Tissue and vascular pathway mapping using synchronized photoacoustic and ultrasound pullback techniques

A system, comprising:

• a processing unit configured for communication with a non-imaging optical emitter, a measurement apparatus separate from the non-imaging optical emitter, an actuator connected to the non-imaging optical emitter, and a pullback device connected to the measurement apparatus, wherein the processing unit is configured to:
• control the non-imaging optical emitter to emit optical pulses to tissue inside of a body, wherein the non-imaging optical emitter is configured to be positioned outside of the body;
• control the measurement apparatus to receive photoacoustic sound waves generated by the tissue resulting from interaction of the optical pulses with the tissue, wherein the measurement apparatus is configured to be positioned within a vascular pathway inside of the body;
• control the actuator to provide first movement of the non-imaging optical emitter outside of the body;
• and
• control the pullback device to provide second movement of the measurement apparatus within the vascular pathway,
• wherein the first movement and the second movement are coordinated such that the photoacoustic sound waves generated by different parts of the tissue during the first movement are received by the measurement apparatus at different positions of the second movement.