Multi-focus optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy with ultrasonic array detection

• US 10,359,400 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2015
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Inventors: Wang, Lihong, Song, Liang, Maslov, Konstantin, Rao, Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinha, Tarun
• Application Number:
  US14/639,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 73606
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/028 Material parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2418 using optoacoustic interaction with the material, e.g. laser radiation, photoacoustics photoacoustic cells G01N21/1702; measuring characteristics of vibrations by using radiation-sensitive means G01H9/00; acousto-optical conversion techniques for short-range imaging G01S15/8965; sound-producing devices using laser bundle G10K15/046
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/36 arranged for photographic purposes or projection purposes G02B21/18 takes precedenceor digital imaging or video purposes including associated control and data processing arrangements image data processing per se G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence

Abstract

A probe for use with an imaging system, including a scanning device configured to receive a first light beam from a light source, a beam-divider configured to split the first light beam into a plurality of second light beams, and a focusing device configured to focus each of the second light beams on respective locations in an object of interest is disclosed.

Claims

1. An imaging method comprising:

receiving a first light beam from a light source;

splitting the first light beam into a plurality of second light beams using a beam-divider;

focusing the plurality of second light beams on a respective plurality of locations in an object of interest using a focusing device, the plurality of second light beams causing the object of interest to emit time-resolved acoustic signals from the respective plurality of locations; and

receiving the time-resolved acoustic signals from the respective plurality of locations in the object of interest using an ultrasonic transducer array, the respective plurality of locations positioned within a field of view of the ultrasonic transducer array;

wherein the imaging method is an optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging method with a lateral resolution of 10 μ

m or less.

2. An imaging method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of second light beams and the time-resolved acoustic signals are coaxially aligned on opposite sides of the object of interest in a transmission mode.

3. An imaging method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising coaxially merging the plurality of second light beams and the time-resolved acoustic signals using an optical-acoustic beam combiner.

4. An imaging method in accordance with claim 3, wherein coaxially merging the plurality of second light beams and the time-resolved acoustic signals comprises passing the plurality of second light beams through the optical-acoustic beam combiner to the focusing device and reflecting the time-resolved acoustic signals entering the optical-acoustic beam combiner toward the ultrasonic transducer array.

5. An imaging method in accordance with claim 3, wherein coaxially merging the plurality of second light beams and the time-resolved acoustic signals comprises reflecting the plurality of second light beams entering the optical-acoustic beam combiner toward the focusing device and passing the time-resolved acoustic signals through the optical-acoustic beam combiner to the ultrasonic transducer array.

6. An imaging method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising reflecting the first light beam toward the beam-divider using a movable scanning mirror.

7. An imaging method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first light beam is reflected in a raster scanning pattern.

8. An imaging method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising generating an image based on the time-resolved acoustic signals.

9. An imaging method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of second light beams are formed as a linear array.

10. An imaging method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the time-resolved acoustic signals are received by a linear ultrasonic transducer array.

11. An imaging method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of second light beams are formed as a 2D array.

12. An imaging method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the time-resolved acoustic signals are received by a 2D ultrasonic transducer array.