Photoacoustic breast imaging device and imaging method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of medical imaging technology, and to a photoacoustic breast imaging device and imaging method. The imaging device of the present invention compresses the upper and lower surfaces and both sides of the breast to be detected, thereby standardizing the shape of the breast to be detected. The thickness of the compressed breast is reduced, so that more photons can pass through the breast to achieve a deeper imaging depth, thereby effectively solving the problem of insufficient imaging depth due to the irregular shape and / or large volume of the breast. In addition, the metal plate and the elastic ultrasonic coupling medium not only help to receive more transmitted ultrasonic signals, but also enhance the closeness of contact with the breast to be detected, thereby unexpectedly solving the problem of limited viewing angle of a planar probe when using photoacoustic breast imaging, increasing the range in which the ultrasonic probe can receive ultrasonic signals, and significantly improving the imaging quality and detection accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of medical imaging, and more particularly to a photoacoustic breast imaging device and an imaging method, and more particularly to a photoacoustic breast imaging device and an imaging method for improving limited viewing angles and increasing imaging depth. Background Art

[0002] Photoacoustic imaging is a powerful new non-invasive functional imaging technology that can evaluate the changes in angiogenesis, hemoglobin, and blood oxygen saturation in real time and quantitatively during tissue lesions. Photoacoustic breast imaging is a new non-invasive and non-destructive technology based on the photoacoustic effect. When a pulsed infrared laser is irradiated on the breast, the photons diffuse in the breast tissue. The abnormally rich blood vessels in the deep cancerous area absorb some of the scattered photons and generate heat to generate ultrasonic signals. After receiving these ultrasonic signals, the ultrasound probe outside the body reconstructs the image to obtain a high-resolution photoacoustic image of the lesion (such as cancer).

[0003] However, in the process of photoacoustic imaging, the ultrasonic signal receiving angle of the traditional linear array ultrasound probe is limited to a certain range, that is, there is a limited viewing angle problem, which will lose a considerable part of the photoacoustic signal, and its two-dimensional array is limited by the process and cost, and it is difficult to make a large-size array that meets the needs of photoacoustics; in addition, the shape of the breast is irregular and the volume is large, so there is also the problem of insufficient imaging depth caused by the large attenuation of photons in the breast. From the perspective of practical application, how to provide a photoacoustic breast imaging method and imaging device that can improve the limited viewing angle and / or increase the imaging depth has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to improve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a photoacoustic breast imaging device, comprising: a base plate, a breast accommodating unit, a first compression unit, a second compression unit, a third compression unit, an ultrasound probe and a laser light source;

[0005] The lower surface of the breast accommodating unit is closed by a bottom plate;

[0006] The first compression unit is arranged above the breast accommodating unit, and the second compression unit and the third compression unit are respectively arranged outside the surface of the breast accommodating unit on two opposite sides in the horizontal direction.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laser light source and the ultrasonic probe are respectively arranged outside the surface of the breast accommodating unit on two opposite sides in the vertical direction.

[0008] Those skilled in the art can select appropriate positions of the laser light source and the ultrasound probe. For example, the laser light source can be arranged outside the upper surface of the breast accommodating unit in the vertical direction, and the ultrasound probe can be arranged below the bottom plate; or the laser light source can be arranged below the bottom plate, and the ultrasound probe can be arranged outside the upper surface of the breast accommodating unit in the vertical direction.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the material of the breast accommodating unit comprises an ultrasonic coupling medium, preferably a flexible ultrasonic coupling medium, more preferably an elastic ultrasonic coupling medium. As an example, the ultrasonic coupling medium is selected from, for example, jelly wax, agar, polyvinyl alcohol or a mixture thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the material should have ultrasonic coupling properties to allow ultrasonic signals to propagate therein.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the breast accommodating unit comprises a cavity. The cavity is used to accommodate the breast to be detected. Preferably, the volume of the cavity is such that the cavity can accommodate the part to be detected, such as the breast to be detected after being squeezed by the compression unit. More preferably, the breast accommodating unit also has a suitable shape, so as to standardize the shape of the breast to be detected while fixing the breast to be detected.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the outer shape of the breast accommodating unit is not particularly limited, for example, it can be a polyhedron or other shapes. As an example, the polyhedron can be selected from, for example, a hexahedron, preferably a cube, such as a cuboid or a cube.

[0012] The cavity in the breast accommodating unit may have a shape suitable for accommodating the breast, for example, it may be selected from a hemisphere, a semi-ellipsoid, an arc (such as a C-shaped body), or other shapes suitable for accommodating the breast to be tested. As an example, the shape of the cavity (such as the curved surface shape of the arc) is preferably adapted to the breast to be tested, especially the shape of the breast after being compressed by the compression unit, so that the inner wall of the breast accommodating unit fits the breast as closely as possible.

