Patent ID: 6542246
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: A61B,G01B

Abstract:
A blood vessel imaging system comprisinga measuring light source which emits a measuring light beam, a scanning means which causes the measuring light beam to scan an organism, an optical heterodyne detection system consisting of an optical system which splits the measuring light beam upstream of the organism into a first light beam traveling to impinge upon the organism and a second light beam traveling not to impinge upon the organism and combines the second light beam with the first beam emanating from the organism into a combined light beam, a frequency shifter which causes the first and second light beams to have frequencies different from each other, and a beat component detecting means which detects beat components of the combined light beam, and an image signal generating means which generates an image signal on the basis of the ratio of the intensity of a pulsation wave band signal to the intensity of a beat signal included in an output signal of the optical heterodyne detection system.