Photoacoustic tomography (PAT), in the forms of computed tomography or microscopy, provides in vivo functional, metabolic, molecular, and histologic imaging. PAT has the unique strength of high-resolution multiscale imaging across organelles, cells, tissues, organs in both animals and humans as well as small-animal organisms with consistent optical absorption contrast. The wavelength of the excitation laser can be broadly tuned to target various endogenous or exogenous molecules. PAT has the potential to empower omniscale biology and accelerate trans-scale clinical translation. Potential medical applications include imaging of the breast, brain, thyroid, muscle, joint, skin, vascular system, lymphatic system, prostate, esophagus, colon, cervix, bladder, and uterus.
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