Ultrafast Photoacoustic Imaging and its Application to Real-Time 3D Imaging with Improved Focusing
Journal
Ultrasonic Imaging
Journal Volume
33
Journal Issue
3
Pages
189-196
Date Issued
2011
Author(s)
Wang, Y.U.-H.
Abstract
The restricted temporal resolution of photoacoustic imaging due to limited frame rates often prohibits its applications in areas such as real-time 3D imaging. This paper presents an ultrasound/photoacoustic multimodality imaging system that provides an ultrafast frame rate and consists of an ultrasound transducer array with plane wave excitation and a laser with pulse repetition frequency up to 2,000 Hz. Its application to real-time 3D photoacoustic imaging is demonstrated and a synthetic-aperture focusing technique is applied to improve the elevational focusing quality of the mechanically-scanned 1D array. A 3D frame rate of 12 Hz in a volume covering a 19.2 mm × 19.2 mm scanning surface is demonstrated. Copyright 2011 by Dynamedia.
Subjects
3d image; Photoacoustic; Plane wave excitation; Synthetic aperture focusing; Ultrafast
Other Subjects
Elastic waves; Imaging systems; Laser excitation; Photoacoustic effect; Pulse repetition rate; Synthetic apertures; Ultrasonic applications; Ultrasonic transducers; Wave propagation; 3-D image; Multi-modality imaging systems; Plane wave excitation; Pulse repetition frequencies; Synthetic aperture focusing; Synthetic aperture focusing techniques; Ultra-fast; Ultrasound transducer arrays; Focusing; article; echography; equipment design; human; image enhancement; image processing; instrumentation; laser; methodology; three dimensional imaging; transducer; Equipment Design; Humans; Image Enhancement; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Lasers; Transducers; Ultrasonography
Type
journal article