Fig. 2.

Sono-photoacoustic imaging setup using a Verasonics scanner and a diagnostic ultrasound probe in wide beam mode. (a) Timing diagram. Note that PA firings can be removed in a real-time sequence since SPA does not use images formed with the laser excitation alone. (b) Imaging setup: the laser pulse emission occurs when US reaches a depth of z₂ resulting in a targeted area between z₁ and z₂ and delimited by the path of the US beam (indicated in red). A focused beam is used in the region before the focus to enhance the pressure amplitude while keeping a wide area under consideration. The blue and green lines indicate respectively where the positive and negative US peaks are at the lasing time.