Dual frequency comb portable photoacoustic imaging device for non-invasive medical imaging and associated methods

A device for non-invasive medical imaging, the device comprising:

• a photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-scale dual frequency comb (DFC) laser source;
• a scanning portion comprising a plurality of emission points for emitting light from the PIC-scale DFC laser source at a plurality of wavelengths and at least three sensors located adjacent to each emission point of the plurality of emission points, wherein the emitted light directs at one or more bodily structures, wherein the at least three sensors are adapted to detect acoustic waves from thermo-elastic changes in at least one of one or more elements within the one or more bodily structures exposed to the emitted light;
• and
• at least one processing element for:
• generating an optical absorption spectrum based on the detected acoustic waves from each of the at least three sensors,
• identifying at least one of the one or more elements within the one or more bodily structures exposed to the emitted light based on the optical absorption spectrum, and
• generating a three-dimensional, 3-D, image of the one or more elements based on the optical absorption spectrum from the detected acoustic waves from each of the at least three sensors.