This collaborative research project will develop advanced image reconstruction methods for pre-clinical applications of photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT). PACT is a promising biomedical imaging technique, which has been developed rapidly in the past decade, with applications explored in vascular biology, oncology, neurology, dermatology, gastroenterology, and cardiology. PACT can circumvent the limitations of many existing approaches and provide detailed three-dimensional anatomical, functional, and molecular information that can facilitate a wide range of biomedical studies. This research project will dramatically improve image quality in PACT, which will accelerate the widespread adoption of this emerging imaging modality. The project goals will be accomplished through a collaboration that involves complementary high-level expertise in the mathematical and biomedical imaging sciences.
The project aims at addressing several challenging problems in biomedical imaging in terms of modeling and inversion from both computational and experimental perspectives. (1) Advanced ultrasound computed tomography (USCT) reconstruction methods will be developed for determination of acoustic heterogeneities. (2) New photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) reconstruction methods will be developed to compensate for acoustic heterogeneities. (3) Novel methods for joint PACT/USCT image reconstruction will be developed to reconstruct the absorbed optical energy density and speed of sound distributions simultaneously. (4) Innovative PACT reconstruction methods in heterogeneous viscoelastic media will be developed for transcranial brain imaging. (5) The value of the developed image reconstruction methods will be demonstrated for in-vivo imaging of small animals. The resulting methods will open new venues for applying these algorithms to wave-related biomedical imaging problems.
