Implementation and comparison of reconstruction algorithms for 2D optoacoustic tomography using a linear array

The goal of this paper is to compare and contrast various image reconstruction algorithms for tomography (OAT) assuming a finite linear aperture of the kind that arises when using a linear-array transducer. Because such transducers generally have tall, narrow elements, they are essentially insensitive to out of plane acoustic waves, and the usually 3D OAT problem reduces to a 2D problem. Algorithms developed for the 3D problem may not perform optimally in 2D. We have implemented and evaluated a number of previously described OAT algorithms, including an exact (in 3D) Fourier-based algorithm and a synthetic aperture based algorithm. We have also implemented a 2D algorithm developed by Norton for reflection mode tomography that has not. to the best of our knowledge, been applied to OAT before. Our simulation studies of resolution, contrast, noise properties and signal detectability measures suggest that Norton's approach based algorithm has the best contrast. resolution and signal detectability.