Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Imaging of Caridea for Quantification of Pigments and Hardness Measurement

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) and Ultrasound microscopy has been used extensively in biology and medicine. This microscopy is based on absorption-based contrast due to which functional and physiological information along with structural and morphological information can be obtained. Marine animals such as carotenoids contain pigments and are well suited for this microscopy technique. Here, we report the application of photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasound visualization of caridea. The pigment astaxanthin was found likely responsible for the photoacoustic effect in caridea.