Laser protection method, photoacoustic imaging system and readable storage medium

Abstract

The present invention discloses a laser protection method, a photoacoustic imaging system and a readable storage medium. The laser protection method is applied to a photoacoustic imaging system, which includes a composite ultrasonic probe and a laser for generating laser light, and the composite ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer and an optical transmission device connected to the laser. The method includes the following steps: responding to a received request instruction to start the laser, determining the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe; when the placement state matches a preset placement state, controlling the laser to enter a preheating stage, wherein in the preheating stage, the laser generates laser light, and the laser light is emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe to the outside through the optical transmission device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of ultrasonic technology, and in particular to a laser protection method, a photoacoustic imaging system and a readable storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI) is a new biomedical imaging technology. In actual use, the photoacoustic imaging system needs to emit laser light into the tissue body, receive the sound waves generated by the tissue body due to the action of the laser to obtain the photoacoustic signal, and then process the photoacoustic signal to obtain the photoacoustic image of the tissue body. Since the energy output stability of the laser is related to the temperature of its internal crystal, the laser needs to be preheated for a period of time after it is turned on. During the preheating process, the laser generates laser light, and the laser light generated by the laser is used to irradiate the tissue to be tested only after the temperature of the crystal inside the laser rises to the operating temperature.

[0003] Existing photoacoustic imaging systems usually couple an ultrasonic transducer and an optical transmission device to form a composite ultrasonic probe. However, after the laser enters the preheating stage, the laser generates laser light, which may cause certain risks in use. For example, the laser light generated by the laser during the preheating process is incident on the skin of the tissue body, which may cause damage to the skin of the tissue body. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary for the embodiments of the present invention to provide a laser protection method, a photoacoustic imaging system and a readable storage medium to solve the above technical problems.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a laser protection method, which is applied to a photoacoustic imaging system, wherein the photoacoustic imaging system includes a composite ultrasonic probe and a laser for generating laser light, wherein the composite ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer and an optical transmission device connected to the laser, and the method includes the following steps:

[0006] In response to the received request instruction to start the laser, determine the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe;

[0007] When the placement state matches the preset placement state, the laser is controlled to enter a preheating stage, wherein in the preheating stage, the laser generates laser light, and the laser light is emitted outward from the composite ultrasonic probe through the optical transmission device.

[0008] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a photoacoustic imaging system, comprising:

[0009] Laser, used to generate laser light;

[0010] A composite ultrasonic probe, comprising an ultrasonic transducer and an optical transmission device connected to the laser, wherein the laser generated by the laser in the working stage is emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe to the tissue to be tested through the optical transmission device, and the ultrasonic transducer is used to receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the tissue to be tested under the action of the laser;

[0011] A processor connected to the laser and the composite ultrasonic probe, the processor being used to process the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image;

[0012] The processor is also used to respond to a received request instruction to start the laser, determine the placement state of the compound ultrasound probe; and when the placement state matches a preset placement state, control the laser to enter a preheating stage, wherein in the preheating stage, the laser generates laser, and the laser is emitted outward from the compound ultrasound probe through the optical transmission device.

[0013] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a readable storage medium, on which an interactive program is stored. When the interactive program is executed by a processor, the laser protection method as described above is executed.

[0014] The embodiments of the present invention provide a laser protection method, a photoacoustic imaging system and a readable storage medium. The laser protection method is based on detecting the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe before the laser enters the preheating stage, so that the subsequent actions of the photoacoustic imaging system can be guided according to the detection results. For example, when the placement state matches the preset placement state, the laser is controlled to enter the preheating stage, thereby preventing the laser generated by the laser during the preheating process from causing damage to the skin of the tissue body, thereby enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0016] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a photoacoustic imaging system provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a program module of a photoacoustic imaging system provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a composite ultrasonic probe of a photoacoustic imaging system provided in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of a composite ultrasonic probe of a photoacoustic imaging system provided in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of a composite ultrasonic probe and a protective cover of a photoacoustic imaging system provided in a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a protective cover of a photoacoustic imaging system provided by a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 It is a flowchart of the steps of the laser protection method provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Main component symbols

[0024] Photoacoustic imaging system 100

[0025] Composite Ultrasound Probe 10

[0026] Ultrasonic transducer 11

[0027] Optical transmission device 13

[0028] Housing 101

[0029] Laser outlet 102

[0030] Position sensor 103

[0031] Acceleration sensor 105

[0032] Image acquisition device 107

[0033] Sensing device 109

[0034] Laser 20

[0035] Output device 30

[0036] Host 40

[0037] Processor 50

[0038] Memory 60

[0039] Protective cover 15

[0040] Sealed space 1501

[0041] Protective structure 1502

[0042] Wall 1531

[0043] Bottom wall 1533

[0044] Single side opening 1535

[0045] Cavity 1537 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] 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.

[0047] It is understood that the terms in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order. Unless the context clearly states otherwise, the singular forms "one" and "said" are also intended to include plural forms. The term "including" and any of their variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally includes steps or units that are not listed, or optionally includes other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices. In addition, the present application can be implemented in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in this embodiment. The purpose of providing the following specific embodiments is to facilitate a clearer and more thorough understanding of the disclosure of the present application, wherein the words indicating directions such as upper, lower, left, and right are only for the position of the structure shown in the corresponding drawings.

[0048] The following description is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the above description is for the purpose of explaining the general principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

[0049] Please also read Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a photoacoustic imaging system 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a program module of a photoacoustic imaging system 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown. The photoacoustic imaging system 100 includes a compound ultrasonic probe 10, a laser 20, an output device 30, and a host 40 connected to the compound ultrasonic probe 10, the laser 20, and the output device 30. A processor 50 and a memory 60 are provided in the host 40. The compound ultrasonic probe 10, the laser 20, the output device 30, and the host 40 can be connected via a communication bus to realize data transmission between the components.

[0050] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that Figure 1 The photoacoustic imaging system 100 is merely an example and does not constitute a limitation on the photoacoustic imaging system 100. The photoacoustic imaging system 100 may include Figure 1 More or fewer components as shown, or a combination of certain components, or different components, for example, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 may also include an input device, a power module, an alarm module, etc.

[0051] In this embodiment, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 includes a compound ultrasonic probe 10, a laser 20, and a processor 50 connected to the compound ultrasonic probe 10 and the laser 20. The laser 20 is used to generate laser light. The compound ultrasonic probe 10 includes an ultrasonic transducer 11 and an optical transmission device 13 connected to the laser 20. The laser light generated by the laser 20 in the working stage is emitted from the compound ultrasonic probe 10 to the tissue to be tested through the optical transmission device 13, and the ultrasonic transducer 11 is used to receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the tissue to be tested under the action of the laser. The processor 50 is used to process the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image. The processor 50 is also used to respond to the received request instruction to start the laser 20, determine the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe 10; and when the placement state matches the preset placement state, control the laser 20 to enter the preheating stage, wherein in the preheating stage, the laser 20 generates laser light, and the laser light is emitted from the compound ultrasonic probe 10 through the optical transmission device 13.

[0052] In this embodiment, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 starts the laser 20 based on the received request instruction to start the laser 20, so that the laser 20 is in a standby state, at which time the laser 20 does not emit laser. When it is determined that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe matches the preset placement state, the laser 20 is controlled to enter a preheating state and generate laser.