[0013] Those skilled in the art can understand that the size of the cavity can be adjusted according to the size of the breast to be detected so that it can just accommodate the breast to be detected. Preferably, the volume of the breast accommodating unit can accommodate the compressed breast to be detected, wherein the compression can be achieved under the joint action of the first compression unit and the bottom plate, or under the joint action of the first compression unit, the bottom plate and at least one unit selected from the second compression unit and the third compression unit.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the breast accommodating unit has at least one open side surface, so that the breast to be detected can enter through the side surface and fill the cavity in the breast accommodating unit. Preferably, the other side surfaces of the breast accommodating unit are closed.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the breast accommodating unit has a relatively upper surface (also called "upper surface") and a relatively lower surface (also called "lower surface") in the vertical direction. Preferably, the upper surface is open, and the lower surface can be closed by a bottom plate.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the imaging device is used for detection, the closed side surface of the breast accommodating unit is in contact with the breast to be detected.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first compression unit is disposed above the breast accommodating unit, and the first compression unit can cooperate with the bottom plate to squeeze the upper surface and the lower surface of the breast to be detected into a plane.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first compression unit, the second compression unit, and the third compression unit can move independently of each other. For example, they can move independently in the vertical direction, horizontal direction and / or inclined direction according to detection needs, so as to adjust the shape of the breast to be detected and / or the breast containing unit.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the material of the base plate can be selected from optically transparent materials, such as glass, such as ultra-white glass. Those skilled in the art understand that the base plate preferably allows the laser light source to pass through it to irradiate the breast to be detected.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a unit that is permeable to ultrasonic signals is provided on one side of the first compression unit relatively close to the bottom plate, such as a container containing a material (such as water) permeable to ultrasonic signals or a flat plate (such as a grid-shaped pressing plate) with multiple through holes. The container can be made of a low-density polyethylene film or a fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) film.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the grid-shaped pressing plate may be made of a material having flexibility and toughness, such as nylon.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the lower surface of the flat plate with multiple through holes at least covers the upper surface of the cavity in the breast accommodating unit. Preferably, the surface area of ​​the grid-shaped pressing plate is larger than the area of ​​the upper surface of the cavity in the breast accommodating unit, so that the ultrasound probe can achieve a full scan of the breast within the upper surface of the pressing plate.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second compression unit and the third compression unit are respectively arranged outside the surfaces on opposite sides of the breast accommodating unit in the horizontal direction, so that when the breast to be detected enters and fills the cavity of the breast accommodating unit, the breast to be detected is squeezed by the outside of the breast accommodating unit to adjust its shape.

[0024] Preferably, the second compression unit and the third compression unit may independently include a compression plate, and the material of the compression plate may be selected from a rigid material, preferably, the rigid material is selected from at least one of a metal material and a glass material, preferably glass or steel, more preferably glass. For example, the compression plate of the second compression unit and the compression plate of the third compression unit may be independently selected from a metal plate and / or a glass plate, preferably both are glass plates.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device may include a light source. Preferably, the light source includes a first light source, a second light source and a third light source, the first light source is arranged outside the second compression unit, the second light source is arranged outside the third compression unit, and the third light source is arranged outside the lower surface of the bottom plate. The light source illuminates the compression plate and the bottom surface of the compression unit at the same time to increase the penetration depth of photons, so as to be suitable for imaging of young breasts with thick breast thickness after compression.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the area of ​​the surface of the compression plate in contact with the breast accommodating unit is ≥ the side area of ​​the side of the breast to be inspected that is closer to the compression plate.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises a first driving unit for adjusting the height of the first compression unit. For example, the first driving unit is an electric translation stage.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises a second driving unit for driving the second compression unit, and a third driving unit for driving the third compression unit. The second driving unit and the third driving unit are respectively used to adjust the distance between the second compression unit and the third compression unit and the breast accommodating unit in the horizontal direction, thereby adjusting the force between the compression unit and the side of the breast accommodating unit. Preferably, the second driving unit and the third driving unit are symmetrically arranged relative to the center of the breast accommodating unit.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the structures of the second driving unit and the third driving unit can be selected from driving structures known in the art. For example, the driving structure can include a guide rail, a slider, a stopper and a push rod.

[0030] For example, the guide rail can be a linear guide rail, which can be set on the upper surface of the base plate; the slider can be set on the linear guide rail, and the push rod can be set on the slider. The movement of the slider on the linear guide rail drives the movement of the push rod. When the push rod contacts the first metal plate and / or the second metal plate, it squeezes the breast to be inspected from the side and is positioned by a limit piece.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the number of the second drive unit and the third drive unit can be independently selected from one, two, three or more. Preferably, the number of the second drive unit and the third drive unit is the same, for example, two each.

