Open AccessPhotoacoustic tomography: fundamentals, advances and prospects
Author(s) -
Yao Junjie,
Wang Lihong V.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
contrast media & molecular imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.714
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1555-4317
pISSN - 1555-4309
DOI - 10.1002/cmmi.443
Subject(s) - photoacoustic tomography , photoacoustic imaging in biomedicine , millimeter , optical imaging , nanotechnology , computer science , optics , preclinical imaging , optical tomography , tomography , medical physics , materials science , physics , in vivo , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Optical microscopy has been contributing to the development of life science for more than three centuries. However, due to strong optical scattering in tissue, its in vivo imaging ability has been restricted to studies at superficial depths. Advances in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) now allow multiscale imaging at depths from sub‐millimeter to several centimeters, with spatial resolutions from sub‐micrometer to sub‐millimeter. Because of this high scalability and its unique optical absorption contrast, PAT is capable of performing anatomical, functional, molecular and fluid‐dynamic imaging at various system levels, and is playing an increasingly important role in fundamental biological research and clinical practice. This review discusses recent technical progress in PAT and presents corresponding applications. It ends with a discussion of several prospects and their technical challenges. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.