Photoacoustic signals generated by breasts irradiated with short microwave, infrared or optical pulses could be used to detect breast cancer. Since radiation at this spectrum is non-ionizing, the photoacoustic approach provides a special safety feature. The purpose of the paper is to present a means to predict photoacoustic pressure signals for different breast phantoms and irradiation conditions. The photoacoustic wave equation was derived for linear, non-viscous liquid media. The equation was solved assuming uniform acoustic properties in an infinite medium. Compressed breast phantoms were used as the objects of simulation. The spatial dependence of electromagnetic energy absorption was given by another research paper of this conference. The time dependence of the absorption was assumed to be either uniform or bell- shaped. Photoacoustic pressure signals received by transducers at different locations were calculated numerically.

Date Published: 11 April 1996
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 2708, Medical Imaging 1996: Physics of Medical Imaging, (11 April 1996); doi: 10.1117/12.237792

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2708:
Medical Imaging 1996: Physics of Medical Imaging
Richard L. Van Metter; Jacob Beutel, Editor(s)