Mechanisms of the ultrasonic modulation of fluorescence in turbid media.

To understand the modulation mechanisms of fluorescence emission induced by ultrasonic waves in turbid media, a mathematical model is proposed and compared with the recent experimental observations of Kobayashi et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 181102 (2006)]. Modulation of fluorophore concentration is considered as the source of the oscillation of fluorescence signals when fluorophore concentration is low enough so that quenching effects can be ignored. By solving the rate equation and photon diffusion equation, quantitative solutions are given to quantify the modulation strength. Our calculations predict that the modulation depth (the ratio of the modulated signal strength to the unmodulated signal strength) can reach 10(-4) when ultrasonic pressure with the order of magnitude of megapascals is applied in the ultrasound focal zone. Our model explains the relationship between the modulation strength and the average fluorophore concentration and also predicts a method to measure or image fluorescence lifetime in the turbid medium. When fluorophore concentration is high enough so that fluorescence quenching occurs, the fluorescence modulation is attributed to the modulation of quenching efficiency. Quenching caused by fluorescence resonance energy transfer can lead to a nonlinear relationship between the modulation fluorescence strength and the applied ultrasound strength.