Photoacoustic endoscopic imaging of the rabbit mediastinum

Like ultrasound endoscopy, photoacoustic endoscopy (PAE) could become a valuable addition to clinical practice due to its deep imaging capability. Results from our recent in vivo transesophageal endoscopic imaging study on rabbits demonstrate the technique's capability to image major organs in the mediastinal region, such as the lung, trachea, and cardiovascular systems. Here, we present various features from photoacoustic images from the mediastinal region of several rabbits and discuss possible clinical contributions of this technique and directions of future technology development.