It is first confirmed that it is important to take SOS inhomogeneities into account in high resolution PA tomography. The iterative reconstruction algorithms, that model acoustic refractive effects, in reconstructing SOS distributions, and subsequently using these distributions to correct PA tomograms, yield artifact-free highly accurate images. The approach of using the hybrid measurement method and the new reconstruction algorithms is successful in substantially improving the quality of PA images with a minimization of blurring and artifacts.

We present a "hybrid" imaging approach which can image both light absorption properties and acoustic transmission properties of an object in a two-dimensional slice using a computed tomography (CT) photoacoustic imager. The ultrasound transmission measurement method uses a strong optical absorber of small cross-section placed in the path of the light illuminating the sample. This absorber, which we call a passive element acts as a source of ultrasound. The interaction of ultrasound with the sample can be measured in transmission, using the same ultrasound detector used for photoacoustics. Such measurements are made at various angles around the sample in a CT approach. Images of the ultrasound propagation parameters, attenuation and speed of sound, can be reconstructed by inversion of a measurement model. We validate the method on specially designed phantoms and biological specimens. The obtained images are quantitative in terms of the shape, size, location, and acoustic properties of the examined heterogeneities.

We present a method to generate quantitative cross-sectional maps of acoustic propagation speed in tissue using the photoacoustic principle. The method is based on the interaction of laser-induced ultrasound from an extraneous absorber with the object under photoacoustic investigation. The propagation times of the ultrasound transients through the object at angles around 360° are measured using a multielement ultrasound detector. The geometry lends itself to fan-beam reconstruction allowing speed-of-sound tomograms to be generated. Simultaneously, conventional photoacoustic computed tomography can be performed as well. We demonstrate the concept showing results on phantoms carrying speed-of-sound distributions.

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Photoacoustic imaging is an upcoming medical imaging modality with the potential of imaging both optical and acoustic properties of objects. We present a measurement system and outline reconstruction methods to image both speed of sound and acoustic attenuation distributions of an object using only pulsed light excitation. These acoustic properties can be used in a subsequent step to improve the image quality of the optical absorption distribution. A passive element, which is a high absorbing material with a small cross-section such as a carbon fiber, is introduced between the light beam and the object. This passive element acts as a photoacoustic source and measurements are obtained by allowing the generated acoustic signal to propagate through the object. From these measurements we can extract measures of line integrals over the acoustic property distribution for both the speed of sound and the acoustic attenuation. Reconstruction of the acoustic property distributions then comes down to the inversion of a linear system relating the obtained projection measurements to the acoustic property distributions. We show the results of applying our approach on phantom objects. Satisfactory results are obtained for both the reconstruction of speed of sound and the acoustic attenuation.