[0053] In some embodiments, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 controls the start of the laser 20 based on the received request instruction to start the laser 20 and determines that the placement state of the compound ultrasound probe matches the preset placement state, and controls the laser 20 to enter the preheating state, and the laser 20 generates laser during the preheating stage.

[0054] The request instruction can be triggered in a variety of ways, for example, by the operator pressing the start switch of the photoacoustic imaging system 100, where the start switch can be set on the photoacoustic imaging system 100 or on the composite ultrasonic probe 10. In addition, the first instruction can also be triggered by issuing a preset voice to start the photoacoustic imaging system 100 or making a preset gesture to start the photoacoustic imaging system 100. The triggering methods of the request instruction listed above are only exemplary. Other triggering methods proposed by those skilled in the art based on their specific needs using the technical ideas of the present invention are all within the protection scope of the present invention, and are not listed here one by one.

[0055] In the preheating stage, the laser 20 generates laser light to raise the temperature of the crystal in the laser 20 to the preset working temperature, thereby ensuring that the laser 20 can output laser light with stable energy. In the preheating process, the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe needs to match the preset placement state, so that the laser light emitted by the laser 20 is emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe 10 to the preset position through the optical transmission device 13. The preset placement state can be user-defined or the default setting of the photoacoustic imaging system 100. For example, the laser light emitted by the composite ultrasonic probe is directed toward the floor or the laser light emitted by the composite ultrasonic probe does not act on the skin or other areas of the eyes of the person being tested. After the laser 20 outputs laser light with stable energy, the laser 20 ends the preheating stage and enters the working stage, that is, the laser light emitted by the laser 20 is emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe 10 to the tissue to be tested through the optical transmission device 13 to perform photoacoustic imaging. The ultrasonic transducer 11 is used to receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the tissue to be tested under the action of the laser, and send the photoacoustic signal to the processor 50. The processor 50 synthesizes the photoacoustic image according to the received photoacoustic signal. In this way, the laser with stable energy output by the laser 20 is used to irradiate the tissue to be tested of the object to be tested, so as to ensure that the energy in the imaging plane is sufficient and uniform, thereby improving the imaging performance of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 .

[0056] In this way, the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 can be detected before the laser 20 enters the preheating stage, so that the subsequent actions of the photoacoustic imaging system can be guided according to the detection results. For example, when the placement state matches the preset placement state, the laser 20 is controlled to enter the preheating stage, thereby preventing the laser generated by the laser 20 during the preheating process from causing damage to the skin of the tissue body, thereby enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100.

[0057] Among them, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 can be a simple photoacoustic imaging device or a photoacoustic-ultrasound imaging device. The laser emitted by the laser in the photoacoustic imaging device is irradiated on the tissue to be tested (light absorber) of the subject to be examined. After the tissue to be tested absorbs the energy of the laser, a photoacoustic signal is generated. The photoacoustic signal is received by the ultrasonic transducer 11 of the photoacoustic imaging device, and the photoacoustic imaging device further generates an image of the tissue to be tested of the target object (referred to as a photoacoustic image). The ultrasonic transducer 11 in the photoacoustic-ultrasound imaging device can also be used to excite the composite ultrasonic probe 10 to transmit ultrasonic waves to the tissue body and receive the echo generated by the tissue body under the action of ultrasonic waves to obtain an ultrasonic echo signal. The processor 50 is also used to generate an ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic echo signal.

[0058] The laser 20 is used to generate laser light for irradiating the tissue to be tested. The laser 20 includes, but is not limited to, a laser light source or a laser diode. In some embodiments, the optical transmission device 13 includes an optical fiber (optical fiber bundle), a light guide arm, and other devices that can transmit laser light.

[0059] The composite ultrasonic probe 10 includes a housing 101, an ultrasonic transducer 11 and an optical transmission device 13. The ultrasonic transducer 11 and the optical transmission device 13 are both fixed to the housing 101. The housing 101 may only fix the front of the ultrasonic transducer 11 and the optical transmission device 13, or may wrap the ultrasonic transducer 11 and the optical transmission device 13 as a whole to form a whole. The housing 101, the ultrasonic transducer 11 and the optical transmission device 13 may be detachably connected or fixedly connected. The ultrasonic transducer 11 is connected to the host 40 via a cable, the laser 20 is connected to the host 40 via a cable, and the optical transmission device 13 is connected to the laser emission port of the laser 20. In other embodiments, the ultrasonic transducer 11 may also be connected to the host 40 signal wirelessly, and the laser 20 may also be located inside the host 40 to form an integrated structure.

[0060] The processor 50 in the host 40 is used to coordinate the work between the compound ultrasonic probe 10, the laser 20 and the output device 30. Specifically, after receiving the request instruction to start the laser 20, the processor 50 determines the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe 10. When the processor 50 detects that the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, it controls the laser 20 to emit laser and enter the preheating stage. In the preheating stage, the laser emitted by the laser 20 is emitted from the compound ultrasonic probe 10 to the outside through the optical transmission device 13, and the emitted laser does not act on the tissue to be tested of the object to be tested. When the laser 20 ends the preheating stage, the processor 50 controls the interruption to determine whether the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe matches the preset placement state, and controls the laser to enter the working stage. In the working stage, the laser emitted by the laser 20 is emitted from the compound ultrasonic probe 10 to the tissue to be tested through the optical transmission device 13. The ultrasonic transducer 11 can receive the photoacoustic light signal generated by the tissue to be tested under the action of the laser, and send the photoacoustic signal to the processor 50, so that the processor 50 processes the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image.

[0061] It is understandable that the laser 20 generates laser light during the preheating stage, and the laser light is used to heat the crystal in the laser to the working temperature. Since the laser light generated by the laser during this stage is not used for photoacoustic imaging, the composite ultrasonic probe is often placed randomly in clinical practice. When the laser finishes preheating and enters the working stage, the user will hold the composite ultrasonic probe to perform photoacoustic imaging toward the subject. Therefore, during the preheating stage of the laser, the laser generates and emits laser light from the composite ultrasonic probe through the optical transmission device. Since the composite ultrasonic probe is placed randomly, the laser light is easy to cause damage to the skin or eyes of medical staff and the subject. Therefore, before the laser 20 enters the preheating stage, the processor 50 needs to first determine the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10, and determine whether to make the laser 20 enter the preheating stage and emit laser light based on the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10, so as to avoid the laser light generated by the laser 20 during the preheating process from causing damage to the skin of the tissue body, thereby enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100.

[0062] When the processor 50 detects that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 does not match the preset placement state, it controls to prohibit the laser 20 from entering the preheating stage. At this time, the laser 20 is in a standby state and does not emit laser, or the laser 20 enters a shutdown state.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the placement state does not match the preset placement state, it indicates that the laser emitted from the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 may cause damage to the skin or eyes of the person being examined or the operator, so the processor 50 controls to prohibit the laser 20 from entering the preheating stage, at which time the laser 20 may be in a standby state and does not emit laser. In some other embodiments, the processor 50 controls to prohibit the laser 20 from entering the preheating stage or the laser 20 may be in a shutdown state. In this way, the laser 20 does not directly emit laser after being started, but controls the laser 20 to emit laser and enter the preheating stage only when the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, thereby avoiding the laser generated by the laser 20 during the preheating process from possibly causing damage to the skin or eyes of the person being examined or the operator, thereby improving the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100.

