Photoacoustic imaging shows promise for monitoring prostate cancer noninvasively

A team of scientists has demonstrated that photoacoustic imaging (PAI) may be an effective tool for more accurately viewing and monitoring prostate cancer.

The BioOptics World take on this story:

A team of researchers used photoacoustic imaging -- an emerging noninvasive imaging modality that has not yet been used in clinical settings -- to focus a laser light on prostate cells, followed by using ultrasound technology to see how a dye attached to a specific prostate cancer marker (PSMA) reacted to the light waves. As the prostate can be imaged in situ, photoacoustic imaging is able to distinguish cells with and without the cancer marker.

Related: Photoacoustic imaging progresses toward medical diagnostics