Optical imaging plays an important role in clinical diagnosis because of its high sensitivity, high spatial and temporal resolution, and spectral diversity. However, due to the scattering of light by biological tissue, it is difficult for high-resolution optical imaging to overcome the "soft limit" of optical imaging depth (1 mm). In photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic imaging, based on the principle of the photoacoustic effect, transforms the information carrier from light/microwave to ultrasound by energy conversion, reducing the impact of light scattering on imaging resolution. This unique hybrid imaging technology breaks the limits of conventional optical imaging depth and achieves high-resolution imaging at depths of several centimeters. Photoacoustic/microwave-thermoacoustic imaging has the advantages of both optical/microwave (high temporal and spatial resolution, high contrast, high absorption selectivity) and ultrasound ( layer tissue penetration, nondestructive ), showing unique technical characteristics and clinical application potential. In recent years, photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic imaging has made great progress in detection methods, system composition, signal and image processing algorithms, functional identification, technical solutions, and feasible applications. It has achieved high-resolution imaging of brain structure and function, microscopic imaging of tumor angiogenesis, intravascular plaque imaging, breast tumor imaging, human arthritis imaging, molecular imaging based on gene and functional probe targeting, and has become a research hotspot in biomedical imaging applications. Moreover, it can be used across scales and can be easily combined with other imaging techniques for multimodal functional imaging. These features give photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic imaging a wide range of applications in biomedical research and clinics.
This Research Topic aims to present original state-of-the-art research articles on almost all aspects of microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging/photoacoustic imaging.
- Microwave thermoacoustic imaging system;
- Tomography and deep tissue imaging;
- Preclinical imaging, clinical translation, and clinical application;
- Photoacoustic microscopy;
- Contrast agents, molecular probes, and nanoparticles;
- Multimodal systems using photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic techniques;
- Microwave thermoacoustic method and its application;
- Physics and modeling of photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic generation, propagation, and detection;
- Advanced photoacoustic, microwave thermoacoustic, and ultrasonic signal processing and analysis;
- Image reconstruction algorithms including deep learning.
Optical imaging plays an important role in clinical diagnosis because of its high sensitivity, high spatial and temporal resolution, and spectral diversity. However, due to the scattering of light by biological tissue, it is difficult for high-resolution optical imaging to overcome the "soft limit" of optical imaging depth (1 mm). In photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic imaging, based on the principle of the photoacoustic effect, transforms the information carrier from light/microwave to ultrasound by energy conversion, reducing the impact of light scattering on imaging resolution. This unique hybrid imaging technology breaks the limits of conventional optical imaging depth and achieves high-resolution imaging at depths of several centimeters. Photoacoustic/microwave-thermoacoustic imaging has the advantages of both optical/microwave (high temporal and spatial resolution, high contrast, high absorption selectivity) and ultrasound ( layer tissue penetration, nondestructive ), showing unique technical characteristics and clinical application potential. In recent years, photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic imaging has made great progress in detection methods, system composition, signal and image processing algorithms, functional identification, technical solutions, and feasible applications. It has achieved high-resolution imaging of brain structure and function, microscopic imaging of tumor angiogenesis, intravascular plaque imaging, breast tumor imaging, human arthritis imaging, molecular imaging based on gene and functional probe targeting, and has become a research hotspot in biomedical imaging applications. Moreover, it can be used across scales and can be easily combined with other imaging techniques for multimodal functional imaging. These features give photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic imaging a wide range of applications in biomedical research and clinics.
This Research Topic aims to present original state-of-the-art research articles on almost all aspects of microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging/photoacoustic imaging.
- Microwave thermoacoustic imaging system;
- Tomography and deep tissue imaging;
- Preclinical imaging, clinical translation, and clinical application;
- Photoacoustic microscopy;
- Contrast agents, molecular probes, and nanoparticles;
- Multimodal systems using photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic techniques;
- Microwave thermoacoustic method and its application;
- Physics and modeling of photoacoustic/microwave thermoacoustic generation, propagation, and detection;
- Advanced photoacoustic, microwave thermoacoustic, and ultrasonic signal processing and analysis;
- Image reconstruction algorithms including deep learning.