[0064] In some embodiments, the processor 50 is further configured to control the output device 30 to output a prompt message when the placement state does not match a preset placement state, so as to prompt the user that the compound ultrasound probe 10 is incorrectly placed.

[0065] The prompt information includes at least one of string information and graphic information. The output device 30 may be a display. The display is used to display the prompt information. The display is also used to display the ultrasound image and / or the photoacoustic image.

[0066] In some other embodiments, the prompt information may also include, but is not limited to, at least one of an acoustic and optical signal and a vibration signal. The output device 30 may also be, but is not limited to, a light emitting diode or a buzzer for generating the acoustic and optical prompt signal, or a vibrator for generating the vibration signal.

[0067] The processor 50 is specifically used to determine the orientation of the laser emission port 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 ; and determine the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 according to the orientation of the laser emission port 102 .

[0068] The laser outlet 102 is disposed at the free end of the composite ultrasonic probe 10. The orientation of the laser outlet 102 refers to the spatial orientation of the laser outlet 102.

[0069] Specifically, when the orientation of the laser outlet 102 is the preset spatial orientation, it is determined that the placement state of the compound ultrasound probe 10 matches the preset placement state. The preset spatial orientation is, for example, but not limited to, the direction in which the laser outlet 102 is facing the floor (i.e., downward) or a specific wall when the compound ultrasound probe 10 is placed. In this embodiment, the preset spatial orientation refers to the direction in which the laser outlet 102 is facing the safe area.

[0070] For example, when it is determined that the laser outlet 102 is facing downward, it indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to enter the preheating stage and emit laser. When it is determined that the laser outlet 102 is facing upward, it indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 does not match the preset placement state, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to prohibit emitting laser and enter the standby state or shutdown state.

[0071] It should be noted that the preset spatial orientation can be customized by the user and is not specifically limited in the present invention. For example, the preset spatial orientation can be a direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed toward the ceiling (ie, upward) or the wall.

[0072] Please also read Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 3 The structure diagram of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 provided in the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. In some embodiments, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 further includes an azimuth sensor 103 connected to the processor 50, the azimuth sensor 103 is fixed on the housing 101 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10, and the processor 50 is specifically used to obtain the X-axis data, Y-axis data and / or Z-axis data sensed by the azimuth sensor 103; and determine the orientation of the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 according to at least one of the X-axis data, the Y-axis data and the Z-axis data, wherein the X-axis data, the Y-axis data and the Z-axis data represent the spatial orientation of the laser outlet 102.

[0073] The azimuth sensor 103 is fixed on the housing 101. The azimuth sensor 103 includes, but is not limited to, a gravity sensor, a gyroscope, an electronic compass, and the like. For example, when the processor 50 determines that the received Z-axis data is a positive value, the orientation of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is determined to be the first preset direction; or when the processor 50 determines that the received Z-axis data is a negative value, the orientation of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is determined to be the second preset direction, and the first preset direction is different from the second preset direction. In this embodiment, the first preset direction is the direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed upward, such as the direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed toward the ceiling, and the second preset direction is the direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward, such as the direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed toward the floor. Among them, the azimuth sensor 103 is configured to be placed when the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed upward on a carrier (see Figure 6For example, when the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is fixed on the support 1), the detected Z-axis data is a positive value. When the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward on the support, the detected Z-axis data is a negative value.

[0074] In this embodiment, it is predefined that when the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward, the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is safely placed on the carrier, and the laser emitted by the laser outlet 102 does not act on the inspected person or the operator, that is, the laser does not irradiate the skin or eyes of the inspected person or the operator. When the processor 50 determines that the Z-axis data detected by the azimuth sensor 103 is a negative value, it determines that the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward, which indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, so that the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to enter the preheating stage and emit laser. When the processor 50 determines that the Z-axis data detected by the azimuth sensor 103 is a positive value, it determines that the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed upward, which indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 does not match the preset placement state, so that the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to prohibit emitting laser and enter the standby state or shutdown state.

[0075] In this embodiment, the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is a handheld composite probe. The optical transmission device 13 may be an optical fiber. The optical transmission device 13 is disposed on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer 11. The laser emitted by the laser 20 is transmitted to the surface of human tissue via the optical transmission device 13.

[0076] The photoacoustic imaging system 100 also includes an acceleration sensor 105 connected to the processor 50, and the processor 50 is also used to obtain the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 105 before determining the direction of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10; when the acceleration does not change within a preset time, determine the direction of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10; and when the acceleration changes within the preset time, control to prohibit turning on the laser 20.

[0077] It is understandable that when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 105 changes within the preset time, it indicates that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 may be taken out from the initial placement position or the compound ultrasonic probe 10 may fall. At this time, the processor 50 controls to prohibit the laser 20 from being turned on to prevent the laser generated by the laser 20 during the preheating process from causing damage to the skin of the tissue body, thereby enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100. If the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 105 does not change within the preset time, it indicates that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 may be in the initial placement position, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the X-axis data, Y-axis data and / or Z-axis data obtained by the acceleration sensor 105. Among them, the initial placement position may refer to the position when the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is safely placed on the carrier.

[0078] In some embodiments, the processor 50 is also used to determine a safe area of ​​the compound ultrasound probe 10, and determine the preset placement state based on the safe area, wherein the preset placement state is a placement state in which the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasound probe 10 faces the safe area.

[0079] The safety area refers to the area directly opposite to the laser outlet 102 when the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is correctly placed. For example, the safety area may be, but is not limited to, a specific area of ​​the ceiling, floor, or wall. In some embodiments, the safety area may be provided with a layer of material that absorbs laser light to prevent the laser light from being reflected and diffused to other areas, thereby further enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100.

[0080] Please also read Figure 2 and Figure 4 , Figure 4 The structure diagram of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 provided in the second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The photoacoustic imaging system 100 also includes an image acquisition device 107 connected to the composite ultrasonic probe 10, and the processor 50 is specifically used to obtain image information acquired by the image acquisition device 107; when the image information matches the preset image information, it is determined that the placement state matches the preset placement state, wherein the preset image information is the image information corresponding to the safe area acquired by the image acquisition device 107.

[0081] The image acquisition device 107 includes a CMOS sensor, a CCD sensor, a scanner, a camera, a video camera, etc. The image acquisition device 107 is fixed on the housing 101. In the second embodiment, the composite ultrasound probe 10 may not include the azimuth sensor 103 and the acceleration sensor 105. In some other embodiments, the composite ultrasound probe 10 may include the azimuth sensor 103, the acceleration sensor 105 and the image acquisition device 107 at the same time.

[0082] Please also read Figure 2 and Figure 5 , Figure 5 The structure diagram of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 and the protective cover 15 of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 provided in the third embodiment of the present invention is shown. The photoacoustic imaging system 100 includes a protective cover 15 for being mounted on the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10, and the processor 50 is further used to determine that the placement state matches the preset placement state when it is determined that the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is mounted with the protective cover 15.

