Photoacoustic imaging in scattering media by combining a correlation matrix filter with a time reversal operator.

Acoustic scattering medium is a fundamental challenge for photoacoustic imaging. In this study, we reveal the different coherent properties of the scattering photoacoustic waves and the direct photoacoustic waves in a matrix form. Direct waves show a particular coherence on the antidiagonals of the matrix, whereas scattering waves do not. Based on this property, a correlation matrix filter combining with a time reversal operator is proposed to preserve the direct waves and recover the image behind a scattering layer. Both numerical simulations and photoacoustic imaging experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively increases the image contrast and decreases the background speckles in a scattering medium. This study might improve the quality of photoacoustic imaging in an acoustic scattering environment and extend its applications.