Handheld light-and-sound scanner for blood vessel problems
Official title: A portable photoacoustic imager for diagnosing vascular diseases
Funded at Pennsylvania State University, the · NIH-11182724 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A portable device that uses safe light-plus-ultrasound imaging to find and monitor blood vessel problems for people with conditions like diabetes or peripheral artery disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $256,687 |
| NIH project number | 5R33EB030370-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182724 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with vascular risk factors or symptoms—such as people with diabetes, suspected peripheral artery disease, carotid plaque, or unexplained limb or brain circulation symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
People who need advanced angiography, MRI-based imaging, or immediate surgical intervention may not gain direct benefit from this diagnostic device during early testing.
What this research studies
From your perspective, this project is building a handheld imager that combines pulses of light and ultrasound to create detailed pictures of blood vessels without injections. It aims to measure blood oxygen levels, detect fatty plaque and clots, and map blood flow in real time. The device is designed to be non-invasive, use no ionizing radiation, and work at the point of care in clinics or resource-limited settings. Testing will move the technology from lab prototypes toward real-world use with patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the device could make earlier, safer, and more accessible detection and monitoring of vascular disease possible, especially for people with diabetes or peripheral artery disease.
How similar studies have gone: Photoacoustic imaging has shown encouraging results in preclinical and early clinical work, but portable, multiparameter devices for deep vessel diagnostics are still novel and under clinical translation.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State University, the
University Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kothapalli, Sri Rajasekhar — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Kothapalli, Sri Rajasekhar
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.