Seno

Opto-acoustic imaging represents a breakthrough in imaging technology. Unlike most imaging modalities; it is based on functional, not anatomical imaging. Opto-acoustic imaging combines light and sound to produce high-resolution, high-contrast images to indicate the presence of angiogenesis—the increased blood supply and vascular structure that surround and feed a tumor.

Opto-acoustic tomography draws on both optical and ultrasound methods resulting in a higher-resolution functional imaging technique with substantial advantages over anatomic and functional imaging modalities currently in use. A short laser pulse illuminates a large region of tissue creating thermo elastic expansion. The resultant acoustic waves propagate to the surface of the tissue where they are detected by wideband ultrasonic receivers. Reconstruction algorithms can determine the spatial location of optical absorbers from the time-domain data.

There are published descriptions of the technique and underlying physics (Disease Markers 2003,2004; 123-138). Because of the illumination wavelengths used, image contrast is related to hemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation, both of which have direct relevance to tumor pathophysiology. While angiogenesis itself is insufficient to differentiate malignant from benign lesions, the combination of Hgb concentration and relative oxygenation is shown to have quite good diagnostic accuracy as demonstrated in recent literature (Academic Radiology 2005; 12:925-933).