[0032] Preferably, when the number of the second drive units or the third drive units is two, the two drive units are arranged in parallel; when the number of the second drive units or the third drive units is three or more, the three or more drive units are arranged in parallel and the distances between each part are equal to ensure uniform force on the compression unit.

[0033] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the illumination area of ​​the laser light source can cover a large area of ​​the breast bottom.

[0034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasound probe is a planar probe, for example, a planar probe of any shape, such as a linear ultrasound probe or a planar ultrasound probe.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises an ultrasonic drive unit, which is used to drive the ultrasonic probe to scan the breast to be detected and receive ultrasonic signals. The structure of the ultrasonic drive unit is not specifically limited, and a structure known in the art can be selected.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises a bottom plate driving unit for adjusting the height of the bottom plate. For example, the bottom plate driving unit is an electric translation stage.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises a linkage driving unit, which is connected to the first driving unit and the bottom plate driving unit respectively to adjust the height of the first compression unit and the bottom plate simultaneously. For example, the linkage driving unit is an electric translation stage.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises a frame, and one or more of the driving units may be optionally disposed on the frame.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises an imaging unit and a display unit, wherein the imaging unit can present the ultrasound signal received by the ultrasound probe on the display unit after image reconstruction. Preferably, the imaging unit and the display unit are arranged in a computer.

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging unit is electrically connected to the ultrasound probe.

[0041] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device further comprises a control unit, and the control unit is electrically connected to the driving unit.

[0042] In the present invention, terms such as "upper surface", "above", "lower surface" and "below" are all based on the ground as a reference. The position relatively far from the ground is "upper" and the position relatively close to the ground is "lower".

[0043] The present invention also provides an imaging method of the above-mentioned photoacoustic breast imaging device, comprising the following steps:

[0044] (1) placing the breast to be tested in the cavity of the breast containing unit;

[0045] (2) using the first compression unit and the bottom plate to compress the upper surface and the lower surface of the breast to be detected in the vertical direction;

[0046] (3) The second compression unit and the third compression unit respectively compress both sides of the breast to be detected in the horizontal direction;

[0047] (4) The breast to be inspected is illuminated by a laser light source, and the transmitted ultrasound signal and the reflected ultrasound signal are received by the ultrasound probe. The received ultrasound signal is transmitted to the imaging unit to reconstruct the image.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the ultrasound signal is irradiated to the breast by a laser light source, photons diffuse in the breast tissue, and blood vessels absorb part of the scattered photons and generate heat.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitted ultrasound signal includes an ultrasound signal generated by the chromophore in the breast absorbing light, propagating in the breast, and being directly received by the ultrasound probe through the breast, a coupling medium, etc.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the reflected ultrasound signal includes an ultrasound signal generated by the chromophore in the breast absorbing light, propagating in the breast, and being received by the ultrasound probe after the signal is reflected by the metal plate.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the reconstruction imaging comprises the following steps: the ultrasound signal received by the ultrasound probe is pre-amplified, collected, and transmitted to the imaging unit for signal reconstruction imaging.

[0052] Preferably, the signal reconstruction imaging adopts a back-projection algorithm, and the equation in the time domain is:

[0053]

[0054] t=|r d -r| / c0

[0055] Where c0 is the speed of sound, p is the detected ultrasonic signal, is the solid angle.

[0056] During the reconstruction process, all the data received by the ultrasound probe needs to be projected to the area to be reconstructed. Figure 5 As shown in the figure, taking the reconstruction of a sphere as an example, the ultrasonic signal generated by the sphere is a spherical wave, so the ultrasonic signal generated by the chromophore in the breast cannot be received by the ultrasonic probe when it is transmitted to the side without a metal plate (which plays a reflective role). In the case of a metal plate, the ultrasonic probe can receive the transmitted ultrasonic signal and the reflected ultrasonic signal at the same time, project them to the area to be reconstructed according to the above formula, and then mirror-project the reconstructed object outside the metal plate to obtain a complete reconstructed image.

[0057] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the imaging method further comprises: lighting the compression plate of the second compression unit, the compression plate of the third compression unit and the bottom surface simultaneously to increase the penetration depth of photons, so as to be applicable to the situation where the thickness of young breasts is thicker after compression.

