A practical guide to photoacoustic tomography in the life sciences.
Abstract
The life sciences can benefit greatly from imaging technologies that connect microscopic
discoveries with macroscopic observations. One technology uniquely positioned to provide
such benefits is photoacoustic tomography (PAT), a sensitive modality for imaging
optical absorption contrast over a range of spatial scales at high speed. In PAT,
endogenous contrast reveals a tissue's anatomical, functional, metabolic, and histologic
properties, and exogenous contrast provides molecular and cellular specificity. The
spatial scale of PAT covers organelles, cells, tissues, organs, and small animals.
Consequently, PAT is complementary to other imaging modalities in contrast mechanism,
penetration, spatial resolution, and temporal resolution. We review the fundamentals
of PAT and provide practical guidelines for matching PAT systems with research needs.
We also summarize the most promising biomedical applications of PAT, discuss related
challenges, and envision PAT's potential to lead to further breakthroughs.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/12770Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1038/nmeth.3925Publication Info
Wang, Lihong V; & Yao, Junjie (2016). A practical guide to photoacoustic tomography in the life sciences. Nat Methods, 13(8). pp. 627-638. 10.1038/nmeth.3925. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/12770.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Junjie Yao
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Our mission at PI-Lab is to develop state-of-the-art photoacoustic tomography (PAT)
technologies and translate PAT advances into diagnostic and therapeutic applications,
especially in functional brain imaging and early cancer theranostics. PAT is the most
sensitive modality for imaging rich optical absorption contrast over a wide range
of spatial scales at high speed, and is one of the fastest growing biomedical imaging
technologies. Using numerous endogenous and exogenous contrasts, PAT can

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