Handheld photoacoustic imaging probe

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of photoacoustic imaging, and provides a handheld photoacoustic imaging probe. Exciting light is coupled into an optical fiber (10); light emergent from the optical fiber (10) enters a coupling module (30) along a direction of one side, perpendicular to the surface of an object to be detected, of an ultrasonic probe (40) after being subjected to spatial beam expansion and focusing of a lens system (20); the light entering the coupling module (30) is totally reflected for the first time to be propagated parallelly to the surface of the object to be detected, and is totally reflected for the second time to be vertically irradiated on a detection area under the ultrasonic probe (40) to excite a photoacoustic signal; the photoacoustic signal enters the coupling module (30) via transmission of the ultrasonic probe detection area of the object to be detected, and the ultrasonic probe (40) receives the photoacoustic signal. On the premise of not increasing the size of the ultrasonic probe significantly, an exciting light irradiation area is coincident with the ultrasonic probe detection area; meanwhile, the ultrasonic probe is kept in a traditional direction of being perpendicular to the object to be detected to enable an operator to adapt easily.

Description

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

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

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

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

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