Elevation resolution enhancement in 3D photoacoustic imaging using FDMAS beamforming

Photoacoustic imaging is a non-invasive and non-ionizing imaging technique that combines the spectral selectivity of laser excitation with the high resolution of ultrasound imaging. It is possible to identity the vascular structure of the cancerous tissue using this imaging modality. However, elevation and lateral resolution of photoacoustic imaging is usually poor for imaging target. In this study, three dimension filter delay multiply and sum beamforming technique (FDMAS(3D)) is used to improve the resolution and enhance the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the 3D photoacoustic image that is created by using linear array transducer. This beamforming technique showed improvement in the elevation by 36% when its compared with three dimension delay and sum beamforming technique (DAS(3D)). In addition, it enhanced the SNR by 13 dB compared with DAS (3D).