Photoacoustic　imaging　(PAI)　has　been　employed　to　reconstruct　endogenous　optical　contrast　present　in　tissues.　At　the　cost　of　longer　calculations,　a　compressive　sensing　reconstruction　scheme　can　achieve　artifact-free　imaging　with　fewer　measurements.　In　this　paper,　an　effective　acceleration　framework　using　the　alternating　direction　method　(ADM)　was　proposed　for　recovering　images　from　limited-view　and　noisy　observations.　Results　of　the　simulation　demonstrated　that　the　proposed　algorithm　could　perform　favorably　in　comparison　to　two　recently　introduced　algorithms　in　computational　efficiency　and　data　fidelity.　In　particular,　it　ran　considerably　faster　than　these　two　methods.　PAI　with　ADM　can　improve　convergence　speed　with　fewer　ultrasonic　transducers,　enabling　a　high-performance　and　cost-effective　PAI　system　for　biomedical　applications.　©　2012　Xueyan　Liu　et　al.