Development of 3D photoacoustic imaging system with 1024-channel transducers for demonstration of carotid artery thrombosis in vivo

Photoacoustic imaging is a hybrid imaging modality that combines optical and ultrasound imaging, achieving the high contrast of optical imaging together with the high resolution of ultrasound imaging. Although commercial preclinical devices for photoacoustic imaging are available, they often suffer from a limited angle of view. In this paper, we present a three-dimensional (3D) photoacoustic imaging system employing a hemispherical ultrasound probe to overcome this limitation. Using the proposed system, we demonstrate the visualization of carotid thrombosis in a mouse model.