[0083] In this embodiment, the protective cover 15 is constructed as a probe cover, which is fixed to the shell 101 of the composite ultrasound probe 10 and is snap-connected to the shell 101 so that the laser outlet 102 is accommodated in the probe cover.

[0084] The probe cover and the housing 101 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 can be detachably connected together through a mounting structure, which includes, but is not limited to, a snap-fit ​​structure, a sliding guide structure, a magnetic adsorption structure, an internal and external thread structure, a latch structure, and the like.

[0085] Please also read Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 6 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the protective cover 15 of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The protective cover 15 is configured as a probe cup. The probe cup includes a surrounding wall 1531 and a bottom wall 1533. The surrounding wall 1531 and the bottom wall 1533 enclose a cavity 1537 with a single-side opening 1535. When the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is inserted into the cavity 1537 of the probe cup, the laser outlet 102 faces the bottom wall 1533.

[0086] The structure of the probe cup limits the compound ultrasound probe 10 to be inserted into the cavity 1537 only from the single-side opening 1535, thereby ensuring that the compound ultrasound probe 10 is correctly placed in the probe cup to avoid the laser generated by the laser 20 from irradiating the detected object or the operator, thereby improving the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100. The probe cup is fixed to the fixing frame 1. The fixing frame 1 can be coupled to the housing of the host 40 or the housing of other devices. In some embodiments, the probe cup can also be directly fixed to the housing of the host 40 or other devices. The fixing method of the probe cup can be set according to the user's operating habits, and the present invention does not make specific limitations.

[0087] Please refer again Figure 5 In one embodiment, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 further includes a sensing device 109 disposed on the protective cover 15, and the processor 50 is specifically used to obtain a sensing signal sensed by the sensing device 109; and when the sensing signal meets a predetermined condition, determine that the laser outlet 102 is provided with a protective cover 15.

[0088] The sensing device 109 includes, but is not limited to, at least one of a control switch, a temperature sensor, a distance sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and an elastic force meter. Specifically, when the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is correctly mounted on the protective cover 15, the sensing device 109 is triggered to generate a sensing signal, so that it can be determined whether the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is correctly mounted on the protective cover 15 based on whether the sensing signal meets a predetermined condition.

[0089] In this embodiment, the sensing device 109 can be a control switch. When the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed in the protective cover 15, the optical transmission device 13 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 abuts the control switch to trigger the control switch to turn on. At this time, the control switch sends a first switch signal to the processor 50. When the processor 50 receives the first switch signal, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is covered with a protective cover 15, indicating that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, and controls the laser 20 to emit laser and enter the preheating stage. In this embodiment, the first switch signal is a high-level signal.

[0090] When the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is taken out of the protective cover 15 or the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is not placed in the protective cover 15, the optical transmission device 13 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is out of contact with the control switch, and the control switch is in the closed state at this time. The control switch can send a second switch signal to the processor 50 or not send a switch signal to the processor 50. When the processor 50 receives the second switch signal, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is not covered with a protective cover 15, which indicates that the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 does not match the preset placement state, and controls the laser 20 to prohibit the laser from emitting and enter the standby state or the shutdown state. In this embodiment, the first switch signal is a low-level signal. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the first switch signal can also be a low-level signal, and the second switch signal is a high-level signal.

[0091] The control switch may be a physical switch, for example, a key switch or a toggle switch disposed on the composite ultrasonic probe 10 or the protective cover 15. In other embodiments, the control switch may also be an inductive switch, for example, sending different switch signals to the processor 50 in response to the positions of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 and the protective cover 15.

[0092] In some other embodiments, the sensing device 109 may also be disposed on the composite ultrasonic probe 10. For example, when the sensing device 109 is a distance sensor, and the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed on the protective cover 15 in a correct manner, the protective cover 15 will shield the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10, so that the distance sensor generates a corresponding sensing signal. When the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is taken out of the protective cover 15, the laser outlet 102 will leave the protective cover 15, so that the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor changes due to the movement of the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 relative to the protective cover 15. When it is determined that the signal value of the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor is less than or equal to the preset signal value, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is covered with the protective cover 15; when it is determined that the signal value of the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor is greater than the preset signal value, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is not covered with the protective cover 15, that is, the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is taken out of the protective cover 15. In this way, it is possible to determine whether the laser outlet 102 is covered with the protective cover through the change in the signal value of the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor, and further determine whether the laser 20 can enter the preheating stage.

[0093] The distance sensor is used to generate and emit a light signal, and is also used to receive a light signal after the outgoing light is reflected by an obstruction, and output corresponding sensing information according to the intensity of the received light signal. In this embodiment, the light signal can be, but is not limited to, infrared light, ultraviolet light, etc.

[0094] In some embodiments, the protective cover 15 further includes a protective structure 1502. The protective structure 1502 is disposed in the protective cover 15 and covers the laser emission port 102 when the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed. The protective structure 1502 is made of a material that absorbs the laser.

[0095] It can be understood that since the protective structure 1502 can absorb laser light, the problem of burning of the protective cover 15 can be avoided, thereby further enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100.

[0096] In some embodiments, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 also includes an image acquisition device 107 connected to the compound ultrasound probe 10, and the processor 50 is specifically used to obtain image information acquired by the image acquisition device 107; and when the image information matches the preset image information, determine that the compound ultrasound probe 10 is covered with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner, wherein the preset image information is the image information acquired by the image acquisition device 107 when the compound ultrasound probe 10 is covered with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner.

[0097] The preset image information may be, but is not limited to, the image information of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, the image information of the protective cover 15, and the like. The image acquisition device 107 may be disposed on the housing 101 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, or may be disposed on the protective cover 15. For example, when the image acquisition device 107 is disposed on the housing 101 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, if the image information acquired by the image acquisition device 107 is the image information of the protective cover 15, it is determined that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is provided with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner. For another example, when the image acquisition device 107 is disposed on the protective cover 15, if the image information acquired by the image acquisition device 107 is the image information of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, it is determined that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is provided with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner.

[0098] It should be noted that the position sensor 103, the acceleration sensor 105, the image acquisition device 107, and the sensing device 109 in the photoacoustic imaging system 100 can be configured according to actual conditions. For example, the position sensor 103, the acceleration sensor 105, the image acquisition device 107, and the sensing device 109 are simultaneously provided in the photoacoustic imaging system 100 to improve the accuracy of determining the placement state of the composite ultrasound probe 10. For another example, only the sensing device 109 is provided in the photoacoustic imaging system 100, thereby simplifying the structure of the composite ultrasound probe 10 and reducing the cost.

[0099] The processor 50 is also used to control the interruption to determine whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state when the laser 20 ends the preheating stage, and control the laser 20 to enter the working stage.

[0100] In which, during the working stage, the laser 20 generates laser, and the laser is emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe 10 to the tissue to be measured through the optical transmission device 13, so that the ultrasonic transducer 11 can receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the tissue to be measured under the action of the laser, and the processor 50 is used to process the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image.

