Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally, claiming millions of lives each year. Ischemic stroke, in particular, occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked. If treatment is delayed, the resulting damage to brain tissue accelerates, making recovery nearly impossible. Existing diagnostic tools like CT and MRI have limitations in detecting early vascular changes in real-time. Researchers have now achieved a significant breakthrough by developing a cutting-edge technology that combines light and sound to monitor strokes in real-time.

A research team from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH, Pohang, South Korea) has created a photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) system that integrates both light and ultrasound. The team employed an advanced scanning technique that combined linear and rotational scanning to capture images from multiple angles and compile them into a comprehensive 3D image. This method is similar to how images from different perspectives are combined to generate a 3D representation. Using this innovative technology, the researchers were able to non-invasively observe cerebrovascular changes in small animals at the early stages of an ischemic stroke and accurately analyze vascular alterations across a broad area in real time.

Additionally, the researchers developed an algorithm that enables real-time, non-invasive monitoring of hemoglobin levels and oxygen saturation in individual blood vessels using multi-wavelength photoacoustic imaging within a near-infrared spectrum. This breakthrough allowed the team to closely observe ischemic lesions, as well as collateral blood flow and neovascular changes. The results, published in Advanced Science, were found to be reliable when compared to traditional pathological tissue tests. The new PACT system demonstrated the ability to effectively track the vascular recovery process following a stroke.

"The most significant result from this research is that we can now have precise observation of blood flow changes without using contrast,” stated the POSTECH research team. “This will provide new experimental approaches not only for stroke treatment research but also for research on various neurological and vascular diseases." 

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