Novel breast cancer detection system combining both thermoacoustic (TA) and photoacoustic (PA) tomography using carbon nanotubes(CNTs) as a dual contrast agent

We report here a novel breast cancer scanner using microwave and light excitation and ultrasound detection. This combined thermoacoustic and photoacoustic tomography scanner is a nonionizing low cost system that can potentially provide high-resolution, dual contrast (microwave and light absorption) three dimensional images of the breast. Front breast compression will be used in this scanner to alleviate patient discomfort, experienced in side breast compression during traditional X-ray mammography. This scanner will use dry instead of gel ultrasonic coupling. We have also developed a carbon nanotube-based contrast agent for both thermoacoustic and photoacoustic imaging. In the future, targeted molecular photoacoustic and thermoacoustic imaging should be possible using this contrast agent.