Frequently asked questions
The short answers. For anything specific to your model or probe, our application scientists will give you a straight assessment.
- What is TriTom?
- TriTom is a preclinical imaging platform that uses 3D photoacoustic tomography as its primary modality, enabling high-resolution imaging and quantitative assessment of light-absorbing biomolecules and contrast agents deep inside the interrogated object.
- Which areas of biomedical research use TriTom?
- Development of novel optical and fluorescent contrast agents and biomarkers, cancer research, tissue engineering and regeneration, and developmental biology.
- Is TriTom a multimodality imaging system?
- Yes. The Premium model integrates photoacoustics and fluorescence, producing multimodality images that are co-registered in time and space.
- Which contrast agents can TriTom visualise?
- Nanoparticles, molecular probes and dyes absorbing light in the 460–1320 nm spectral range, plus fluorescent proteins and molecular probes with excitation between 460 nm and 800 nm.
- Which biomolecules are visible without a contrast agent?
- Oxyhaemoglobin, deoxyhaemoglobin and melanin.
- Which objects can I study?
- Live mice and rats under 200 g, tissue samples, tissue-mimicking phantoms, and liquid samples in 50 µL microcuvettes.
- What does a typical in vivo TriTom image look like?
- A series of 3D parametric maps of the studied contrast agents, molecular probes and endogenous biomolecules, registered to 3D anatomy — high-resolution blood circulatory system, internal organs and skin.
- How large a region of interest can I study?
- Single-scan 3D images are scaled by the user from 0.001 cm³ to 75 cm³. Whole-body mouse images are reconstructed from three to four single scans.
- What is the imaging depth?
- 20–40 mm, without degradation of spatial resolution.
- What is the spatial resolution?
- 0.15 mm × 0.15 mm × 0.42 mm, independent of image size and depth inside the object.
- How fast is a scan?
- 10 seconds for a 3D scan of a local region of interest, and 36 seconds for a large-scale 75 cm³ 3D scan.
- Can TriTom visualise multiple biomolecules and contrast agents in one scan?
- Yes. Multiwavelength excitation sequences allow spectral unmixing of multiple optical absorbers.
- Can I design excitation sequences for a new contrast agent?
- Yes. Each scan can use any number and order of individual excitation wavelengths, switchable at a 20 Hz rate.
- Does TriTom use ionizing radiation?
- No. A pulsed laser is the excitation source.
- How can TriTom benefit my research?
- TriTom provides 3D anatomical visuals and accurately mapped data for longitudinal quantitative assessment of biodistribution, molecular targeting, vascular morphology and density, blood oxygenation, ischaemia, tumour progression and detection of metastasis, and monitoring the effects of drugs and therapies.