Thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) is a new non-invasive, non-ionization and nondestructive modality capable of high microwave contrast and high ultrasound resolution, and it has attracted extensive attention in recent years. This review introduces the technical principle, imaging system and imaging characteristics of TAI, and then introduces the application of TAI for breast cancer detection as an example. This review introduces the advantages of TAI in solving corresponding clinical problems in view of its high resolution and high contrast. In addition, it also explains the roles of TAI in medical diagnosis and treatment. Finally, the potential applications of TAI in medical diagnosis is introduced from many aspects and multiple perspectives. The future development of TAI in the challenges of current medical diagnosis is also prospected.
微波热声成像（TAI）是一种新型的非侵入、非电离式无损医学成像方式，因其同时具有超声成像的高分辨率和微波成像的高对比度优势，近年来受到广泛的关注。本综述介绍了微波热声成像的技术原理、成像系统及成像特点。以乳腺癌的检测应用研究为例，介绍了 TAI 的高分辨率及高对比度在解决相应临床问题中的优势，并以此说明了 TAI 如何在医学诊断及治疗中发挥作用。最后，本综述从多方面、多视角介绍了 TAI 在医学诊断中的潜在应用前景，并针对 TAI 技术在现有医学诊断中面临的挑战，对该技术未来研究发展态势进行了展望。.
Keywords: breast cancer; detection; microwave; thermoacoustic imaging.