[0101] It can be understood that in some embodiments, the processor 50 can determine that the laser 20 ends the preheating stage when the preheating time of the laser 20 is greater than or equal to the preset time, and control the laser 20 to enter the working stage. In the working stage, the laser 20 continues to generate laser light, and the laser light emitted by the laser 20 can be emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe 10 to the tissue to be tested through the optical transmission device 13. Since when the laser 20 is in the working stage, the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 will scan along the corresponding skin surface of the tissue to be tested, the processor 50 does not need to determine whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, so the processor 50 needs to control the interruption to determine whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state after the laser 20 ends the preheating stage and before entering the working stage, so as to avoid the position change of the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 and limit the operation of the laser 20. In the working stage, the ultrasonic transducer 11 can receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the tissue to be tested under the action of the laser, and send the photoacoustic signal to the processor 50, so that the processor 50 processes the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image.

[0102] In some other embodiments, the processor 50 may also determine that the laser 20 ends the preheating phase and control the laser 20 to enter the working phase when the temperature of the crystal in the laser 20 rises to a preset working temperature or the energy of the laser emitted by the laser 20 meets a preset condition.

[0103] The processor 50 may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc. The processor 50 is the control center of the photoacoustic imaging system 100, and uses various interfaces and lines to connect the various parts of the entire photoacoustic imaging system 100. The processor 50 is also used to execute all the steps in the following laser protection method. For example, Figure 7 Steps S701 to S703, etc.

[0104] In one embodiment, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 further includes a memory 60 connected to the processor 50. The memory 60 can be used to store the ultrasound image and the photoacoustic image. The memory 60 can also be used to store program codes, and the processor 50 implements various functions of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 by running or executing the program codes stored in the memory 60 and calling the data stored in the memory 60. Specifically, the memory 60 stores the program codes, and the processor 50 is used to call the program codes in the memory 60 to execute all the steps in the following laser protection method.

[0105] The memory 60 can be used to store computer programs and / or modules. The processor 50 implements various functions of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 by running or executing the computer programs and / or modules stored in the memory 60 and calling the data stored in the memory 60. The memory 60 can mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area can store an operating system, application programs required for multiple functions (such as a sound playback function, an image playback function, etc.), etc.; the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 (such as photoacoustic images, ultrasound images, etc.), etc. In addition, the memory 60 can include a high-speed random access memory, and can also include a non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk, a memory, a plug-in hard disk, a smart memory card (Smart Media Card, SMC), a secure digital (Secure Digital, SD) card, a flash card (Flash Card), a plurality of disk storage 60 pieces, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage devices.

[0106] The embodiment of the present invention discloses a laser protection method to prevent the laser generated by the laser during the preheating process from causing damage to the skin of the tissue body, thereby enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system. The following is a detailed description.

[0107] Please also read Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 7 , Figure 7 The figure shows a flow chart of the steps of a laser protection method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 As shown, the laser protection method is applied to the above-mentioned photoacoustic imaging system 100, which includes a composite ultrasonic probe 10 and a laser 20 for generating laser light, and the composite ultrasonic probe 10 includes an ultrasonic transducer 11 and an optical transmission device 13 connected to the laser 20. The laser protection method includes the following steps.

[0108] Step S701, in response to the received request instruction to start the laser, determining the placement state of the composite ultrasound probe.

[0109] In this embodiment, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 starts the laser 20 based on the received request instruction to start the laser 20, so that the laser 20 is in a standby state, at which time the laser 20 does not emit laser light. When it is determined that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe matches the preset placement state, the laser 20 is controlled to enter a preheating state and generate laser light. In some embodiments, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 controls the start of the laser 20 based on the received request instruction to start the laser 20, and controls the laser 20 to enter a preheating state when it is determined that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe matches the preset placement state, and controls the laser 20 to enter a preheating state, and the laser 20 generates laser light during the preheating stage.

[0110] The request instruction can be triggered in a variety of ways, for example, by the operator pressing the start switch of the photoacoustic imaging system 100, where the start switch can be set on the photoacoustic imaging system 100 or on the composite ultrasonic probe 10. In addition, the first instruction can also be triggered by issuing a preset voice to start the photoacoustic imaging system 100 or making a preset gesture to start the photoacoustic imaging system 100. The triggering methods of the request instruction listed above are only exemplary. Other triggering methods proposed by those skilled in the art based on their specific needs using the technical ideas of the present invention are all within the protection scope of the present invention, and are not listed here one by one.

[0111] Step S703, when the placement state matches the preset placement state, the laser is controlled to enter a preheating stage, wherein in the preheating stage, the laser generates laser light, and the laser light is emitted outward from the composite ultrasonic probe through the optical transmission device.

[0112] In this embodiment, the preset placement state refers to the compound ultrasound probe 10 being correctly placed at the preset position. The preset position can be user-defined or the default setting of the photoacoustic imaging system 100 when it leaves the factory. For example, the compound ultrasound probe 10 is correctly placed in the protective cover 15, or the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasound probe 10 is facing the safe area. When the placement state matches the preset placement state, the processor 50 controls the laser to emit laser light and preheats the laser 20 until the temperature of the crystal in the laser 20 rises to the operating temperature to ensure the energy output stability of the laser emitted by the laser 20.

[0113] The laser protection method further comprises:

[0114] When the placement state does not match the preset placement state, the laser is controlled to be prohibited from entering the preheating stage; and / or a prompt message is controlled to be output to prompt the user that the composite ultrasonic probe is incorrectly placed.

[0115] The photoacoustic imaging system 100 controls the laser 20 to enter the preheating stage when the placement state does not match the preset placement state, that is, controls the laser 20 to be prohibited from emitting laser light, thereby avoiding the problem of the laser 20 emitting laser light and causing damage to the skin or eyes of the person being inspected or the operator. The prompt information includes, but is not limited to, at least one of character information, graphic information, sound and light information, and vibration information.

[0116] In one embodiment, determining the placement state of the composite ultrasound probe specifically includes:

[0117] Determining the direction of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe;

[0118] The placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe is determined according to the direction of the laser emission port.

[0119] When the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is determined to be oriented toward the preset position, it indicates that the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is correctly placed, and the laser 20 can emit laser light to enter the preheating stage. Otherwise, it indicates that the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is incorrectly placed, and the processor 50 controls to prohibit the laser 20 from emitting laser light, that is, the laser 20 cannot enter the preheating stage.

[0120] The orientation of the laser outlet 102 refers to the spatial orientation of the laser outlet 102. In this embodiment, when the orientation of the laser outlet 102 is a preset spatial orientation, it is determined that the placement state of the compound ultrasound probe 10 matches the preset placement state. The preset spatial orientation is, for example, but not limited to, the direction in which the laser outlet 102 faces the floor or wall (i.e., the downward direction) when the compound ultrasound probe 10 is placed. In this embodiment, the preset spatial orientation refers to the direction in which the laser outlet 102 faces the safe area.

[0121] For example, when it is determined that the laser outlet 102 is facing downward, it indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to emit laser light and enter the preheating stage. When it is determined that the laser outlet 102 is facing upward, it indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 does not match the preset placement state, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to prohibit emitting laser light and enter the standby state or shutdown state.

[0122] It should be noted that the preset spatial orientation can be customized by the user and is not specifically limited in the present invention. For example, the preset spatial orientation can be a direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed toward the ceiling (ie, upward) or the wall.

