Apparatus and method for processing biological information
First Claim
1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
- an ultrasonic wave transmitting unit configured to apply a focused ultrasonic wave to a local region of a specimen;
a photodetecting unit configured to detect modulated light generated by modulating light incident in the local region of the specimen with the ultrasonic wave, and to output a modulation signal;
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, and to output an acoustic signal; and
an arithmetic unit configured to calculate a light intensity in the local region based on the modulation signal, and to calculate an absorption characteristic in the local region based on the acoustic signal and the light intensity in the local region.
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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
13 Claims
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1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasonic wave transmitting unit configured to apply a focused ultrasonic wave to a local region of a specimen; a photodetecting unit configured to detect modulated light generated by modulating light incident in the local region of the specimen with the ultrasonic wave, and to output a modulation signal; 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, and to output an acoustic signal; and an arithmetic unit configured to calculate a light intensity in the local region based on the modulation signal, and to calculate an absorption characteristic in the local region based on the acoustic signal and the light intensity in the local region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of processing specimen information, comprising the steps of:
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irradiating a local region of a specimen with a focused ultrasonic wave; detecting modulated light generated by modulating light incident in the local region with the ultrasonic wave; outputting a modulation signal by detecting the modulated light; detecting an acoustic wave emitted from the local region by irradiating the local region with the light; outputting an acoustic signal by detecting the acoustic wave; calculating a light intensity in the local region based on the modulation signal; and calculating an absorption characteristic in the local region using the acoustic signal and the light intensity in the local region. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification