Photoacoustic signal acquisition device and photoacoustic imaging system

Abstract

The present application discloses a photoacoustic signal acquisition device and a photoacoustic imaging system. The photoacoustic signal acquisition device includes: a laser generating component for generating laser. An ultrasonic transducer component includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a first arc array, the opening of the first arc is used to place the target to be detected, and the ultrasonic transducer is used to receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the laser acting on the target to be detected. A signal collector is connected to the ultrasonic transducer component and is used to collect photoacoustic signals. The present application provides a photoacoustic signal acquisition device. Since the first arc formed by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers is not a closed ring, it will not only not cause a limitation on the size of the target to be detected, but also can broaden the range of imaging the target to be detected, and can also make the target to be detected more comfortable to image, thereby improving the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of photoacoustic imaging, and in particular to a photoacoustic signal acquisition device and a photoacoustic imaging system. Background Art

[0002] Peripheral vascular disease, referred to as vascular disease in traditional Chinese medicine, is a highly harmful disease involving the three systems of artery, vein and lymph. Its incidence has increased significantly in recent years, with common diseases such as arteriosclerosis obliterans, arteriovenous thrombosis, and aneurysm. At present, professional technology for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease in my country is booming, and traditional surgical techniques are constantly being improved. It is not difficult to diagnose peripheral vascular disease based on human clinical symptoms and medical examinations, such as palpation in traditional Chinese medicine, and the clinical application of medical imaging technology, including ultrasound screening, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography. However, palpation in traditional Chinese medicine is based on experience, the resolution of ultrasound imaging technology cannot meet the screening of microvascular lesions, magnetic resonance imaging is expensive and is not suitable for large-scale population surveys, and angiography is an invasive examination, and contrast agents may affect kidney function or cause allergic reactions. The rapidly developing photoacoustic imaging technology stands out among many medical imaging technologies because of its advantages of high contrast in optical imaging and high resolution and deep penetration in ultrasound imaging. Its unique advantages provide new opportunities for imaging research on a variety of peripheral vascular diseases.

[0003] The principle of applying photoacoustic imaging technology to vascular imaging is briefly described as follows: when nanosecond pulsed laser is irradiated onto the human body surface, the blood absorbs the energy of the laser and instantly undergoes thermoelastic expansion, thereby generating a photoacoustic signal (photoacoustic signal). The signal is collected by a semi-circular array ultrasonic transducer, and the data obtained is then processed and reconstructed by an algorithm to obtain images of the blood vessels and functional information. Summary of the invention

[0004] The main technical problem solved by the present application is to provide a photoacoustic signal acquisition device and a photoacoustic imaging system, which can not only broaden the imaging range of the target to be detected, but also improve the user experience.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted by the present application is: to provide a photoacoustic signal acquisition device, which includes: a laser generating component for generating laser. An ultrasonic transducer component, including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a first arc array, the opening of the first arc is used to place the target to be detected, and the ultrasonic transducer is used to receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the laser acting on the target to be detected. A signal collector, connected to the ultrasonic transducer component, is used to collect the photoacoustic signal.

[0006] Furthermore, the laser generating component includes: a laser for emitting laser light; an optical path adjusting unit arranged on the optical path of the laser for adjusting the laser light; and an optical fiber component arranged on the optical path of the laser for coupling the adjusted laser light and emitting it to the target to be detected.

[0007] Furthermore, the optical fiber assembly includes: a coupler, arranged on the optical path of the laser, for coupling the adjusted laser light; a first optical fiber bundle, connected to the coupler; and a plurality of second optical fiber bundles, obtained by bifurcating the ends of the first optical fiber bundle.

[0008] Furthermore, each second optical fiber bundle includes a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber includes a light outlet, and the light outlets of the plurality of optical fibers are located in a straight line.

[0009] Furthermore, the optical fiber assembly further comprises: a plurality of packaging boxes, each packaging box correspondingly packaging a second optical fiber bundle.

[0010] Furthermore, the optical fiber assembly also includes an optical fiber bundle clamping assembly, which includes a plurality of clamping members, which are arranged in a second arc array, the opening of the second arc faces the target to be detected, and each clamping member clamps a second optical fiber bundle. The light spots of the multi-channel lasers emitted by the plurality of second optical fiber bundles are located at different positions of the target to be detected.

[0011] Furthermore, the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly also includes a clamping plate, which is parallel to the plane where the first arc is located, and a plurality of clamping members are arranged on the clamping plate, and each clamping member is arranged at a preset angle to the clamping plate.

[0012] Furthermore, the preset angle is 30°.

[0013] Furthermore, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device also includes a scanning platform, and the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly are arranged on the scanning platform. The scanning platform is used to move and drive the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly to scan the target to be detected.

[0014] Furthermore, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device includes: a driver connected to the scanning platform, used to receive control instructions sent by an external device and drive the scanning platform.

[0015] To solve the above technical problems, another technical solution adopted by the present application is to provide a photoacoustic imaging system, which includes: any of the above photoacoustic signal acquisition devices; a host computer connected to the photoacoustic signal acquisition device, and used to receive and process the photoacoustic signal.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: Different from the prior art, the present application provides a photoacoustic signal acquisition device, which uses multiple ultrasonic transducers to receive photoacoustic signals generated by laser acting on a target to be detected, wherein the multiple ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a first arc array, and the opening of the first arc is used to place the target to be detected. The present application provides a photoacoustic signal acquisition device. Since the first arc formed by the multiple ultrasonic transducers is not a closed ring, it will not only not limit the size of the target to be detected, but also can broaden the range of imaging the target to be detected, and can also make the target to be detected more comfortable to image, thereby improving the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of an optical fiber assembly;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of an implementation method of applying for a packaging box to package a second optical fiber bundle;

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a fiber bundle clamping assembly;

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an ultrasonic transducer assembly in one embodiment;

[0023] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of an implementation method of the positional relationship between the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly in this embodiment;

[0024] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application;

[0025] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application;

[0026] Fig. 9 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a photoacoustic imaging system provided in the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] Reference to "embodiments" herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0029] The photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided in the present application is used to acquire photoacoustic signals from biological samples, wherein the biological samples can be small animals, such as mice, rabbits, etc., or parts of organisms, such as limbs, brain, etc., which are not specifically limited here.

[0030] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 includes a laser generating component 110 , an ultrasonic transducer component 120 and a signal collector 130 .

[0031] The laser generating component 110 is used to generate laser.

[0032] Optionally, the laser generating component 110 includes a laser 111 , an optical path adjustment unit 112 , and an optical fiber component 113 .

[0033] The laser 111 is used to emit laser light. The pulsed laser light generated by the laser 111 is used as a detection signal source. When the pulsed laser light is projected onto the sample to be tested, the absorber on the surface and inside of the sample absorbs the light, causing instantaneous and violent thermal expansion, thereby generating thermally excited ultrasonic waves. The laser 111 provided in this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, at least one of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser, ruby ​​laser, neodymium glass laser, nitrogen molecule laser, and excimer laser.

[0034] The function of the optical path adjustment unit 112 is to adjust the laser emitted by the laser 111. For example, the optical path adjustment unit 112 can be used to collimate, expand or shrink the laser, and can efficiently couple the laser emitted by the laser 111 into the optical fiber assembly 113. Optionally, the optical path adjustment unit 112 can be a device with a laser focusing function such as a convex lens or a focusing mirror.

[0035] The optical fiber assembly 113 is disposed on the optical path of the laser 111 and is used to couple the adjusted laser light and emit it to the target to be detected.

[0036] See also Figure 2 , Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of an optical fiber assembly. Figure 2 As shown, the optical fiber assembly 113 includes a coupler 1131 , a first optical fiber bundle 1132 , a plurality of second optical fiber bundles 1133 , and an optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 .

[0037] The coupler 1131 is disposed on the optical path of the laser 111 and is used for coupling the regulated laser.

