Patent ID: 8185189
Filing Date: 2012-05-22
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for investigation of a body structure having a configuration or physical characteristic that changes over time, the apparatus comprising: a radiation delivery arrangement arranged to direct pulsed radiation toward the body structure, wherein the radiation is pulsed at a pulse modulation frequency: a detector arrangement for detecting acoustic oscillations set up in the body resultant from the incident pulsed radiation and arranged to produce an output signal representative of one or more parameters of the acoustic oscillations; a control system arranged to control operation of the radiation delivery arrangement, the control system including a processor arranged to process the detector output signals; wherein the pulse modulation frequency of the pulsed radiation is changed over a predetermined range of modulation frequencies and the processor determines a structure resonant frequency of the body structure from the detector output signals, and wherein the pulsed radiation is of a preselected spectral wavelength profile matching an absorption characteristic of the body structure or a medium related to the body structure, and wherein the processor further determines the structure resonant frequency as a result of analyzing a time difference between the detected acoustic oscillations and resonant frequencies predicted for the body structure.