Photoacoustic breast scanner
US5713356A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/7239
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for measuring and characterizing the localized electromagnetic wave absorption properties of biologic tissues in vivo, using incident electromagnetic waves to produce resultant acoustic waves. Multiple acoustic transducers are acoustically coupled to the surface of the tissue for measuring acoustic waves produced in the tissue when the tissue is exposed to a pulse of electromagnetic radiation. The multiple transducer signals are then combined to produce an image of the absorptivity of the tissue, which image may be used for medical diagnostic purposes. In specific embodiments, the transducers are moved to collect data from multiple locations, to facilitate imaging. Specific arrangements of transducers are illustrated. Also, specific mathematical reconstruction procedures are described for producing images from transducer signals.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.