Tissue scanner
US7774042B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 26, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 10, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 11, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/0095
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A three-dimensional thermoacoustic imaging system uses dye markers. Thermoacoustic signals are produced by the dye markers when light from an external source is absorbed by the dye. Thermoacoustic images with and without dye stimulation may be generated using excitation frequencies both inside and outside the frequency band of fluorescence of the dye marker, and these may be combined, and/or combined with conventional ultrasound images for image enhancement. An apparatus for carrying out this method on mice, uses a commercially available array of transducers positioned opposite to the body of the mouse, which is immersed in a coupling media. A source of illumination such as a laser directs light to the mouse through the coupling media, and resulting acoustic waves are captured by the array and reconstructed to form an image.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.