Method, system and apparatus for dark-field reflection-mode photoacoustic tomography
First Claim
1. A method of characterizing a target within a tissue comprising the steps of:
- focusing one or more laser pulses onto a surface of the tissue so as to penetrate the tissue and illuminate the target;
receiving a signal induced in the target by the one or more laser pulses using one or more ultrasonic transducers that are focused on the target; and
recording the received signal so that a characterization of the target can be obtained.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method, system and apparatus for reflection-mode microscopic photoacoustic imaging using dark-field illumination that can be used to characterize a target within a tissue by focusing one or more laser pulses onto a surface of the tissue so as to penetrate the tissue and illuminate the target, receiving acoustic or pressure waves induced in the target by the one or more laser pulses using one or more ultrasonic transducers that are focused on the target and recording the received acoustic or pressure waves so that a characterization of the target can be obtained. The target characterization may include an image, a composition or a structure of the target. The one or more laser pulses are focused with an optical assembly of lenses and/or mirrors that expands and then converges the one or more laser pulses towards the focal point of the ultrasonic transducer.
173 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method of characterizing a target within a tissue comprising the steps of:
-
focusing one or more laser pulses onto a surface of the tissue so as to penetrate the tissue and illuminate the target;
receiving a signal induced in the target by the one or more laser pulses using one or more ultrasonic transducers that are focused on the target; and
recording the received signal so that a characterization of the target can be obtained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An apparatus comprising:
-
a focusing device that receives one or more laser pulses and focuses the one or more laser pulses onto a surface of a tissue so as to penetrate the tissue and illuminate the target; and
one or more ultrasonic transducers that are focused on the target and receive acoustic or pressure waves induced in the target by the one or more laser pulses. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A system comprising:
-
one or more pulsed lasers;
a focusing device connected to an output of the one or more pulsed lasers that receives one or more laser pulses and focuses the one or more laser pulses onto a surface of a tissue so as to penetrate a tissue and illuminate a target;
one or more ultrasonic transducers that are focused on the target and receive acoustic or pressure waves induced in the target by the one or more laser pulse; and
an electronic system that records and processes the received acoustic or pressure waves. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification