Ultrasonic/photoacoustic imaging devices and methods

摘要

Devices are disclosed for obtaining data of a sample, particularly data capable of being processed to produce an image of a region of the sample. An exemplary device includes a light-beam source, an acoustic-wave source, an optical element, and an acoustic detector. The optical element is transmissive to a light beam produced by the light-beam source and reflective to acoustic waves produced by the acoustic-wave source. The optical element is situated to direct the transmitted light beam and reflected acoustic wave simultaneously along an optical axis to be incident at a situs in or on a sample to cause the sample to produce acoustic echoes from the incident acoustic waves while also producing photoacoustic waves from the incident light beam photoacoustically interacting with the situs. The acoustic detector is placed to receive and detect the acoustic echoes and the photoacoustic waves from the situs. The acoustic detector can comprise one or more hydrophones exploiting the acousto-electric effect.

主权项

1. A device for obtaining data of a sample, comprising:
a light-beam source; an acoustic-wave source comprising an array of multiple point sources of acoustic waves; a parallel plate that is transmissive to a light beam produced by the light-beam source and reflective to acoustic waves produced by the acoustic-wave source, the parallel plate being placed to direct the transmitted light beam and the reflected acoustic waves simultaneously along a first axis to be incident at a situs in or on a sample to cause the sample to produce acoustic echoes from the incident acoustic waves while also producing photoacoustic waves from the incident light beam photoacoustically interacting with the situs; and an acoustic detector array, corresponding to the array of multiple point sources of acoustic waves, placed to receive and detect simultaneously the acoustic echoes and the photoacoustic waves from the situs, thereby producing acoustic-imaging data of an interior of the sample at the situs.