A breakthrough in skin-based imaging may let doctors spot hidden blood vessel damage long before heart disease shows up.
Researchers at Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich have developed a tool called fast-RSOM.
It creates highly detailed images of the body’s tiniest blood vessels directly through the skin, without any invasive procedures.
By catching early signs of cardiovascular risk, this technology could help doctors intervene sooner, personalize treatments and support long-term heart health.
Those Tiny Blood Vessels
Some of the earliest warning signs of heart disease start in the smallest blood vessels.
Early changes involve subtle problems with how vessels widen and narrow, a condition called microvascular endothelial dysfunction, or MiVED.
Until now, there hasn’t been a precise, non-invasive way to measure these changes in people. Fast-RSOM changes that.
How Fast-RSOM Works
Fast-RSOM captures high-resolution images and dynamic biomarkers linked to MiVED.
It can detect small impairments in blood vessel function well before symptoms or large-scale heart problems appear.
Instead of only estimating risk based on smoking, high blood pressure or obesity, fast-RSOM directly shows the physical effects these factors have already caused in microvessels.
By identifying early signals of cardiovascular dysfunction, fast-RSOM gives doctors a chance to diagnose problems sooner and monitor treatments more accurately.
So when can fast-RSOM become a standard screening tool?
The research team plans to test fast-RSOM in larger, more diverse patient groups and explore integrating its biomarkers into routine clinical care.
Because the device is portable, fast and non-invasive, it could be used in outpatient settings as part of regular cardiovascular checkups.
It’s not clear at this point, however, when this technology might be available on a standard basis, let alone given at every annual general health checkup.
What RSOM Is
RSOM stands for raster scan optoacoustic mesoscopy. It’s a non-invasive imaging method that uses brief pulses of light to create ultrasound signals, producing detailed 3D images beneath the skin.
RSOM can detect tiny changes in blood vessels, oxygen levels and tissue composition that traditional imaging can’t see.
This technology, developed by the team led by Vasilis Ntziachristos, offers a new window into early cardiovascular changes and the promise of earlier interventions for better heart health.