[0123] Specifically, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 further includes an orientation sensor 103 connected to the processor 50, and determining the orientation of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasound probe specifically includes:

[0124] Acquire X-axis data, Y-axis data and / or Z-axis data sensed by the orientation sensor;

[0125] The orientation of the laser outlet of the compound ultrasonic probe is determined according to at least one of the X-axis data, the Y-axis data and the Z-axis data, wherein the X-axis data, the Y-axis data or the Z-axis data represents the spatial orientation of the laser outlet.

[0126] The orientation sensor 103 includes, but is not limited to, at least one of a gravity sensor, a gyroscope, and an electronic compass. The X-axis data, Y-axis data, and / or Z-axis data sensed by the orientation sensor 103 are sent to the processor 50. For example, when the processor 50 determines that the received Z-axis data is a positive value, it determines that the direction of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is the first preset direction; or when the processor 50 determines that the received Z-axis data is a negative value, it determines that the direction of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is the second preset direction, and the first preset direction is different from the second preset direction. In this embodiment, the first preset direction is the direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed upward, for example, the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed toward the ceiling, and the second preset direction is the direction in which the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward, for example, the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed toward the floor. The position sensor 103 is configured to be placed on a support object with the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 facing upward. Figure 6 , such as a fixed frame), the detected Z-axis data is a positive value, and when the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward on the carrier, the detected Z-axis data is a negative value.

[0127] In this embodiment, it is predefined that when the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward, the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is safely placed on the carrier, and the laser emitted by the laser outlet 102 does not act on the inspected person or the operator, that is, the laser does not irradiate the skin or eyes of the inspected person or the operator. When the processor 50 determines that the Z-axis data detected by the azimuth sensor 103 is a negative value, it determines that the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed downward, which indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, so that the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to emit laser and enter the preheating stage. When the processor 50 determines that the Z-axis data detected by the azimuth sensor 103 is a positive value, it determines that the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed upward, which indicates that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 does not match the preset placement state, so that the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to prohibit emitting laser and enter the standby state or shutdown state.

[0128] Optionally, in some embodiments, the processor 50 also obtains X-axis data and / or Y-axis data sensed by the orientation sensor when the Z-axis data is a positive value or a negative value, and further determines the spatial orientation of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 based on the X-axis data and / or the Y-axis data.

[0129] In order to improve the accuracy of determining the direction of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 further includes an acceleration sensor 105 connected to the processor 50. Before determining the direction of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe, the laser protection method further includes:

[0130] Acquiring the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor;

[0131] When the acceleration does not change within a preset time, determining the direction of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe;

[0132] When the acceleration changes within the preset time, the laser is controlled to be prohibited from being turned on.

[0133] It can be understood that when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 105 changes within the preset time, it indicates that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 may be taken out from the initial placement position or the compound ultrasonic probe 10 may fall. At this time, the processor 50 controls to prohibit turning on the laser 20 to avoid the laser generated by the laser 20 during the preheating process from causing damage to the skin of the tissue body, thereby enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system 100. If the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 105 does not change within the preset time, it indicates that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 may be in the initial placement position, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the X-axis data, Y-axis data and / or Z-axis data obtained by the acceleration sensor 105. The initial placement position refers to the correct placement position of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, such as when it is mounted on the fixing frame 1 (see Figure 6 ) so that the laser outlet 102 faces downward.

[0134] In some embodiments, the laser protection method further comprises:

[0135] Determining a safe area of ​​the composite ultrasound probe;

[0136] The preset placement state is determined according to the safety area, wherein the preset placement state is a placement state in which the laser emission port of the composite ultrasound probe faces the safety area.

[0137] The safety area is, for example, a preset area corresponding to a ceiling, a floor or a wall, etc. Specifically, the safety area refers to an area where the laser will not cause damage to the skin or eyes of the inspected person or the operator after being emitted.

[0138] The photoacoustic imaging system further includes an image acquisition device connected to the composite ultrasound probe, and the placement state matches the preset placement state, specifically including:

[0139] Acquiring image information acquired by the image acquisition device;

[0140] When the image information matches the preset image information, it is determined that the placement state matches the preset placement state, wherein the preset image information is the image information corresponding to the safety area captured by the image capture device.

[0141] When the image information matches the preset image information, it indicates that the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe is facing the safety area, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to be turned on and enter the preheating stage. When the image information does not match the preset image information, it indicates that the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe is not facing the safety area, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to be prohibited from being turned on, so that the laser 20 cannot enter the preheating stage, so as to avoid the problem that the laser 20 emits laser and causes damage to the skin or eyes of the person being examined or the operator.

[0142] In some embodiments, the photoacoustic imaging system 100 includes a protective cover 15 for being mounted on the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasound probe 10, and the placement state matches the preset placement state, specifically including:

[0143] When it is determined that the laser emission port cover of the composite ultrasonic probe is provided with the protective cover, it is determined that the placement state matches the preset placement state.

[0144] The photoacoustic imaging system 100 further includes a sensing device 109 disposed on the composite ultrasonic probe 10 and / or the protective cover 15, wherein the sensing device 109 includes at least one of a control switch, a temperature sensor, a distance sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a dynamometer. The step of determining that the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe is provided with the protective cover specifically includes:

[0145] Acquiring a sensing signal sensed by the sensing device;

[0146] When the sensing signal meets a predetermined condition, it is determined that the laser emission port sleeve is provided with the protective cover.

[0147] In this embodiment, only when the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is correctly placed in the protective cover will the sensing signal sensed by the sensing device be triggered to change, thereby determining whether the laser outlet 102 is covered with the protective cover based on whether the sensing signal sensed by the sensing device 109 meets the predetermined condition. For example, the composite ultrasonic probe 10 can only be inserted into the protective cup sleeve 153 from top to bottom, and at this time, the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is correctly placed in the protective cover.

[0148] In this embodiment, the sensing device 109 can be a control switch. When the composite ultrasonic probe 10 is placed in the protective cover 15, the optical transmission device 13 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 abuts the control switch to trigger the control switch to turn on. At this time, the control switch sends a first switch signal to the processor 50. When the processor 50 receives the first switch signal, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is covered with a protective cover 15, indicating that the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, and controls the laser 20 to emit laser and enter the preheating stage. In this embodiment, the first switch signal is a high-level signal.

[0149] When the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is taken out of the protective cover 15 or the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is not placed in the protective cover 15, the optical transmission device 13 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is out of contact with the control switch, and the control switch is in the closed state at this time. The control switch can send a second switch signal to the processor 50 or not send a switch signal to the processor 50. When the processor 50 receives the second switch signal, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is not covered with a protective cover 15, which indicates that the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 does not match the preset placement state, and controls the laser 20 to prohibit the laser from emitting and enter the standby state or the shutdown state. In this embodiment, the first switch signal is a low-level signal. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the first switch signal can also be a low-level signal, and the second switch signal is a high-level signal.

[0150] The control switch may be a physical switch, for example, a key switch or a toggle switch disposed on the composite ultrasonic probe 10 or the protective cover 15. In other embodiments, the control switch may also be an inductive switch, for example, sending different switch signals to the processor 50 in response to the positions of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 and the protective cover 15.