[0038] The first optical fiber bundle 1132 is connected to the coupler 1131 , and the first optical fiber bundle 1132 includes a plurality of optical fibers. Specifically, the coupler 1131 couples the adjusted laser light into the first optical fiber bundle 1132 , that is, the adjusted laser light is transmitted in the first optical fiber bundle 1132 .

[0039] Multiple second fiber bundles 1133 are obtained by bifurcating the ends of the first fiber bundle 1132 . Each second fiber bundle 1133 includes multiple optical fibers. The sum of the optical fibers included in all the second fiber bundles 1133 is equal to the number of optical fibers included in the first fiber bundle 1132 .

[0040] The inventors of the present application have discovered that when a conventional photoacoustic signal acquisition device uses an optical fiber bundle to transmit a laser, the multiple light outlets of the multiple optical fibers in the optical fiber bundle usually form a circle, so that the lasers emitted by the multiple optical fibers are emitted divergently to the surface of the target to be detected. On the one hand, this arrangement of the optical fiber light outlets is not conducive to the convergence of laser energy, which results in the surface of the target to be detected not meeting the conditions for generating ultrasonic waves due to insufficient laser energy; on the other hand, it is very likely that the signal acquisition device will not be able to fully acquire the photoacoustic signals generated by the target to be detected.

[0041] In this embodiment, each second optical fiber bundle 1133 includes multiple optical fibers, each optical fiber includes a light outlet, and the light outlet of the optical fiber is used to emit laser light to the target surface to be detected, and the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers in each second optical fiber bundle 1133 are located in a straight line. In a specific embodiment, the multiple optical fibers of each second optical fiber bundle 1133 can be arranged side by side in the same layer of space so that the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers are located in a straight line.

[0042] Optionally, the optical fiber assembly further includes a plurality of packaging boxes 1135 , each packaging box 1135 correspondingly packaging one second optical fiber bundle 1133 .

[0043] See also Figure 3 , Figure 3 : is a schematic diagram of the structure of an implementation method of encapsulating the second optical fiber bundle in the encapsulation box of this embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers in the second optical fiber bundle 1133 are located on the straight line L of the packaging box. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers in the second optical fiber bundle 1133 can be packaged on the straight line L so that the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers in each second optical fiber bundle 1133 are located on a straight line.

[0044] In this embodiment, by arranging the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers of each second optical fiber bundle 1133 on the same straight line, the laser emitted to the target to be detected can be gathered, thereby fully concentrating the energy of the laser, so that the target to be detected can smoothly generate a photoacoustic signal. In addition, since the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers are located on a straight line, the laser spot located on the surface of the target to be detected can be basically located on a straight line, so that the emission range of the laser can be widened to a certain extent, thereby enabling more positions of the target to be detected to receive the laser, thereby generating a photoacoustic signal, and thereby collecting a more comprehensive photoacoustic signal.

[0045] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of a fiber bundle clamping assembly. Figure 4 As shown, the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 includes a clamping plate 11341 and a plurality of clamping members 11342 .

[0046] Among them, a plurality of clamping members 11342 are arranged in a second arc-shaped array B, the opening of the second arc-shaped B faces the target to be detected, and each clamping member 11342 correspondingly clamps a packaging box 1135 containing a second optical fiber bundle 1133. In fact, the clamping member 11342 is used to fix the position of the second optical fiber bundle 1133, so that the transmission laser of the second optical fiber bundle 1133 clamped by each clamping member 11342 can be emitted to the specified position of the target to be detected.

[0047] Specifically, this embodiment takes into account that the target to be detected is generally a biological sample, such as the limbs of a biological sample, that is, the target to be detected is generally cylindrical. Therefore, this embodiment arranges multiple clamps 11342 in a second arc B array arrangement, and the opening of the second arc B faces the target to be detected. The so-called "multiple clamps 11342 are arranged in a second arc B array" means that the multiple clamps 11342 are located at different positions of an arc. Among them, the second arc B is a part of a circular ring, such as 1 / 2 of a circular ring, that is, a half circular ring, 1 / 3 of a circular ring, that is, a 120-degree circular ring, and so on. This setting method is more in line with the morphological characteristics of the biological sample to be detected, so that it can maintain a comfortable state during the test, which can improve the user experience.

