small diameter and the transparency of the lymph fluid flowing through them.
Methods Here, we introduce photoacoustic lymphangiography (PAL), a new modality widely used
for lymphedema treatment, to observe limb lymphatic vessels. The photoacoustic imaging
system used in this study can simultaneously visualize lymphatic vessels and veins
with a high resolution (0.2 mm) and can also observe their three-dimensional relationship
with each other.
Results High-resolution images of the lymphatic vessels, detailed structure of the dermal
back flow, and the three-dimensional positional relationship between the lymphatic
vessels and veins were observed by PAL.
Conclusion The clear image provided by PAL could have a major application in pre- and postoperative
use during lymphaticovenular anastomosis for lymphedema treatment.
Keywords
lymphedema - lymphaticovenular anastomosis - lymphatic vessels - photoacoustic lymphangiography
