Improved Localization and Quantification in Photoacoustic Tomography by Using Acoustic Information Content

In this letter is proposed a method for improving the localization and the quantification of the optical parameters in photoacoustic tomography of biological tissues, that are intrinsically heterogeneous in both optical and acoustic properties. It is based on the exploitation of both the photoacoustic signal, generated by the heterogeneous optical structures, and the secondary acoustic echoes due to the interaction between a primary pho-toacoustic wave generated near the tissues surface region and the heterogeneous acoustic structures. These secondary echoes can also be collected through proper measurements of the photoacoustic signals. The experimental procedure is presented as well as the method to filter the signal and the reconstruction algorithm including the account of the acoustic information