[0048] It is understandable that the diameter of the second arc B should be greater than a preset threshold value, which reflects the size of the maximum target to be detected that can be detected by the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment. In this way, it can be ensured that the laser can fully illuminate the target to be tested on a two-dimensional plane.

[0049] Optionally, in order to achieve uniform collection of the photoacoustic signal generated by the target to be detected, the angles formed between two adjacent clamping members 11342 may be set to be equal.

[0050] A plurality of clamping members 11342 are disposed on the clamping plate 11341, and each clamping member 11342 is disposed at a preset angle with the clamping plate 11341. For example, the preset angle is 30°. That is, each clamping member 11342 is disposed at the same angle with the clamping plate 11341. As described above, since the laser light spot generated by the laser emitted by each second optical fiber bundle 1133 and irradiated on the surface of the target to be detected is basically located on a straight line, and each clamping member 11342 is disposed at the same angle with the clamping plate 11341, the laser light spot generated by the laser emitted by the second optical fiber bundle 1133 clamped by the plurality of clamping members 11342 and irradiated on the surface of the target to be detected will also be basically located on a straight line, thereby realizing that the laser light spots emitted by all optical fibers are located on the same straight line, and then comprehensively collecting the photoacoustic signals of the target to be detected located near the straight line.

[0051] Obviously, by adjusting the size of the preset angle, the laser spot irradiated onto the surface of the target to be detected can be located on different straight lines. In an application scenario, the size of the preset angle can be continuously adjusted to achieve scanning of the target to be detected in three-dimensional space, and then collect photoacoustic signals in three-dimensional space.

[0052] Optionally, the first fiber bundle 1132 can select multiple optical fibers of the same specification, and each second fiber bundle 1133 includes the same number of optical fibers. For example, the first fiber bundle 1132 includes 100 optical fibers of the same specification, and the end of the first fiber bundle 1132 is divided into 5 second fiber bundles 1133, that is, each second fiber bundle 1133 includes 20 optical fibers. In this way, it can be ensured that the intensity of the laser finally emitted to different positions of the target to be detected is basically the same. It should be noted that the above is only an exemplary representation of a form of existence of the first fiber bundle 1132 and the second fiber bundle 1133. According to the actual application scenario, the optical fibers included in the second fiber bundle 1133 may also be different. It can be understood that the number of optical fibers included in the first fiber bundle 1132, the number of second fiber bundles 1133, and the number of optical fibers included in each second fiber bundle 1133 can change according to the size of the target to be detected and the different requirements for pulse energy.

[0053] Optionally, the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 is manufactured using 3D printing technology. 3D printing technology is a type of rapid prototyping technology. It is a technology that uses a digital model file as a basis and uses powdered metal or plastic and other bondable materials to construct an object by stacking and accumulating layer by layer, namely "layer-by-layer modeling". Of course, the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly can also be manufactured using any other method, which is not specifically limited here.

[0054] Traditional photoacoustic imaging systems are usually based on closed annular array ultrasonic transducers. When in use, the arms or legs of the target to be detected (such as a person) are inserted into the closed annular array ultrasonic transducer, and the generated photoacoustic signals are then received by the annular array ultrasonic transducer. The inventors of the present application have found through long-term research that the closed annular array ultrasonic transducer is very inconvenient in actual use, because the outer dimensions of a person's arms or legs are different and vary greatly. The closed ring will directly exclude a part of the larger targets to be detected, resulting in limitations in system imaging. In addition, since the limbs need to be inserted into the closed ring during the imaging process of the target to be detected, it may cause discomfort to the target to be detected, resulting in a lower user experience.

[0055] Based on this, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment can overcome the shortcomings of the above-mentioned photoacoustic imaging system in use.

