Patent ID: 7864307
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A biological information imaging apparatus comprising: a light source; an acoustic wave detector that detects an acoustic wave generated from a light absorption material in a living body that has absorbed a part of energy of light irradiated from said light source to the living body, and converts the acoustic wave into a first electric signal; a photodetector that detects optical intensity of a portion of the light irradiated from said light source to the living body and propagating in the living body, and converts the optical intensity into a second electric signal; and a calculation unit that calculates optical property distribution information on the living body by making use of an analytical result of one of the first electric signal and the second electric signal for analysis of the other electric signal, wherein said calculation unit calculates second optical property distribution information by making use of first optical property distribution information that is an analytical result of the first electric signal for the analysis of the second electric signal, and wherein the first optical property distribution information is either of a size of the light absorption material, a position in which the light absorption material exists, and an optical energy absorption density distribution of the light absorption material.