System And Method For Mixed Modality Acoustic Sampling

摘要

Systems and methods for relaying electrical signals representing acoustic response of a volume of tissue to light and ultrasound stimulation. In an embodiment, a plurality of ultrasound transducers receive acoustic energy from the volume and generate electrical energy, which is transmitted via an electrical path to a relay system. The ultrasound transducers are operated at a wide band frequency of at least 1 MHz to 5 MHz to receive acoustic energy from the volume of tissue responsive to light stimulation and at a narrower band frequency to receive acoustic energy from the volume of tissue responsive to acoustic stimulation. The relay system relays the electrical signals to an optoacoustic system or an ultrasound instrument for further processing depending on whether the electrical signals resulted from ultrasound or light stimulation. In an embodiment, optoacoustic, ultrasound, or other images are generated from the electrical signals and may be coregistered, overlayed, or displayed.

主权项

1. A system for selectively relaying electrical signals representing an acoustic response of a volume of tissue, comprising:
an optoacoustic system capable of processing electrical signals resulting from light stimulation, the optoacoustic system comprising an electrical input having a first impedance and being configured to receive electrical signals representing an acoustic response of the volume resulting from light stimulation; an ultrasound instrument capable of processing electrical signals resulting from ultrasound stimulation, the ultrasound instrument comprising an electrical input having a second impedance and being configured to receive electrical signals representing an acoustic response of the volume resulting from ultrasound stimulation; a relay system comprising:
an electrical path input;an optoacoustic system output, the optoacoustic system output being operatively connected to the optoacoustic system's electrical input;an ultrasound instrument output, the ultrasound instrument output being operatively connected to the ultrasound instrument's electrical input; anda relay configured to direct signals from the electrical path input to one of the optoacoustic system output and the ultrasound instrument output; and a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements configured to generate electrical signals representative of an acoustic response of the volume, the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements operatively connected to an electrical path, which electrical path is operatively connected to the electrical path input of the relay system; wherein the electrical signals representative of an acoustic response of the volume are switched between the ultrasound instrument and the optoacoustic system via the relay system in accordance with whether the electrical signals representative of an acoustic response of the volume resulted from ultrasound stimulation or light stimulation.