Ultrasonic/photoacoustic imaging devices and methods
US10241199B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 4, 2014 |
| Grant date | Mar 26, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 26, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/02475
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.