[0056] See also Figure 5 , Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic transducer assembly in one embodiment. Figure 5As shown, the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 of this embodiment includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121, and the ultrasonic transducers 121 are used to receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the laser acting on the target to be detected, and convert the received photoacoustic signal into an electrical signal for further transmission. It is understandable that the number of ultrasonic transducers 121 included in the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 of this embodiment can be changed according to actual needs, for example, it can be 200, 250, 300, etc. Within a certain range, the more the number of ultrasonic transducers 121, the faster the acquisition rate of the photoacoustic signal of the target to be detected.

[0057] The ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 of this embodiment includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 arranged in an array. In fact, these ultrasonic transducers 121 may also become a plurality of array elements of the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 .

[0058] Furthermore, if Figure 5 As shown, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 are arranged in a first arc A array, and the opening of the first arc A is used to place the target to be detected. The first arc A is a part of a circle, such as 1 / 2 of a circle, i.e., a half circle, 1 / 3 of a circle, i.e., a 120-degree circle, etc. The first arc A can be a superior arc or an inferior arc.

[0059] It can be understood that the diameter of the first arc A should also be greater than the above-mentioned preset threshold. The so-called “the above-mentioned preset threshold” means that the diameter of the second arc B should be greater than the preset threshold.

[0060] By arranging multiple ultrasonic transducers 121 in a first arc-shaped A array, the target to be detected can be placed at the opening of the first arc-shaped A, so that the target to be detected can be detected in a comfortable posture, thereby improving the user experience.

[0061] Optionally, this embodiment controls the positional relationship between the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 so that the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 can more accurately acquire the photoacoustic signal generated by the target to be detected.

[0062] For details, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an implementation method of the positional relationship between the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly in this embodiment. Figure 4-6As shown, in this embodiment, the plane where the first arc A formed by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 is located can be arranged to be parallel to the clamping plate 11341 of the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134. Obviously, since the plurality of clamping members 11342 are arranged on the clamping plate 11341 and are at a preset angle α with the clamping plate 11341, the plane where the first arc A is located is at the preset angle α with the plurality of clamping members 11342. In this way, when the distance between the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 and the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and their respective sizes are constant, the preset angle α can be adjusted to control the spot position of the laser emitted by the second optical fiber bundle 1133 clamped by the clamping member 11342, that is, the spot position on the target to be detected, so that the plane where each laser spot is located can coincide with the plane where the first arc A is located, and finally achieve photoacoustic coaxiality, so that the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 located on the plane where the first arc A is located can better receive the photoacoustic signal.

[0063] It can be understood that when the preset angle α between the plane where the first arc A is located and the multiple clamping members 11342 remains unchanged, the distance between the clamping plate 11341 of the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic ring energy assembly 120 can be adjusted to achieve photoacoustic coaxiality, so that the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 located in the plane where the first arc A is located can better receive the photoacoustic signal.

[0064] Furthermore, since the plurality of clamping members 11342 are arranged in the second arc shape B, in order to improve the accuracy of the photoacoustic signal received by the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 , the size of the first arc shape A can be made equal to the size of the second arc shape B.

[0065] By adopting the above-mentioned method, when detecting the target, it is not necessary to place the entire target in the closed annular ultrasonic transducer, but the target can be placed at the opening of the first arc A freely.

[0066] Please also read Figure 1-Figure 7 , Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application. As shown in the figure, in order to obtain the detection signal of the target to be detected in three dimensions, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment also includes a scanning platform 140 and a driver 150. The optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 are arranged on the scanning platform 140. The scanning platform 140 is used to move and drive the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 to scan the target to be detected. It should be noted that this embodiment is further expanded on the basis of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in the previous embodiment. Therefore, all technical means of the previous example are applicable to this embodiment, and no further elaboration will be made later.

[0067] The driver 150 is used to receive an external control signal to drive the scanning platform 140, so that the scanning platform 140 can drive the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 to move in any direction to perform a comprehensive inspection of the target to be inspected.

[0068] Optionally, the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 may further include a carrier plate (not shown), on which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 are disposed, and the other side of the carrier plate and one side of the clamping plate 11341 are respectively fixed to the scanning platform 140. Specifically, the plane where the clamping plate 11341 is located and the plane where the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 is located are both perpendicular to the plane where the scanning platform 140 is located, and the plane where the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 is located does not overlap with the plane where the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 is located.

