Patent ID: 8396534
Filing Date: 2013-03-12
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An intravital-information imaging apparatus that performs imaging using an acoustic wave generated by irradiating a subject with light, the intravital-information imaging apparatus comprising: a light source configured to irradiate the subject with light; an acoustic-wave detector configured to detect an acoustic wave generated from a light absorber that has absorbed a part of energy of the light from said light source, the light absorber existing inside the subject; and a signal processor configured to calculate an average effective attenuation coefficient of the subject using relative-position information representing a relative position between the light absorber and an irradiation region of the subject and sound pressures of the acoustic wave, the relative-position information and the sound pressures being obtained by analyzing electric signals corresponding to the acoustic wave detected by said acoustic-wave detector.