APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION
First Claim
1. A biological information processing apparatus comprising:
- a light source configured to irradiate biological tissue with light;
an ultrasonic wave transmitting unit configured to apply an ultrasonic wave to a local region in the biological tissue;
a photodetecting unit configured to detect modulated light obtained by modulating the light from the light source with the ultrasonic wave in the local region;
an acoustic wave detecting unit configured to detect an acoustic wave emitted from the local region at a time when the local region absorbs the light from the light source; and
an arithmetic logical unit configured to calculate an absorption characteristic in the local region using an acoustic signal, serving as an output of the acoustic wave detecting unit, on the basis of a light intensity in the local region calculated based on a modulation signal, serving as an output of the photodetecting unit.
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Abstract
A biological information processing apparatus includes the following elements. A light source irradiates biological tissue with light. A transducer functions as an ultrasonic wave transmitting unit that applies an ultrasonic wave to a local region in the biological tissue. A photodetector detects modulated light obtained by modulating the light from the light source with the ultrasonic wave in the local region. The transducer also functions as an acoustic wave detecting unit that detects an acoustic wave emitted from the local region at a time when the local region absorbs the light from the light source. An absorption characteristic in the local region is calculated using an acoustic signal, serving as an output of the acoustic wave detecting unit, on the basis of a light intensity in the local region calculated based on a modulation signal, serving as an output of the photodetector.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A biological information processing apparatus comprising:
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a light source configured to irradiate biological tissue with light; an ultrasonic wave transmitting unit configured to apply an ultrasonic wave to a local region in the biological tissue; a photodetecting unit configured to detect modulated light obtained by modulating the light from the light source with the ultrasonic wave in the local region; an acoustic wave detecting unit configured to detect an acoustic wave emitted from the local region at a time when the local region absorbs the light from the light source; and an arithmetic logical unit configured to calculate an absorption characteristic in the local region using an acoustic signal, serving as an output of the acoustic wave detecting unit, on the basis of a light intensity in the local region calculated based on a modulation signal, serving as an output of the photodetecting unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for processing biological information, comprising the steps of:
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when a local region in biological tissue is irradiated with light and is simultaneously irradiated with an ultrasonic wave, detecting modulated light obtained by modulating the light with the ultrasonic wave in the local region; detecting an acoustic wave emitted from the local region at a time when the local region absorbs the light; and calculating an absorption characteristic in the local region using an acoustic signal, obtained from the acoustic wave, on the basis of a light intensity in the local region calculated based on a modulation signal obtained from the modulated light. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification