On the Development of Full-view Photoacoustic Computed Tomography System for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Noninvasive deep-tissue functional and molecular imaging for small animal has long been the interest of photoacoustic (PA) computed tomography (PACT). However, due to limitation in transducer’s geometry, existing functional PACT methods have severe limited-view artifact leading to image degradation. Worsened by limited bandwidth and insensitivity in low-frequency ranges, these systems potentially have decreased molecular and quantitative sensitivity. In this thesis, we introduce the development of full-view PACT system with ring-array transducer that overcomes these challenges. Its full detection angle along the imaging plane eliminates limited-view artifact for wide-field high-resolution PACT. Exploring the lower band of the frequency spectrum, from the wide bandwidth of the full-view PACT, we illustrate the importance of low-frequency signals to improve functional and quantitative imaging. Biomedical applications such as life-science imaging and therapeutic integration show that the full-view PACT system is a potential solution for in vivo functional imaging at multiscale and multispectral levels.