Quantitative analysis in medicine using photoacoustic tomography

Photoacoustic imaging, or photoacoustic tomography, is a 2D or 3D optical imaging method based on localized optical absorption of pulsed laser radiation. By a spatially resolved detection of the following thermoelastic expansion, the local distribution of the absorption can be determined. The technique has been proven to have significant potential for the imaging of human and animal organs and single blood vessels, combining high contrast with good spatial resolution. The contrast is based on the specific optical absorption of certain components in the visible and near-infrared spectral range, for most applications of blood. Generally, the images represent the local distribution of blood in a qualitative or semiquantitative way. Although photoacoustic imaging is capable of revealing absolute and spatially resolved concentrations of endogenous (such as oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin) or artificial (such as tumor markers) chromophores, only a very limited number of publications have dealt with this demanding task. In this report, the problems involved and possible solutions are reviewed and summarized.