SignificancePhotoacoustic (PA) imaging is an imaging modality that integrates anatomical, functional, metabolic, and histologic insights. It has been a hot topic of medical research and draws extensive attention. AimThis review aims to explore the applications of PA clinical imaging in human diseases, highlighting recent advancements. ApproachA systemic survey of the literature concerning the clinical utility of PA imaging was conducted, with a particular focus on its application in tumors, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory conditions, and endocrine disorders. ResultsPA imaging is emerging as a valuable tool for human disease investigation. Information provided by PA imaging can be used for diagnosis, grading, and prognosis in multiple types of tumors including breast tumors, ovarian neoplasms, thyroid nodules, and cutaneous malignancies. PA imaging facilitates the monitoring of disease activity in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, arteritis, and inflammatory bowel disease by capturing dynamic functional alterations. Furthermore, its unique capability of visualizing vascular structure and oxygenation levels aids in assessing diabetes mellitus comorbidities and thyroid function. ConclusionsDespite extant challenges, PA imaging offers a promising noninvasive tool for precision disease diagnosis, long-term evaluation, and prognosis anticipation, making it a potentially significant imaging modality for clinical practice.
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