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Photoacoustic and Thermoacoustic Tomography: Image Formation Principles

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Handbook of Mathematical Methods in Imaging

Abstract

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), also known as thermoacoustic or optoacoustic tomography, is a rapidly emerging imaging technique that holds great promise for biomedical imaging. PAT is a hybrid imaging technique, and can be viewed either as an ultrasound mediated electromagnetic modality or an ultrasound modality that exploits electromagnetic-enhanced image contrast. In this chapter, we provide a review of the underlying imaging physics and contrast mechanisms in PAT. Additionally, the imaging models that relate the measured photoacoustic wavefields to the sought-after optical absorption distribution are described in their continuous and discrete forms. The basic principles of image reconstruction from discrete measurement data are presented, which includes a review of methods for modeling the measurement system response.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA

    Kun Wang & Mark A. Anastasio

Authors
  1. Kun Wang
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  2. Mark A. Anastasio
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Computational Science Center, University of Vienna, Nordbergstrasse 15, Vienna, Austria

    Otmar Scherzer

  2. RICAM, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Linz, Austria

    Otmar Scherzer

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Wang, K., Anastasio, M.A. (2011). Photoacoustic and Thermoacoustic Tomography: Image Formation Principles. In: Scherzer, O. (eds) Handbook of Mathematical Methods in Imaging. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92920-0_18

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