Improving Optoacoustic Image Quality via Geometric Pixel Super-Resolution Approach

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Medical Imaging
• Acoustic Physics

Background:

• High-fidelity optoacoustic (photoacoustic) tomography demands dense spatial sampling.
• Limited sampling in current methods restricts image resolution.
• Existing techniques face challenges with coarse arrays or raster scan limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a method for enhancing optoacoustic image resolution.
• To integrate information from multiple sub-diffraction optoacoustic images.
• To improve image quality without altering hardware or inversion algorithms.

Main Methods:

• An iterative registration algorithm was employed.
• Multiple optoacoustic images were acquired at sub-diffraction steps.
• The integrated data was used to reconstruct a high-resolution image.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in optoacoustic image resolution were achieved.
• Enhanced image quality was confirmed through experimental validations.
• The method demonstrated effectiveness in target phantoms and ex vivo tissues.

Conclusions:

• The proposed iterative registration method effectively enhances optoacoustic image resolution and quality.
• This approach offers a valuable tool for improving diagnostic capabilities in optoacoustic tomography.
• The technique is compatible with existing optoacoustic imaging systems and algorithms.