Abstract

In photoacoustic imaging the ultrasonic signals are usually detected by contacting transducers. For some applications contact with the tissue should be avoided. As alternatives to contacting transducers interferometric means can be used to acquire photoacoustic signals remotely. In this paper we report on non-contact three and two dimensional photoacoustic imaging using an optical fiber-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A detection beam is transmitted through an optical fiber network onto the surface of the specimen. Back reflected light is collected and coupled into the same optical fiber. To achieve a high signal/noise ratio the reflected light is amplified by means of optical amplification with an erbium doped fiber amplifier before demodulation. After data acquisition the initial pressure distribution is reconstructed by a Fourier domain reconstruction algorithm. We present remote photoacoustic imaging of a tissue mimicking phantom and on chicken skin.

Highlights

  • Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI) is a non-invasive imaging modality which allows structural, functional and molecular imaging [1]

  • In this paper we report on non-contact three and two dimensional photoacoustic imaging using an optical fiber-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer

  • The local absorption of the light is followed by rapid heating, which subsequently leads to thermal expansion and the generation of broadband acoustic waves

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Summary

Introduction

Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI) is a non-invasive imaging modality which allows structural, functional and molecular imaging [1]. Imaging relies on the photoacoustic effect, which describes conversion between light and acoustic waves due to absorption of electromagnetic waves and localized thermal expansion. Short pulses of electromagnetic radiation, mostly short laser pulses, are used to illuminate a sample. The local absorption of the light is followed by rapid heating, which subsequently leads to thermal expansion and the generation of broadband acoustic waves. By recording the generated ultrasonic waves the initial absorbed energy distribution can be assessed. Photoacoustic imaging is a hybrid technique making use of optical absorption and ultrasonic wave propagation leading to high contrast and high spatial resolution, respectively

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