[0069] In this embodiment, since each second optical fiber bundle 1133 includes multiple optical fibers, each optical fiber includes a light outlet, and the light outlet of the optical fiber is used to emit laser to the surface of the target to be detected, the light outlets of the multiple optical fibers in each second optical fiber bundle 1133 are located on a straight line. In addition, each clamping member 11341 clamps a packaging box 1135 containing the second optical fiber bundle 1133. Multiple clamping members 11341 are arranged in a second arc B array, and the opening of the second arc B faces the target to be detected. Multiple clamping members 11342 are arranged on the clamping plate 11341, and each clamping member 11342 is arranged at a preset angle to the clamping plate 11341. Therefore, the laser emitted by the second optical fiber bundle 1133 clamped by the multiple clamping members 11342, irradiated to the surface of the target to be detected, and the laser spot generated will also be basically located on a straight line, so that the laser spots emitted by all optical fibers are located on the same straight line, and then the photoacoustic signal of the target to be detected near the straight line is fully collected.

[0070] The scanning platform 140 can drive the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 and the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 to move so as to scan the target to be detected. Therefore, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment can fully acquire the three-dimensional photoacoustic signal of the target to be detected.

[0071] In a specific embodiment, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment may also include a water tank (not shown). Before the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 detects the target to be detected, a transparent liquid for transmitting photoacoustic signals is filled in the water tank, and water is generally used as the transmission medium.

[0072] Specifically, the scanning platform 140 is set in the water tank. When the target to be detected is detected, the target to be detected is placed at the corresponding position of the water tank. The optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 on the scanning platform 140 scan the target to be detected as the scanning platform 140 moves. In this way, the water in the water tank can be used as a photoacoustic coupling agent. When the target to be detected is excited and irradiated by the pulsed laser to generate a photoacoustic signal, the photoacoustic signal propagates in the water of the water tank.

[0073] The signal collector 130 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 and is used to collect photoacoustic signals.

[0074] In this embodiment, the signal collector 130 may be, for example, a multi-channel data acquisition card, which collects the electrical signal sent by the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 and sends the electrical signal to an external device, which may be a device with image processing function.

[0075] The photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment can utilize an ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 composed of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 in a first arc shape A to collect the photoacoustic signal generated by the laser emission to the target to be detected. It can avoid the drawback that the traditional annular ultrasonic transducer needs to be set with the detection target through the annular ultrasonic transducer in order to collect the photoacoustic signal. That is, since the first arc shape A formed by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 is not a closed ring, the target to be detected only needs to be set at the opening of the first arc shape A. Therefore, it will not only not cause the limitation of the size of the target to be detected, but also can broaden the range of imaging the target to be detected, and can also make the target to be detected more comfortable to image, thereby improving the user experience.

[0076] See Figure Figure 8 , Figure 8 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application. Figure 8 As shown,

[0077] The inventors of the present application have discovered through long-term research that when a conventional photoacoustic signal acquisition device is working, while the laser emits laser light, its internal clock sends out a trigger signal to synchronize the signal collector and collect data. However, there is a microsecond time difference between the actual light emission moment and the emitted trigger signal, and such a time difference is extremely unstable, which results in the misalignment of the collected photoacoustic signal, and ultimately causes the photoacoustic image of the target to be detected to be misaligned when reconstructed by an external device.

[0078] Based on this, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment sends a synchronous trigger signal to the laser 111 while the signal collector 130 collects the photoacoustic signal, and the synchronous trigger signal triggers the laser 110 to emit a pulsed laser. Since the propagation speed of light is extremely fast, it is possible to achieve precise timing synchronization of photoacoustic signal acquisition and laser excitation. In this way, the signal collector 130 can collect all the photoacoustic signals of the target to be detected. This improves the accuracy of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100.

[0079] It should be noted that this embodiment is further expanded on the basis of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in all the above embodiments. Therefore, all technical means of the above embodiments are applicable to this embodiment and will not be described in detail later.