[0058] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the imaging method comprises the following steps:

[0059] (a) The examiner stands in front of the base plate and controls the linkage driving unit to drive the base plate and the first compression unit to move as a whole in the vertical direction so that the height of the base plate is close to the height of the breast to be examined;

[0060] (b) placing the breast to be tested on the bottom plate, and entering the cavity in the breast accommodating unit from the open side surface of the breast accommodating unit, and fitting with the inner surface of the breast accommodating unit opposite to the entry direction;

[0061] (c) controlling the bottom plate driving unit and the first driving unit to drive the bottom plate and the first compression unit to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, respectively compressing the upper surface and the lower surface of the mammary gland to be detected to reduce the thickness of the mammary gland;

[0062] (d) controlling the second driving unit and the third driving unit to drive the second compression unit and the third compression unit respectively, compressing the two sides of the breast accommodating unit in the horizontal direction so that the inner surface of the breast accommodating unit in the horizontal direction fits the breast to be detected, thereby standardizing the shape of the breast to be detected;

[0063] (e) a laser light source emits a laser to irradiate the breast;

[0064] (f) controlling the ultrasonic driving unit to drive the ultrasonic probe to scan the breast;

[0065] (g) The ultrasonic probe receives the transmitted ultrasonic signal and the reflected ultrasonic signal, which are pre-amplified, collected, and transmitted to a computer to reconstruct the signal to obtain a photoacoustic imaging three-dimensional imaging result.

[0066] According to an embodiment of the present invention, before the ultrasound probe scans the breast, an ultrasound coupling agent is preferably applied to the surface of the breast near the ultrasound probe. The ultrasound coupling agent can be selected from medical coupling agents known in the art. As an example, it can be selected from an aqueous polymer gel preparation composed of carbomer, polyols, water and the like.

[0067] The present invention also provides the use of the above imaging device and / or imaging method for breast imaging, especially for imaging of breasts with irregular shapes and / or large volumes.

[0068] Beneficial Effects

[0069] The imaging device of the present invention compresses the upper and lower surfaces and both sides of the breast to be detected, thereby standardizing the shape of the breast to be detected. The thickness of the compressed breast is reduced, allowing more photons to pass through the breast to achieve a deeper imaging depth, thereby effectively solving the problem of insufficient imaging depth due to irregular breast shape and / or large volume.

[0070] Furthermore, when the second compression unit and the third compression unit use a metal plate to compress the breast accommodating unit made of an elastic ultrasonic coupling medium, the ultrasonic probe can not only receive the ultrasonic signal that appears in the conventional method, but also receive the ultrasonic signal reflected by the metal plate. Moreover, the elastic ultrasonic coupling medium in the metal plate and the breast accommodating unit not only helps to receive more transmitted ultrasonic signals, but also enhances the closeness of contact with the breast to be detected, thereby unexpectedly solving the problem of limited viewing angle of a planar probe when performing photoacoustic breast imaging, increasing the range in which the ultrasonic probe can receive ultrasonic signals, and significantly improving the imaging quality and detection accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the photoacoustic breast imaging device of the present invention;

[0072] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the explosion of a breast compression device in a photoacoustic breast imaging device;

[0073] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a method for improving limited viewing angles for photoacoustic breast imaging devices;

[0074] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of a method for improving limited viewing angles for photoacoustic breast imaging devices;

[0075] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of signal reconstruction;

[0076] The reference numerals in the figures represent the following meanings: 1. frame; 2. base plate drive unit; 3. first drive unit; 4. linkage drive unit; 5. linear guide rail; 6. slider; 7. push rod; 8. ultrasound probe; 9. grid-shaped pressure plate; 10. breast accommodating unit; 11a. second compression unit; 11b. third compression unit; 12. base plate; 13. breast; 14. laser light source; 15. tumor; 16. ultrasound signal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] The technical scheme of the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are only exemplary descriptions and explanations of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All technologies implemented based on the above content of the present invention are included in the scope that the present invention is intended to protect.

[0078] Unless otherwise specified, the raw materials and reagents used in the following examples are commercially available or can be prepared by known methods.

[0079] Example 1

[0080] like Figure 1-3 The photoacoustic breast imaging device shown includes: a base plate 12, a breast accommodating unit 10, a first compression unit, a second compression unit 11a, a third compression unit 11b, an ultrasound probe 8 and a laser light source 14;

[0081] The breast accommodating unit 10 is disposed on the bottom plate 12, and is used to accommodate and fix the breast 13 to be detected, and to regulate the shape of the breast 13 to be detected;

[0082] The first compression unit is arranged above the breast accommodating unit 10. During detection, the first compression unit cooperates with the bottom plate 12 to compress the upper surface and the lower surface of the breast 13 to be detected until the upper surface and the lower surface of the breast 13 to be detected are flattened;

[0083] The second compression unit 11a and the third compression unit 11b are respectively arranged on both sides of the breast accommodating unit 10, and are used to compress the breast 13 to be detected from the side;

[0084] The ultrasonic probe 8 is arranged above the first compression unit, and the laser light source 14 is arranged below the bottom plate 12 .

