NEW DELHI, India — German researchers have developed a new noninvasive imaging technology that can scan the skin and reveal early signs of cardiovascular risk, potentially allowing doctors to identify heart disease much earlier than is currently possible.
The technique, known as fast-RSOM, can detect subtle changes in tiny blood vessels, oxygen levels, and tissue composition that are not visible using traditional imaging methods. It captures high-resolution images of the smallest blood vessels directly through the skin and can identify early impairments in their ability to expand and contract, a condition known as microvascular endothelial dysfunction.
Until now, clinicians have lacked a precise, noninvasive way to directly observe and measure these early vascular changes in humans.
Researchers from the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres said the technology could help doctors intervene earlier, tailor treatments more effectively, and improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes by revealing early indicators of heart disease risk.
“With fast-RSOM, we can, for the first time, noninvasively assess endothelial dysfunction at single-capillary and skin-layer resolution in humans,” said Dr. Hailong He, a researcher at the Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging at Helmholtz Munich.
“Our novel approach offers an unprecedented view of how cardiovascular disease manifests at the microvascular level,” added Dr. Angelos Karlas, co-first author, vascular surgeon, and senior research scientist at Technical University of Munich University Hospital.
The findings were published in the journal Light: Science & Applications.
Fast-RSOM provides high-resolution, dynamic biomarkers of microvascular endothelial dysfunction, capturing subtle impairments in blood vessel function that often appear well before clinical symptoms or measurable large-scale disease features. These early changes are commonly associated with risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Unlike conventional risk assessments that rely on descriptive factors, the new imaging approach can quantitatively measure the actual impact of these conditions on the microvascular system, long before major cardiovascular complications develop.
By identifying these early warning signs, fast-RSOM could enable earlier detection, improved prevention strategies, and more precise monitoring of cardiovascular health. Researchers said the technology may help identify individuals at elevated risk of cardiovascular events with greater accuracy and track the effects of lifestyle changes or medical therapies over time.
RSOM, or Raster Scan Optoacoustic Mesoscopy, is a noninvasive imaging method that uses pulses of light to generate ultrasound signals, producing highly detailed three-dimensional images of structures beneath the skin. (Source: IANS)