[0080] See also Fig. 9 , Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of a photoacoustic imaging system provided by the present application, such as Fig. 9 As shown, the photoacoustic imaging system 1000 includes the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 in any of the above embodiments and a host computer 200, wherein the host computer 200 is connected to the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 for receiving and processing photoacoustic signals.

[0081] The host computer 200 is a terminal device such as a computer or a tablet computer that can load or write programs. In this embodiment, the host computer 200 is a high-performance computer, and the host computer 200 has a built-in reconstruction algorithm system. Through this system, the electrical signal collected by the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 can be efficiently and high-quality restored and reconstructed to obtain clear image information of the target to be detected quickly and accurately.

[0082] Specifically, the host computer 200 is connected to the signal collector of the photoacoustic signal collection device 100 and receives the electrical signal sent by the signal collector.

[0083] In summary, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided in this embodiment can utilize an ultrasonic transducer assembly composed of multiple ultrasonic transducers in a first arc shape to collect the photoacoustic signal generated by the laser emission to the target to be detected. It can avoid the disadvantage that the traditional annular ultrasonic transducer needs to be set with the detection target through the annular ultrasonic transducer in order to collect the photoacoustic signal. That is, since the first arc formed by multiple ultrasonic transducers is not a closed ring, the target to be detected only needs to be set at the opening of the first arc. Therefore, it will not only not cause the size of the target to be detected to be limited, but also can broaden the range of imaging the target to be detected, and can also make the target to be detected more comfortable to image, thereby improving the user experience.

[0084] The above are only specific implementation methods in the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person familiar with the technology can understand that any changes or substitutions that can be thought of within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

[0085] In addition, in the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

Claims

1. A photoacoustic signal acquisition device, characterized in that: The photoacoustic signal acquisition device comprises: A laser generating component, the laser generating component comprising: Laser, used for emitting laser light; An ultrasonic transducer assembly, comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a first arc-shaped array, wherein an opening of the first arc-shaped array is used to place a target to be detected, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer is used to receive a photoacoustic signal generated by the laser acting on the target to be detected; An optical path adjustment unit, arranged on the optical path of the laser, for adjusting the laser; An optical fiber assembly is arranged on the optical path of the laser and is used to couple the adjusted laser and emit it to the target to be detected; the optical fiber assembly includes: a coupler, arranged on the optical path of the laser and is used to couple the adjusted laser; a first optical fiber bundle, connected to the coupler; a plurality of second optical fiber bundles, obtained by bifurcation of the end of the first optical fiber bundle; each of the second optical fiber bundles includes a plurality of optical fibers, each of the optical fibers includes a light outlet, and the light outlets of the plurality of optical fibers are located in a straight line; a plurality of packaging boxes, each of the packaging boxes corresponding to packaging one of the second optical fiber bundles; an optical fiber bundle clamping assembly, the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly includes a plurality of clamping members, the plurality of clamping members are arranged in a second arc array, the opening of the second arc faces the target to be detected, and each of the clamping members clamps one of the packaging boxes correspondingly; wherein the light spots of the multi-path lasers emitted by the plurality of second optical fiber bundles are located at different positions of the target to be detected; A signal collector is connected to the ultrasonic transducer assembly and is used to collect the photoacoustic signal.

2. The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical fiber bundle clamping assembly further comprises a clamping plate, wherein the clamping plate is parallel to the plane where the first arc is located, the plurality of clamping members are arranged on the clamping plate, and each of the clamping members is arranged at a preset angle to the clamping plate.

3. The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The preset angle is 30°.

4. The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The photoacoustic signal acquisition device also includes a scanning platform, the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly are arranged on the scanning platform, and the scanning platform is used to move and drive the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly to scan the target to be detected.

5. The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The photoacoustic signal acquisition device comprises: A driver is connected to the scanning platform and is used to receive a control instruction sent by an external device and drive the scanning platform.

6. A photoacoustic imaging system, characterized in that: The system comprises: The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 5; The host computer is connected to the photoacoustic signal acquisition device and is used to receive and process the photoacoustic signal.

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