Researchers at Caltech and USC have developed a new imaging technique called RUS-PAT that combines ultrasound imaging with photoacoustic tomography.[1][2][3] This method enables the rapid creation of 3D color images of soft tissue and blood vessel function simultaneously.[1][2][3] The system provides detailed results without radiation or contrast agents, with one scan taking less than one minute.[1][2][3] The technology has been tested on multiple parts of the human body, including the head, breast, limbs, arm, leg, and brain in patients with traumatic brain injury.[1][2][3][4] It currently images tissues to a depth of approximately 4 cm, with the possibility of endoscopic access for deeper areas.[1][2][3] The study was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.[1][3] The system has been demonstrated on volunteers and patients and is in the early stages of transition to clinical use.[1][2][3][4]