[0085] [Breast Accommodation Unit]

[0086] The breast accommodating unit 10 is a cuboid with a cavity, wherein the cavity is used to accommodate the breast 13 to be detected.

[0087] The cavity is an arc body, the arc surface shape of the arc body is adapted to the shape of the mammary gland 13, and the inner arc surface of the arc body contacts the mammary gland 13 during detection.

[0088] The breast accommodating unit 10 includes a side surface, an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the breast accommodating unit 10 has an open side surface so that the breast 13 to be detected can enter and fill the cavity of the breast accommodating unit 10 through the side surface, and the other side surfaces of the breast accommodating unit 10 are closed. The upper surface of the breast accommodating unit is open, and the lower surface is closed by the bottom plate 12. When the imaging device is used for detection, the closed side surface of the breast accommodating unit 10 contacts the breast 13 to be detected.

[0089] The material of the breast accommodating unit 10 is an elastic solid coupling material, which is selected from jelly wax, agar and / or polyvinyl alcohol, and has good ultrasonic coupling properties, and the ultrasonic signal 16 can be transmitted therein (such as Figure 4 As shown in a in FIG. 1 , if the breast accommodating unit 10 composed of an elastic solid coupling member is not provided, the ultrasonic signal 16 cannot be transmitted (as shown in FIG. Figure 4 (as shown in b in the figure).

[0090]

Baseboard

[0091] The base plate 12 is made of ultra-white glass, which has good optical transmittance, and helps the laser light source 14 to pass through the base plate 12 and irradiate the breast to be detected.

[0092]

First compression unit

[0093] The first compression unit is a grid-shaped pressing plate 9. During detection, the grid-shaped pressing plate 9 contacts the upper surface of the breast accommodating unit 10, and compresses the breast 13 portion overflowing from the upper surface of the breast accommodating unit 10 into the cavity.

[0094] After the grid-shaped pressing plate 9 contacts the upper surface of the breast containing unit 10, the ultrasonic coupling agent is directly coated on the upper surface of the grid-shaped pressing plate 9, and the ultrasonic probe 8 contacts the ultrasonic coupling agent to receive the ultrasonic signal 16, thereby eliminating the conventional ultrasonic medium water and making the imaging device simpler.

[0095] The grid-shaped pressing plate 9 is made of a nylon wire material having both flexibility and toughness.

[0096] The lower surface area of ​​the grid-shaped pressing plate 9 is larger than the upper surface area of ​​the cavity in the breast accommodating unit 10 , so that the ultrasound probe 8 can achieve a full scan of the breast 13 within the upper surface range of the grid-shaped pressing plate 9 .

[0097] The first compression unit further comprises a first driving unit 3, which is used to adjust the height of the grid-shaped pressing plate 9. The first driving unit 3 is a first electric translation stage.

[0098] [Second compression unit and third compression unit]

[0099] The second compression unit 11a and the third compression unit 11b are both glass plates, which have high ultrasonic reflectivity, and ultrasonic waves can be reflected on the surface of the glass plate with almost no attenuation. The second compression unit 11a and the third compression unit 11b are respectively arranged outside the surfaces of the breast accommodating unit 10 on two opposite sides in the horizontal direction, so that when the breast 13 to be detected enters and fills the cavity of the breast accommodating unit 10, the breast 13 to be detected is squeezed by the outside of the breast accommodating unit 10, thereby adjusting its shape.

[0100] The area of ​​the steel plate is larger than the area of ​​the side of the breast 13 to be detected that contacts the steel plate in the horizontal direction.

[0101] The imaging device also includes a second driving unit for driving the second compression unit 11a, and a third driving unit for driving the third compression unit 11b, which are used to adjust the horizontal distance between the glass plate and the side of the corresponding breast accommodating unit 10, thereby adjusting the force between the second compression unit 11a, the third compression unit 11b and the side of the breast accommodating unit 10.

[0102] The second driving unit includes a linear guide rail 5, a slider 6, a stopper and a push rod 7; the linear guide rail 5 is arranged on the upper surface of the bottom plate 12; the slider 6 is arranged on the linear guide rail 5, and the push rod 7 is arranged on the slider 6, and the movement of the slider 6 on the linear guide rail 5 drives the movement of the push rod 7, and when the push rod 7 contacts the first glass plate and / or the second glass plate, the breast 13 to be detected is squeezed from the side. The specific components (not shown) of the third driving unit are the same as those of the second driving unit.

