RF heating-enhanced photoacoustic tomography

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Selvin, Skyler P., Wang, XuanHao, Deng, Handi, Chen, Bohua, Ma, Cheng
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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_version_ 1866908869917147136
author Selvin, Skyler P.
Wang, XuanHao
Deng, Handi
Chen, Bohua
Ma, Cheng
author_facet Selvin, Skyler P.
Wang, XuanHao
Deng, Handi
Chen, Bohua
Ma, Cheng
contents Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and thermoacoustic tomography (TAT) both leverage acoustic signals generated by electromagnetic absorption to noninvasively image deep tissues. PAT operates by detecting optical absorption, whereas TAT targets radiofrequency (RF) absorption, providing complementary information on tissue composition and structure. Combining these modalities into a single system promises richer contrast but remains difficult due to the expense and complexity of the RF source. Here, we show that PAT can be integrated with a low-cost RF heater and used to image both optical and RF absorption in tissue phantoms. RF Heating-Enhanced Photoacoustic Tomography (HEPAT) maps RF absorption via temperature-dependent changes in thermomechanical properties, which enables the use of slow, inexpensive RF subsystems and provides an additional layer of contrast. HEPAT therefore provides distinct, complementary contrast relative to existing photoacoustic imaging systems, expanding specificity and diagnostic power while opening new avenues for studying temperature-related tissue phenomena.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_23938
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle RF heating-enhanced photoacoustic tomography
Selvin, Skyler P.
Wang, XuanHao
Deng, Handi
Chen, Bohua
Ma, Cheng
Optics
Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and thermoacoustic tomography (TAT) both leverage acoustic signals generated by electromagnetic absorption to noninvasively image deep tissues. PAT operates by detecting optical absorption, whereas TAT targets radiofrequency (RF) absorption, providing complementary information on tissue composition and structure. Combining these modalities into a single system promises richer contrast but remains difficult due to the expense and complexity of the RF source. Here, we show that PAT can be integrated with a low-cost RF heater and used to image both optical and RF absorption in tissue phantoms. RF Heating-Enhanced Photoacoustic Tomography (HEPAT) maps RF absorption via temperature-dependent changes in thermomechanical properties, which enables the use of slow, inexpensive RF subsystems and provides an additional layer of contrast. HEPAT therefore provides distinct, complementary contrast relative to existing photoacoustic imaging systems, expanding specificity and diagnostic power while opening new avenues for studying temperature-related tissue phenomena.
title RF heating-enhanced photoacoustic tomography
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.23938