Patent ID: 8289502

Claim:
A measurement apparatus comprising: a first measurement unit configured to measure a spectroscopic characteristic in a test region in an object, by applying diffused optical tomography; a second measurement unit configured to measure a spectroscopic characteristic in an ultrasonic focus region in the object by applying acousto-optical tomography; and a controller configured to calculate at least one of an absorption characteristic and a scattering characteristic in the object by utilizing one of said first measurement unit and said second measurement unit, which has a measurement size corresponding to a smaller one of a size of a mesh that is a division unit of the test region and a focus diameter of the ultrasonic focus region, said first measurement unit having a measurement size corresponding to the size of the mesh, and said second measurement unit having a measurement size corresponding to the focus diameter, wherein said first measurement unit includes a first photodetector configured to detect light that has passed inside of the object and then emitted from the object, and wherein said second measurement unit includes an ultrasonic transducer configured to focus and irradiate an ultrasonic wave upon the ultrasonic focus region.