[0103] The number of the second drive unit and the number of the third drive unit are both two, and the second drive unit and the third drive unit are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the breast accommodating unit 10 .

[0104]

Laser light source and ultrasonic probe

[0105] The laser light source 14 is disposed below the bottom plate 12 , and the illumination area of ​​the laser light source 14 can cover the entire bottom of the breast 13 .

[0106] The ultrasonic probe 8 is arranged above the first compression unit. The ultrasonic probe 8 is a planar probe, for example, a linear ultrasonic probe or a planar ultrasonic probe.

[0107]

Other drive units

[0108] The imaging device further includes an ultrasonic driving unit, which is used to drive the ultrasonic probe 8 to scan in a plane above the first compression unit and receive the ultrasonic signal 16. By using the almost non-attenuated reflected ultrasonic signal 16 on the surface of the glass plate, the ultrasonic probe 8 can receive the reflected ultrasonic signal 16, thereby solving the problem of limited viewing angle of a plane probe.

[0109] The imaging device further comprises a bottom plate driving unit 2 for adjusting the height of the bottom plate 12. The bottom plate driving unit 2 is a second electric translation stage.

[0110] The imaging device further comprises a linkage driving unit 4, which is connected to the first driving unit 3 and the bottom plate driving unit 2 respectively, so as to simultaneously adjust the height of the first compression unit and the bottom plate 12. The linkage driving unit 4 is a third electric translation stage.

[0111] The imaging device further comprises a frame 1 , on which the first driving unit 3 , the bottom plate driving unit 2 and the linkage driving unit 4 are all arranged.

[0112] The imaging device also includes an imaging unit and a display unit, wherein the imaging unit is used to present the ultrasonic signal 16 received by the ultrasonic probe 8 on the display unit after image reconstruction. The imaging unit and the display unit are arranged in a computer. The imaging end is electrically connected to the ultrasonic probe 8.

[0113] The imaging device further includes a control unit, which is electrically connected to the first driving unit 3 , the second driving unit, the third driving unit, the ultrasonic driving unit, the bottom plate driving unit 2 and / or the linkage driving unit 4 .

[0114] Example 2 Imaging method

[0115] Using the photoacoustic breast imaging device of Example 1, imaging is performed by the following steps:

[0116] The breast 13 to be tested is placed in the cavity of the breast accommodating unit 10 and contacts the inner wall of the breast accommodating unit 10, the upper and lower surfaces of the breast 13 to be tested are compressed by the first compression unit and the bottom plate 12, and the two sides of the breast 13 to be tested are compressed by the second compression unit 11a and the third compression unit 11b;

[0117] The breast 13 to be detected is irradiated with a laser light source 14, and the transmitted ultrasonic signal 16 and the reflected ultrasonic signal 16 are received by the ultrasonic probe 8. The received ultrasonic signal 16 is transmitted to the imaging unit to reconstruct the image.

[0118] Signal reconstruction process: The ultrasonic signal 16 received by the ultrasonic probe 8 is preamplified, collected by the card, and transmitted to the computer for reconstruction. The back-projection algorithm is used, and the equation in the time domain is

[0119]

[0120] t=|r d -r| / c0

[0121] Where c0 is the speed of sound, p is the detected ultrasonic signal, is the solid angle. During the reconstruction process, all the data received by the probe need to be projected to the area to be reconstructed.

[0122] like Figure 5 As shown, taking the reconstruction of a sphere as an example, the ultrasonic signal 16 generated by the sphere is a spherical wave. Therefore, the ultrasonic signal 16 generated by the chromophore in the breast 13 is transmitted to the side without the glass plate (which plays a reflecting role). The ultrasonic signal 16 generated cannot be received by the ultrasonic probe 8. The present invention forms a space that matches the shape and size of the breast 13 by enclosing the glass plates of the second compression unit 11a and the third compression unit 11b and the elastic solid coupling object (breast accommodating unit 10). The ultrasonic signal 16 on the side propagates in the breast 13 and the elastic solid coupling object, and after being reflected by the glass plate, the ultrasonic probe 8 will simultaneously receive the transmitted ultrasonic signal 16 and the reflected ultrasonic signal 16, and project them to the area to be reconstructed according to the above formula, which will produce the following Figure 5 The reconstruction effect is shown on the left. Then, the reconstructed object outside the glass plate is mirror-projected to obtain a complete reconstructed image.

