Image reconstruction in optoacoustic tomography for dispersive acoustic media

• Published in: Optics letters Vol. 31; no. 6; p. 781
• Main Authors: La Rivière, Patrick J, Zhang, Jin, Anastasio, Mark A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15-03-2006
• Subjects: Acoustics; Algorithms; Computer Simulation; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Models, Biological; Phantoms, Imaging; Reproducibility of Results; Scattering, Radiation; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods; Ultrasonography - methods; Vibration
• ISSN: 0146-9592
• DOI: 10.1364/OL.31.000781

Conventional image reconstruction methods for optoacoustic tomography (OAT) assume an idealized, non-dispersive acoustic medium. However, the linear attenuation coefficient and the phase velocity of acoustic waves propagating in soft tissue depend on temporal frequency and satisfy a known dispersion law. These frequency-dependent effects are incorporated into an optoacoustic wave equation, and a corresponding reconstruction method for OAT is developed. The improvement in image fidelity that can be achieved over conventional reconstruction methods is demonstrated by use of computer-simulation studies.