Photoacoustic Tomography and Microscopy

Lihong V. Wang

By converting light waves into sound, researchers have developed a high-resolution biological imaging technique that allows them to see living tissue at new depths.

 

figureThe microvasculature in the ear of a nude mouse is captured using transmission optical microscopy.

Biomedical researchers have greatly benefited from commercially available high-resolution 3D optical imaging modalities—including confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy and optical coherence tomography. Unfortunately, however, such tools cannot penetrate biological tissue deeper than about 1 mm. Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), which combines strong optical contrast and high ultrasonic resolution in a single modality, has broken through this fundamental depth limitation.

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