Optoacoustic imaging system
First Claim
1. An optoacoustic system, comprising:
- (a) an optoacoustic transducer comprising a first array of accoustic transducers and a second array of optical fibers;
(b) acoustic system means coupled to said first array for controllably exciting at least a first subset of said acoustic transducers to generate acoustic pulses with a prescribed pulse width, and for forming a first image based on return acoustic pulses reflected from a patient;
(c) optical system means coupled to said second array for controllably generating optical pulses to be transmitted through at least a first subset of said optical fibers toward said patient, and for forming a second image based on light reflected from said patient; and
(d) image correlation means for correlating said first and second images.
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Abstract
An optoacoustic system comprises an optoacoustic transducer including a first array of acoustic transducers and a second array of optical fibers; an acoustic subsystem for controllably exciting at least a first subset of the acoustic transducers to generate acoustic pulses with a prescribed pulse width, and for forming a first image based on return acoustic pulses reflected from a patient; an optical subsystem for controllably generating optical pulses to be transmitted through at least a first subset of the optical fibers toward the patient, and for forming a second image based on light reflected from the patient; and image correlation means for correlating the first and second images. The first and second arrays may take various forms, including the form of an annular array in which the acoustic transducers are arranged coaxially and the optical fibers are disposed around an outer periphery of the first array. The first and second arrays may also take the form of linear arrays.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An optoacoustic system, comprising:
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(a) an optoacoustic transducer comprising a first array of accoustic transducers and a second array of optical fibers; (b) acoustic system means coupled to said first array for controllably exciting at least a first subset of said acoustic transducers to generate acoustic pulses with a prescribed pulse width, and for forming a first image based on return acoustic pulses reflected from a patient; (c) optical system means coupled to said second array for controllably generating optical pulses to be transmitted through at least a first subset of said optical fibers toward said patient, and for forming a second image based on light reflected from said patient; and (d) image correlation means for correlating said first and second images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An optoacoustic imaging method, comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing an optoacoustic transducer adjacent a body part of a patient to be imaged, said optoacoustic transducer comprising a first array of acoustic transducers and a second array of optical fibers; (b) controllably exciting at least a first subset of said acoustic transducers to generate acoustic pulses with a prescribed pulse width, and forming a first image based on return acoustic pulses reflected from a patient; (c) controllably generating optical pulses to be transmitted through at least a first subset of said optical fibers toward said patient, and forming a second image based on light reflected from said patient; and (d) correlating said first and second images. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification