Optoacoustic imaging system having handheld probe utilizing optically reflective material
US10433732B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 22, 2013 |
| Grant date | Oct 8, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 20, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/4312
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optoacoustic imaging system includes a hand-held imaging probe having a light emitting portion and an array of ultrasonic transducers. The probe includes an acoustic lens having an optically reflective material that operates to avoid image artifacts associated with light interactions with the acoustic lens. The optically reflective material may be a thin, highly optically reflective metallic layer. The acoustic lens may be formed from a material such as silicone rubber filled with titanium dioxide or barium sulfate that allows it to reflect and scatter light from illumination components with substantially no absorption of such light, and yet be optically opaque. The probe may include a housing that provides hypo-echoic encapsulation of the probe. An assembly of the array of ultrasonic transducers may include a hypo-echoic material. The probe may include optical windows, each comprising one or more anti-reflection coated plates with acoustic impedance matching that of tissues to be imaged.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.