[0123] Before imaging, a person stands in front of the imaging device, adjusts the height of the bottom plate 12 through the linkage drive unit 4 (second electric translation stage), and places a breast 13 on the bottom plate 12. Then, the bottom plate drive unit 2 (second electric translation stage) and the first drive unit 3 (first electric translation stage) respectively drive the bottom plate 12 and the grid-shaped pressure plate 9 to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, compressing the breast 13 up and down to reduce the thickness of the breast 13. At the same time, the push rod 7 pushes the glass plates of the second compression unit 11a and the third compression unit 11b to compress the two sides of the breast accommodating unit 10 from the side, so that the breast accommodating unit 10 and the breast 13 fit tightly. Subsequently, the laser light source 14 is turned on, and the laser is irradiated onto the surface of the breast 13 to be detected. The chromophores (deoxyhemoglobin, oxygenated hemoglobin, water, etc.) in the breast 13 absorb the laser and generate an ultrasonic signal 16. The ultrasound probe 8 records the ultrasound signal 16, triggering the ultrasound drive unit to drive the ultrasound probe 8 to move in the plane above the grid-shaped pressing plate 9 to complete scanning and receive the ultrasound signal 16. After the imaging is completed, the bottom plate drive unit 2 and the first drive unit 3 respectively drive the bottom plate 12 and the grid-shaped pressing plate 9 to move in opposite directions along the vertical direction, release the breast 13, and the imaging is completed.

[0124] The above describes the embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A photoacoustic breast imaging device, characterized in that: include: A base plate, a breast accommodating unit, a first compression unit, a second compression unit, a third compression unit, an ultrasound probe and a laser light source; The lower surface of the breast accommodating unit is closed by a bottom plate; The breast accommodating unit comprises a cavity, and the cavity is used to accommodate the breast to be detected; The material of the breast accommodating unit includes ultrasonic coupling medium jelly wax, agar, polyvinyl alcohol or a mixture thereof; The first compression unit is arranged above the breast accommodating unit, and the second compression unit and the third compression unit are respectively arranged outside the surface of two opposite sides of the breast accommodating unit in the horizontal direction; The laser light source and the ultrasonic probe are respectively arranged outside the surfaces of the breast accommodating unit on two opposite sides in the vertical direction.

2. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser light source is arranged outside the upper surface of the breast accommodating unit in the vertical direction, and the ultrasonic probe is arranged below the bottom plate; or, the laser light source is arranged below the bottom plate, and the ultrasonic probe is arranged outside the upper surface of the breast accommodating unit in the vertical direction.

3. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The volume of the cavity enables the cavity to accommodate the site to be detected.

4. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer edge shape of the breast accommodating unit is a polyhedron.

5. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cavity in the breast accommodating unit has a shape suitable for accommodating the breast, and the shape is selected from a hemisphere, a semi-ellipsoid, and an arc.

6. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The arc body is selected from a C-shaped body.

7. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The shape of the cavity is consistent with the mammary gland to be detected, so that the inner wall of the mammary gland accommodating unit fits the mammary gland as closely as possible.

8. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The shape of the cavity is adapted to the shape of the breast after being compressed by the compression unit, so that the inner wall of the breast accommodating unit fits the breast as closely as possible.

9. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The breast receiving unit has at least one open side surface.

10. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The upper surface of the breast accommodating unit is open, and the lower surface is closed by a bottom plate.

11. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The first compression unit, the second compression unit, and the third compression unit are capable of moving independently of each other.

12. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first compression unit, the second compression unit, and the third compression unit move independently in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and / or the inclined direction according to detection needs, thereby adjusting the shape of the breast to be detected and / or the breast accommodating unit.

13. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The material of the bottom plate is selected from optically transparent materials.

14. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The material of the bottom plate is selected from glass.

15. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The material of the bottom plate is selected from ultra-white glass.

16. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: A unit that is transparent to ultrasonic signals is arranged on a side of the first compression unit that is relatively close to the bottom plate.

17. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 16, characterized in that: A container containing a material that can transmit ultrasonic signals or a plate with a plurality of through holes is arranged on a side of the first compression unit that is relatively close to the bottom plate.

18. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 17, characterized in that: The material that can transmit ultrasonic signals is water; the flat plate with multiple through holes is a grid-shaped pressing plate.

19. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that: The lower surface of the flat plate with a plurality of through holes at least covers the upper surface of the cavity in the breast accommodating unit.

20. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The second compression unit and the third compression unit independently include a compression plate, and a material of the compression plate is selected from a rigid material.

21. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 20, characterized in that: The rigid material is made of metal or glass.

22. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 21, characterized in that: The material of the rigid material is steel.

23. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 20, characterized in that: The area of ​​the surface of the squeezing plate in contact with the breast accommodating unit is greater than or equal to the side area of ​​the side of the breast to be detected that is closer to the squeezing plate.

24. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The imaging device includes a light source.

25. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The light source includes a first light source, a second light source and a third light source. The first light source is arranged outside the second compression unit, the second light source is arranged outside the third compression unit, and the third light source is arranged outside the lower surface of the bottom plate.

26. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The imaging device further includes a first driving unit for adjusting a height of the first compression unit.

27. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 26, characterized in that: The image forming apparatus further includes a second driving unit for driving the second compression unit, and a third driving unit for driving the third compression unit.

28. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 27, characterized in that: The imaging device further comprises an ultrasonic driving unit, and the ultrasonic driving unit is used to drive the ultrasonic probe to scan the breast to be detected and receive ultrasonic signals.

29. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 28, characterized in that: The imaging device further comprises a bottom plate driving unit for adjusting the height of the bottom plate.

30. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 29, characterized in that: The imaging device further comprises a linkage driving unit, which is respectively connected to the first driving unit and the bottom plate driving unit to simultaneously adjust the heights of the first compression unit and the bottom plate.

31. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The imaging device further comprises an imaging unit and a display unit. The imaging unit reconstructs the ultrasound signal received by the ultrasound probe and presents it on the display unit.

32. The photoacoustic breast imaging device according to claim 26, characterized in that: The imaging device further comprises a control unit, and the control unit is electrically connected to each driving unit.

33. The imaging method of the photoacoustic breast imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 32, comprising the following steps: (1) Placing the breast to be tested in the cavity of the breast containing unit; (2) compressing the upper and lower surfaces of the breast to be inspected in the vertical direction using the first compression unit and the bottom plate; (3) The second compression unit and the third compression unit respectively compress both sides of the breast to be detected in the horizontal direction; (4) The breast to be examined is illuminated by a laser light source, and the transmitted ultrasound signal and the reflected ultrasound signal are received by the ultrasound probe. The received ultrasound signal is transmitted to the imaging unit to reconstruct the image.

34. The imaging method according to claim 33, wherein: The transmission ultrasound signal includes an ultrasound signal generated by the absorption of light by the chromophore in the breast, which propagates in the breast and is directly received by the ultrasound probe through the breast and the coupling medium; And / or, the reflected ultrasound signal includes an ultrasound signal generated by the absorption of light by the chromophore in the breast, propagated in the breast, and received by the ultrasound probe after the signal is reflected by the metal plate; And / or, the reconstruction imaging includes the following steps: the ultrasound signal received by the ultrasound probe is pre-amplified, collected, and transmitted to the imaging end to perform signal reconstruction imaging.

35. The imaging method according to claim 33, wherein: The imaging method further comprises: lighting the compression plate of the second compression unit, the compression plate of the third compression unit and the bottom surface simultaneously.

36. The imaging method according to claim 34, wherein: The signal reconstruction imaging adopts the back-projection algorithm, where the equation in the time domain is: ； Where c0 is the speed of sound, is the detected ultrasonic signal, is the solid angle.

37. The imaging method according to any one of claims 33 to 36, characterized in that: The imaging method comprises the following steps: (a) The examiner stands in front of the base plate and controls the linkage driving unit to drive the base plate and the first compression unit to move as a whole in the vertical direction so that the height of the base plate is close to the height of the breast to be examined; (b) placing the breast to be inspected on the bottom plate, and entering the cavity of the breast accommodating unit from the open side surface of the breast accommodating unit, and fitting with the inner surface of the breast accommodating unit opposite to the entry direction; (c) controlling the bottom plate driving unit and the first driving unit to drive the bottom plate and the first compression unit to move relative to each other in the vertical direction, respectively compressing the upper surface and the lower surface of the mammary gland to be detected to reduce the thickness of the mammary gland; (d) controlling the second driving unit and the third driving unit to drive the second compression unit and the third compression unit respectively, compressing the two sides of the breast accommodating unit in the horizontal direction so that the inner surface of the breast accommodating unit in the horizontal direction fits the breast to be detected, thereby standardizing the shape of the breast to be detected; (e) A laser light source emits laser light and irradiates the breast; (f) controlling the ultrasonic driving unit to drive the ultrasonic probe to scan the breast; (g) The ultrasonic probe receives the transmitted ultrasonic signal and the reflected ultrasonic signal, which are pre-amplified, collected, and transmitted to a computer. After signal reconstruction, the photoacoustic imaging three-dimensional imaging result is obtained.

38. The method according to any one of claims 33 to 36, characterized in that Before the ultrasound probe is used to scan the breast, an ultrasound coupling agent is applied to the surface of the breast near the ultrasound probe.

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