[0151] In some embodiments, when the sensing device 109 is a distance sensor, and the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is placed in the protective cover 15 in a correct manner, the protective cover 15 will block the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, so that the distance sensor generates a corresponding sensing signal. When the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is taken out of the protective cover 15, the laser outlet 102 will leave the protective cover 15, so that the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor changes due to the movement of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 relative to the protective cover 15. When it is determined that the signal value of the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor is less than or equal to the preset signal value, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is covered with the protective cover 15; when it is determined that the signal value of the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor is greater than the preset signal value, the processor 50 determines that the laser outlet 102 is not covered with the protective cover 15, that is, the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is taken out of the protective cover 15. In this way, it is possible to determine whether the laser outlet 102 is provided with the protective cover through the change in the signal value of the sensing signal generated by the distance sensor, and further determine whether the laser 20 can enter the preheating stage.

[0152] The distance sensor is used to generate and emit a light signal, and is also used to receive a light signal after the outgoing light is reflected by an obstruction, and output corresponding sensing information according to the intensity of the received light signal. In this embodiment, the light signal can be, but is not limited to, infrared light, ultraviolet light, etc.

[0153] The photoacoustic imaging system further comprises an image acquisition device connected to the composite ultrasonic probe, and the composite ultrasonic probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner, specifically comprising:

[0154] Acquiring image information acquired by the image acquisition device;

[0155] When the image information matches the preset image information, it is determined that the compound ultrasound probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner, wherein the preset image information is image information collected by the image acquisition device when the compound ultrasound probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner.

[0156] When the image information matches the preset image information, it indicates that the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is covered with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to be turned on and enter the preheating stage. When the image information does not match the preset image information, it indicates that the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe is not covered with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner, and the processor 50 controls the laser 20 to be prohibited from being turned on, so that the laser 20 cannot enter the preheating stage, so as to avoid the problem that the laser 20 emits laser and causes damage to the skin or eyes of the person being examined or the operator.

[0157] The preset image information may be, but is not limited to, image information of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, image information of the protective cover 15, and the like. For example, when the image acquisition device 107 is disposed on the housing 101 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, if the image information acquired by the image acquisition device 107 is image information of the protective cover 15, it is determined that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is provided with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner. For another example, when the image acquisition device 107 is disposed on the protective cover 15, if the image information acquired by the image acquisition device 107 is image information of the laser outlet 102 of the compound ultrasonic probe 10, it is determined that the compound ultrasonic probe 10 is provided with the protective cover 15 in a preset manner.

[0158] The laser protection method further comprises:

[0159] When the laser finishes the preheating stage, the control interrupt determines whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe matches the preset placement state, and controls the laser to enter the working stage.

[0160] In which, during the working stage, the laser 20 generates laser, and the laser is emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe 10 to the tissue to be measured through the optical transmission device 13, so that the ultrasonic transducer 11 can receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the tissue to be measured under the action of the laser, and the processor 50 is used to process the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image.

[0161] It can be understood that in some embodiments, the processor 50 can determine that the laser 20 ends the preheating stage when the preheating time of the laser 20 is greater than or equal to the preset time, and control the laser 20 to enter the working stage. In the working stage, the laser 20 continues to generate laser light, and the laser light emitted by the laser 20 can be emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe 10 to the tissue to be tested through the optical transmission device 13. Since when the laser 20 is in the working stage, the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 will scan along the corresponding skin surface of the tissue to be tested, the processor 50 does not need to determine whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state, so the processor 50 needs to control the interruption to determine whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 matches the preset placement state after the laser 20 ends the preheating stage and before entering the working stage, so as to avoid the position change of the laser outlet 102 of the composite ultrasonic probe 10 and limit the operation of the laser 20. In the working stage, the ultrasonic transducer 11 can receive the photoacoustic light signal generated by the tissue to be tested under the action of the laser, and send the photoacoustic signal to the processor 50, so that the processor 50 processes the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image.

[0162] In some other embodiments, the processor 50 may also determine that the laser 20 ends the preheating phase and control the laser 20 to enter the working phase when the temperature of the crystal in the laser 20 rises to a preset working temperature or the energy of the laser emitted by the laser 20 meets a preset condition.

[0163] The laser protection method, photoacoustic imaging system and readable storage medium provided by the embodiments of the present invention can be applied not only to photoacoustic imaging detection of human body, but also to photoacoustic imaging detection of animals.

[0164] The embodiments of the present invention provide a laser protection method, a photoacoustic imaging system and a readable storage medium. The laser protection method is based on detecting the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe before the laser enters the preheating stage, so that the subsequent actions of the photoacoustic imaging system can be guided according to the detection results. For example, when the placement state matches the preset placement state, the laser is controlled to enter the preheating stage, thereby preventing the laser generated by the laser during the preheating process from causing damage to the skin of the tissue body, thereby enhancing the safety of the photoacoustic imaging system.

[0165] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer storage medium, wherein the computer storage medium may store a program, and when the program is executed, the program includes part or all of the steps of any one of the laser protection methods recorded in the above method embodiments.

[0166] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0167] It should be noted that, for the above-mentioned method embodiments, for the sake of simplicity, they are all described as a series of action combinations, but those skilled in the art should know that the present invention is not limited by the described action sequence, because according to the present invention, some steps may be performed in other sequences or simultaneously. Secondly, those skilled in the art should also know that the embodiments described in the specification are all preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily required by the present invention.

[0168] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed device can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. When the above-mentioned laser protection method is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solution of the present invention is essentially or part of the contribution to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server or a network device, etc., specifically a processor in a computer device) to perform all or part of the steps of the above-mentioned laser protection method in each embodiment of the present invention. Among them, the aforementioned storage medium may include: U disk, mobile hard disk, magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory 60 (English: Read-Only Memory, abbreviated: ROM) or random access memory 60 (English: Random Access Memory, abbreviated: RAM) and other media that can store program codes.

[0169] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method of the present invention and its core idea. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of ​​the present invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scopes. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A laser protection method, applied to a photoacoustic imaging system, wherein the photoacoustic imaging system comprises a composite ultrasonic probe and a laser for generating laser light, wherein the composite ultrasonic probe comprises an ultrasonic transducer and an optical transmission device connected to the laser, wherein: The method comprises the following steps: In response to the received request instruction to start the laser, determine the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe; When the placement state matches the preset placement state, the laser is controlled to enter a preheating stage, wherein in the preheating stage, the laser generates laser light, and the laser light is emitted outward from the composite ultrasonic probe through the optical transmission device.

2. The laser protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser protection method further comprises: When the placement state does not match the preset placement state, the laser is controlled to be prohibited from entering the preheating stage; and / or a prompt message is controlled to be output to prompt the user that the composite ultrasonic probe is incorrectly placed.

3. The laser protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Determining the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe specifically includes: Determining the direction of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe; The placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe is determined according to the direction of the laser emission port.

4. The laser protection method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system further includes an orientation sensor, and the orientation of the laser outlet of the composite ultrasonic probe is determined by: Acquire X-axis data, Y-axis data and / or Z-axis data sensed by the orientation sensor; The orientation of the laser outlet of the compound ultrasonic probe is determined according to at least one of the X-axis data, the Y-axis data and the Z-axis data, wherein the X-axis data, the Y-axis data or the Z-axis data represents the spatial orientation of the laser outlet.

