Simple handheld photoacoustic imaging probe

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of photoacoustic imaging and provides a simple handheld photoacoustic imaging probe. Exciting light is coupled into an optical fiber (10); light from the optical fiber (10), in a direction parallel to the surface of an object to be tested, is focused by a spatial expansion and lens group (20) before entering a coupling module (30); the light entering the coupling module (30) is totally reflected by a position, right below an ultrasonic probe (40), corresponding to an ultrasonic probe detection area of the object to be tested and vertically irradiates to the ultrasonic probe detection area of the object to be tested, right below the ultrasonic probe (40), so as to excite a photoacoustic signal; the photoacoustic signal is transmitted into the coupling module (30) through the ultrasonic probe detection area of the object to be tested, and the ultrasonic probe (40) receives the photoacoustic signal. The simple handheld photoacoustic imaging probe has the advantages that the exiting light irradiation area and the ultrasonic probe detection area are allowed to overlap without significantly increasing the size of the ultrasonic probe; the ultrasonic probe is kept traditionally be perpendicular to the object to be tested and is easy for an operator to adapt to.

Description

【Technical field】 [0001] The invention relates to the technical field of photoacoustic imaging, in particular to a simple hand-held photoacoustic imaging probe. 【Background technique】 [0002] Optical imaging technology is one of the most rapidly developing branches of various biomedical imaging technologies. Compared with other medical imaging methods such as X-ray imaging, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, etc., optical imaging technology has one or more advantages in resolution, chemical specificity, sensitivity, safety, etc. Each has advantages. However, the biggest limitation of optical imaging technology lies in its tissue penetration depth, and the emergence of photoacoustic imaging technology has overcome this defect well. Photoacoustic imaging has the advantages of both optical resolution and acoustic imaging depth. It uses the optical absorption characteristics of tissues as a contrast mechanism to ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0008] (1) if figure 1 As shown, the existing design based on optical fiber bundles for oblique irradiation of excitation light from both sides of the handheld ultrasonic probe array has the disadvantage that the photoacoustic signal mainly comes from a specific depth area in the tissue, and the imaging effect on other detection areas of the ultrasonic probe Not ideal; in addition, this design is expensive due to the use of fiber optic bundles for delivery of illumination light and excitation of the sample

[0009] (2) if figure 2 As shown, the existing hand-held ultrasonic probe array coupling module irradiates the sample with light from directly below the ultrasonic probe perpendicular to the probe. The disadvantage is that the ultrasonic probe array becomes huge and is no longer suitable for armpit and crotch, etc. area detection; in addition, this design may have adaptability problems for the operator

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