The Effect of Uncertainty of Sound Speeds in Layered Media Photoacoustic Imaging

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) combines optical imaging’s molecular contrast with ultrasound’s spatial resolution, promising advancements in cancer diagnosis. However, many real-time algorithms prioritize computational speed over crucial factors like differences in media speed within layered tissues, degrading image quality. In this study, we investigate the impact of varying layer speeds on imaging using our developed two-layered UBP algorithm. We observe changes in positions and shape of source in reconstructed images and quantitatively compare image quality using the SNR metric. Subsequently, we validate our algorithm’s effectiveness using experimental data obtained in the laboratory.