Non-contact optical system for detecting ultrasound waves from a surface

• US 10,390,709 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Demos, Stavros G., Rubenchik, Alexander M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nganga, Boniface N
• Application Number:
  US13/983,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20130338504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,723 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0097 by applying acoustic waves and detecting light, i.e. acoustooptic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4272 involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue

Abstract

A system for detecting pressure, acoustic or ultrasound waves within an entity having a surface including the steps of attaching a signal converting material to the surface. The waves are generated by direct ejection from the surface, generation via energy deposition on the surface, generated spontaneously or, generated by directing light energy to the light absorbing target. The absorbing target subsequently generates acoustic pressure waves. The acoustic waves propagate to the surface of the entity and the signal converting material, wherein the acoustic pressure waves create vibrations in the signal converting material; and detecting the waves in the signal converting material with an optical detection system. Information about the absorbing target is obtained by the absorbing target reflecting the waves. The signal converting material can be a gel-like material containing optical elements, a multi-layer patch, or other material.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining information about a target organ or entity of a patient through the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and through the patient'"'"'s tissue wherein the patient'"'"'s tissue has impedance, comprising the steps of:

providing a laser that produces a laser beam having light that contains energy;

directing said laser beam directly onto the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the target organ or entity depositing said energy on the target organ or entity producing pressure waves that propagate from the target organ or entity of the patient through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue;

providing an impedance matching signal converting material cream containing optical elements that scatter light,

wherein said impedance matching signal converting material cream provides impedance matching with the impedance of the patient'"'"'s tissue, and

wherein said impedance matching signal converting material cream enables said optical elements to interact with said pressure waves providing displacement of said optical elements;

applying said impedance matching signal converting material cream containing optical elements that scatter light to the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue wherein said optical elements are particles of reflective materials;

providing displacement of said optical elements by said energy deposited on the target organ or entity producing said pressure waves that propagate through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and are transferred to said optical elements thereby providing displacement of said optical elements;

providing an optical detection system laser that produces an interrogating laser light beam; and

using said interrogating laser light beam for detecting said displacement of said optical elements to provide the information about the target organ or entity of the patient.

2. An apparatus for providing information about a target organ or entity of a patient through the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and through the patient'"'"'s tissue wherein the patient'"'"'s tissue has impedance, comprising:

an excitation laser;

an excitation laser beam produced by said excitation laser;

an impedance matching signal converting material cream that is impedance matched with the impedance of the patient'"'"'s tissue wherein said impedance matching signal converting material cream is connected to the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue;

optical elements in said impedance matching signal converting material cream that scatter light wherein said optical elements are particles of reflective materials and wherein said impedance matching signal converting material cream is impedance matched with said particles of reflective materials;

a system that directs said excitation laser beam directly onto the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the target organ or entity which produces pressure waves that propagate from the target organ or entity through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and create vibrations of the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue that propagate to said impedance matching signal converting material cream with said optical elements that scatter light and cause displacement of said optical elements;

an optical detection system laser;

an interrogating laser light beam produced by said optical detection system laser that is directed to said optical elements and reflected from said optical elements; and

an optical signal detection system that receives said reflected interrogating laser light beam and detects said displacement of said optical elements and provides information about the target organ or entity of the patient.

3. An apparatus for obtaining information about a tumor of a patient through the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and through the patient'"'"'s tissue wherein the patient'"'"'s tissue has impedance, comprising:

an excitation laser;

an excitation laser beam produced by said laser;

an impedance matching signal converting material cream that is impedance matched with the impedance of the patient'"'"'s tissue wherein said impedance matching signal converting material cream is connected to the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue;

optical elements in said impedance matching signal converting material cream that scatter light wherein said optical elements are particles of reflective materials;

a system that directs said excitation laser beam directly onto the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the tumor of the patient which produces pressure waves that propagate from the tumor of the patient through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and creates vibrations of the surface of the patient'"'"'s tissue and causes displacement of said optical elements;

an optical detection system;

an interrogating laser beam produced by said optical detection system laser that is directed to said optical elements and reflected from said optical elements; and

an optical signal detection system that receives said reflected interrogating laser beam and detects said displacement of said optical elements thereby detecting the information about the tumor of the patient.

4. A method of obtaining information about a tumor within a patient'"'"'s tissue beneath the patient'"'"'s tissue surface wherein the patient'"'"'s tissue has impedance, comprising the steps of:

providing a laser that produces a laser beam having light that contains energy;

directing said laser beam directly onto the patient'"'"'s tissue surface and through the patient'"'"'s tissue depositing said energy on the tumor generating pressure waves from the tumor that propagate through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the patient'"'"'s tissue surface;

providing an impedance matching signal converting material cream containing optical elements that scatter light wherein said optical elements are particles of reflective materials;

designing said impedance matching signal converting material cream containing optical elements to provide impedance matching with the impedance of patient'"'"'s tissue,

attaching said impedance matching signal converting material cream to the patient'"'"'s tissue surface;

providing displacement of said optical elements by said pressure waves from the tumor propagating through the patient'"'"'s tissue to the patient'"'"'s tissue surface thereby displacing said optical elements that scatter light;

providing an optical detection system laser that produces an interrogating laser light beam; and

using said interrogating laser light beam of said optical detection system laser to detect said displacement of said optical elements to obtain the information about the tumor.