3D imaging of arterial wall using confocal microscopy

Although smaller arteries have been imaged and well characterized, 3D imaging of larger arteries is more challenging due to the thickness of the walls preventing light penetration throughout. We investigated the use of single-photon confocal microscopy as a tool to create 3D images of cross sections of arterial walls to analyze their structural arrangement; 3D visualization of elastin and collagen fibers is of interest, as their structural properties and arrangement could potentially be correlated to a multitude of arterial diseases. Preliminary results reveal that confocal microscopy can be used to view the pig carotid arterial wall at depths down to 12 μm in the axially direction in the outer medial layer, and approximately 40 μm in the inner medial layer, although details in the latter appear much fainter.