Multifunctional in vivo vascular imaging using near-infrared II   fluorescence
  In vivo real-time epifluorescence imaging of mouse hindlimb vasculatures in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1.1~1.4 microns) is performed using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as fluorophores. Both high spatial resolution (~30 microns) and temporal resolution (<200 ms/frame) for small vessel imaging are achieved 1-3 mm deep in the tissue owing to the beneficial NIR-II optical window that affords deep anatomical penetration and low scattering. This spatial resolution is unattainable by traditional NIR imaging (NIR-I, 0.75~0.9 microns) or microscopic computed tomography (micro-CT), while the temporal resolution far exceeds scanning microscopic imaging techniques. Arterial and venous vessels are unambiguously differentiated using a dynamic contrast-enhanced NIR-II imaging technique based on their distinct hemodynamics. Further, the deep tissue penetration, high spatial and temporal resolution of NIR-II imaging allow for precise quantifications of blood velocity in both normal and ischemic femoral arteries, which are beyond the capability of ultrasonography at lower blood velocity. 
Guosong Hong, Jerry C. Lee, Joshua T. Robinson, Uwe Raaz, Liming Xie,   Ngan F. Huang, John P. Cooke and Hongjie Dai
physics.med-ph physics.bio-ph physics.optics