Optoacoustic imaging is a very complex field, both from a technology and applications perspective. Components to master include lasers, optics, ultrasound detectors, electronics, and, equally important, a breadth of algorithms for quantitative image reconstruction and spectral analysis. iThera Medical develops and markets biomedical imaging systems based on a novel technology called Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT). MSOT utilizes the photoacoustic effect to visualize and quantify anatomical, functional and molecular information, in vivo, in deep tissue and in real time. Today, MSOT allows the study of disease processes on a molecular level as well as the analysis of pharmacokinetic and biodistribution properties for new substances in small animals. Recently, MSOT has been translated for clinical use and promises to become a valuable diagnostic tool for a variety of diseases, including melanoma, inflammatory bowel disease, neuromuscular disease, and breast cancer.