Patent ID: 8480584

Claim:
A non-invasive subject-information imaging apparatus comprising: a light generating unit which generates light containing a specific wavelength component; a plurality of light irradiation units which radiate the light generated by the light generating unit into a subject to be examined; a waveguide unit including a plurality of optical fibers, and which guides the light generated by the light generating unit to the irradiation unit; a plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed electroacoustic transducer elements; a transmitter which transmits ultrasonic waves to the subject by driving the electroacoustic transducer elements, and wherein the plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed electroacoustic transducer elements convert into electrical signals both acoustic waves generated by irradiating light onto the subject and acoustic waves generated by transmitting the ultrasonic waves onto the subject; a receiving unit which generates a reception signal having reception directivity from the electrical signals converted by the electroacoustic transducer elements; and a filter which discriminates from the reception signal (i) a reception signal corresponding to acoustic waves generated in the subject by light radiated from the light irradiation units and (ii) a reception signal corresponding to echoes generated in the subject upon transmission of the ultrasonic waves; a signal processor which generates volume data of a living body function by processing the reception signal corresponding to acoustic waves generated in the subject by light radiated from the light irradiation units, and which generates volume data of a tissue morphology by processing the reception signal corresponding to echoes generated in the subject upon transmission of the ultrasonic waves, wherein the light irradiation units are formed by the end portions of the optical fibers, each end portion of the optical fibers is surrounded by four electroacoustic transducer elements, and the light irradiation units and the electroacoustic transducer elements are formed integrally as a single common body interface.