5. The laser protection method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system further includes an acceleration sensor. Before determining the direction of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe, the laser protection method further includes: Acquiring the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor; When the acceleration does not change within a preset time, determining the direction of the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe; When the acceleration changes within the preset time, the laser is controlled to be prohibited from being turned on.

6. The laser protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser protection method further comprises: Determining a safe area of ​​the composite ultrasound probe; The preset placement state is determined according to the safety area, wherein the preset placement state is a placement state in which the laser emission port of the composite ultrasound probe faces the safety area.

7. The laser protection method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system further includes an image acquisition device connected to the composite ultrasound probe, and the placement state matches the preset placement state, specifically including: Acquiring image information acquired by the image acquisition device; When the image information matches the preset image information, it is determined that the placement state matches the preset placement state, wherein the preset image information is the image information corresponding to the safety area captured by the image capture device.

8. The laser protection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system includes a protective cover for being mounted on the laser emission port of the composite ultrasound probe, and the placement state matches the preset placement state, specifically including: When it is determined that the laser emission port cover of the composite ultrasonic probe is provided with the protective cover, it is determined that the placement state matches the preset placement state.

9. The laser protection method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system further comprises a sensing device disposed on the composite ultrasonic probe and / or the protective cover, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one of a control switch, a temperature sensor, a distance sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance sensor, a magnetic field sensor and a dynamometer, and the step of determining that the laser exit port of the composite ultrasonic probe is provided with the protective cover specifically comprises: Acquiring a sensing signal sensed by the sensing device; When the sensing signal meets a predetermined condition, it is determined that the laser emission port sleeve is provided with the protective cover.

10. The laser protection method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system further comprises an image acquisition device connected to the composite ultrasonic probe, and the composite ultrasonic probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner, specifically comprising: Acquiring image information acquired by the image acquisition device; When the image information matches the preset image information, it is determined that the compound ultrasound probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner, wherein the preset image information is image information collected by the image acquisition device when the compound ultrasound probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner.

11. The laser protection method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The laser protection method further comprises: When the laser finishes the preheating stage, it interrupts the determination of whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe matches the preset placement state, and controls the laser to enter the working stage.

12. A photoacoustic imaging system, characterized in that: include: Laser, used to generate laser light; A composite ultrasonic probe, comprising an ultrasonic transducer and an optical transmission device connected to the laser, wherein the laser generated by the laser in the working stage is emitted from the composite ultrasonic probe to the tissue to be tested through the optical transmission device, and the ultrasonic transducer is used to receive the photoacoustic signal generated by the tissue to be tested under the action of the laser; A processor connected to the laser and the composite ultrasonic probe, the processor being used to process the photoacoustic signal to obtain a photoacoustic image; The processor is also used to respond to a received request instruction to start the laser, determine the placement state of the compound ultrasound probe; and when the placement state matches a preset placement state, control the laser to enter a preheating stage, wherein in the preheating stage, the laser generates laser, and the laser is emitted outward from the compound ultrasound probe through the optical transmission device.

13. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The photoacoustic imaging system also includes an output device connected to the processor, and the processor is further used to control prohibiting the laser from entering the preheating stage when the placement state does not match the preset placement state; and / or control the output device to output prompt information to prompt the user that the composite ultrasound probe is placed incorrectly.

14. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The processor is specifically used to determine the direction of the laser emission port of the compound ultrasonic probe; and determine the placement state of the compound ultrasonic probe according to the direction of the laser emission port.

15. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 14, wherein: The photoacoustic imaging system also includes an azimuth sensor connected to the processor, the azimuth sensor is fixed on the shell of the compound ultrasonic probe, and the processor is specifically used to obtain X-axis data, Y-axis data and / or Z-axis data sensed by the azimuth sensor; and determine the orientation of the laser outlet of the compound ultrasonic probe according to at least one of the X-axis data, the Y-axis data and the Z-axis data, wherein the X-axis data, the Y-axis data and the Z-axis data represent the spatial orientation of the laser outlet.

16. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 14, wherein: The photoacoustic imaging system also includes an acceleration sensor connected to the processor, and the processor is further used to obtain the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor before determining the direction of the laser outlet of the compound ultrasonic probe; when the acceleration does not change within a preset time, determine the direction of the laser outlet of the compound ultrasonic probe; and when the acceleration changes within the preset time, control to prohibit turning on the laser.

17. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The processor is also used to determine a safe area of ​​the compound ultrasound probe, and determine the preset placement state based on the safe area, wherein the preset placement state is a placement state in which the laser emission port of the compound ultrasound probe faces the safe area.

18. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 17, wherein: The photoacoustic imaging system also includes an image acquisition device connected to the compound ultrasound probe, and the processor is specifically used to obtain image information acquired by the image acquisition device; when the image information matches the preset image information, it is determined that the placement state matches the preset placement state, wherein the preset image information is the image information corresponding to the safe area acquired by the image acquisition device.

19. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The photoacoustic imaging system includes a protective cover for being mounted on the laser outlet port of the compound ultrasound probe, and the processor is further used to determine that the placement state matches the preset placement state when it is determined that the laser outlet port of the compound ultrasound probe is mounted with the protective cover.

20. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 19, wherein: The protective cover is configured as a probe cover, and the probe cover and the shell of the compound ultrasonic probe are fixedly matched with each other, and the probe cover is clamped on the shell of the compound ultrasonic probe so that the laser outlet is accommodated in the probe cover.

21. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 19, wherein: The protective cover is configured as a probe cup cover, which includes a surrounding wall and a bottom wall. The surrounding wall and the bottom wall enclose a cavity with a single-side opening. When the composite ultrasonic probe is inserted into the cavity of the probe cup cover, the laser emission port faces the bottom wall.

22. The photoacoustic imaging system according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system also includes a sensing device arranged on the composite ultrasonic probe and / or the protective cover, and the processor is specifically used to obtain a sensing signal sensed by the sensing device; and when the sensing signal meets a predetermined condition, determine that the laser outlet sleeve is provided with the protective cover.

23. The photoacoustic imaging system according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that: The protective cover also includes a protective structure, which is arranged in the protective cover and covers the laser emission port of the composite ultrasonic probe when it is placed, and the protective structure is made of a material that absorbs the laser.

24. The photoacoustic imaging system according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that: The photoacoustic imaging system also includes an image acquisition device connected to the compound ultrasound probe, and the processor is specifically used to obtain image information acquired by the image acquisition device; and when the image information matches the preset image information, determine that the compound ultrasound probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner, wherein the preset image information is image information acquired by the image acquisition device when the compound ultrasound probe is covered with the protective cover in a preset manner.

25. The photoacoustic imaging system of claim 22, wherein: The sensing device includes at least one of a control switch, a temperature sensor, a distance sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance sensor, a magnetic field sensor and a dynamometer.

26. The photoacoustic imaging system according to claim 12, wherein: The processor is also used to interrupt the determination of whether the placement state of the composite ultrasonic probe matches the preset placement state when the laser ends the preheating stage, and control the laser to enter the working stage.

27. A readable storage medium, characterized in that: The readable storage medium stores an interactive program, and when the interactive program is executed by a processor, the laser protection method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is executed.

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