Laser Optoacoustic + Laser Ultrasound Imaging
Functional + Anatomical Imaging
The term “Optoacoustic Imaging” is used when optical energy from a LASER pulse is deposited into biological tissue and the volume of the illuminated tissue becomes a source of ultrasound. On the other hand, the term “LASER ultrasound” is used when LASER pulses illuminate ultrasound emitters (such as thin films of strongly absorbing polymers) and these laser ultrasound emitters produce ultrasound pulses outside of the volume of biological tissue, so that anatomical images are reconstructed using signals generated as a result of ultrasound reflections from or transmissions through the biological tissue structures.