Optical Transparency Windows in Near-Infrared and Short-Wave Infrared for the Skin, Skull, and Brain: Fluorescence Bioimaging Using PbS Quantum Dots

Fluorescence imaging (FI) employing near-infrared (NIR) light within the range of ~750–1350 nm enables biomedical imaging several millimeters beneath the tissue surface. More recent investigations into the short-wave IR (SWIR) transparency windows between ~1550–1870 and 2100–2300 nm highlight their superior capabilities. This research presents a comparison of IR-FI of PbS quantum dots, emitting at 990, 1310, and 1580 nm, through the mouse scalp skin, skull, and brain. The SWIR fluorescence is the most effectively transmitted signal, showing particularly significant enhancement when passing through the skull, which causes high light scattering. For the analysis of the imaging results and light propagation through the organs, their spectra of attenuation, absorption, and scattering coefficients are measured. In view of biomedical imaging, attenuation due to light scattering is a more destructive factor. Hence, the spatial resolution and imaging contrast can be improved by operating in SWIR due to decreased light scattering.