Patent ID: 8855739

Claim:
An ultrasound examination apparatus for observing an inside of a body of a living subject, said ultrasound examination apparatus comprising: a transmitting probe that transmits ultrasonic waves to an inside of an examination target of the living subject, wherein reflection of the ultrasonic waves from the inside of the examination target causes microscopic displacement on a surface of the examination target; a receiving probe including: a first light source that emits a laser light; a splitting element that splits the laser light into a detection light and a reference light; an irradiating optical system that irradiates the examination target with the detection light to form a light spot on the surface of the examination target; a light-receiving element that receives an interfering light of the reference light and a reflected detection light which is the detection light reflected off of the light spot, and generates a signal obtained through the reception of the interfering light; and a receiving unit configured to generate, using the signal, a detection signal indicating the microscopic displacement on the surface of the examination target at the light spot; and a signal processing unit configured to generate image data of the inside of the examination target, based on the detection signal indicating the microscopic displacement during a scanning operation in which said transmitting probe is kept fixed with respect to the examination target and said receiving probe is moved with respect to the examination target, and said receiving probe is not in contact with the living subject.