Intravascular ultrasonic–photoacoustic (IVUP) endoscope with 2.2-mm diameter catheter for medical imaging

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is based on the optoacoustic effects that result from the formation of acoustic waves due to light absorption in the sample. In this technique, nanosecond laser pulses are typically employed to irradiate biological tissues. Through the conversion of the absorbed light energy into heat, the acoustic waves can be generated within the irradiated volume following the transient thermoelastic expansion of the tissues. These acoustic waves can be identified and collected to reconstruct a photoacoustic image of the spatial distribution of light absorbers from the tissue compositions by using an ultrasound transducer.
Source: Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics - Category: Radiology Authors: Source Type: research