Wide-field three-dimensional photoacoustic/ultrasound scanner using a two-dimensional matrix transducer array

Two-dimensional matrix transducer arrays are the most appropriate imaging probes for acquiring dual-modal 3D photoacoustic (PA)/ultrasound (US) images. However, they have small footprints which limit the field-of-view (FOV) to less than 10 mm × 10 mm and degrade the spatial resolution. In this study, we demonstrate a dual-modal PA and US imaging system (using a 2D matrix transducer array and a motorized 2D scanning system) to enlarge the FOV of volumetric images. Multiple PA volumes were merged to form a wide-field image of approximately 45 mm × 45 mm. In vivo imaging was demonstrated using rat sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and bladders stained with methylene blue. We believe that this volumetric PA/US imaging technique with a 2D matrix transducer array can be a useful tool for narrow-field real-time monitoring and wide-field imaging of various preclinical and clinical studies.