Murakami, R.; Wang, Y.; Lesniak, W.; Tsumura, R.; Tang, Y.; Tsunoi, Y.; Nycz, C. J.; Pomper, M. G.; Fischer, G. S.; Zhang, H. K.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a prevalent and fatal cancer. This report describes an MRI- compatible photoacoustic/ultrasound (PA/US) imaging platform to improve the PCa diagnosis. In the proposed solution, PA imaging, which offers real-time, non-ionizing imaging with high sensitivity and specificity, is combined with MRI to expand PA\'s limited field of view (FOV), enhancing clinical applicability. Central to the design is a reflector-based transrectal probe composed of MRI-compatible materials. The linear transducer with a hole for optical fiber, is actuated for multi-angled scans, allowing varied cross-sectional PA/US imaging. Performance was tested in phantom and ex- vivo settings, confirming MRI compatibility and the feasibility of its tri-modal imaging capability using a tubing phantom with contrast agents. Ex-vivo tests on a mouse liver with PSMA-positive tumors showed system\'s compatibility in spectroscopic PA (sPA) imaging with biological tissue. These results support the feasibility of the in-bore MRI- compatible transrectal PA and US and the potential clinical adaptability.