Reflection-mode photoacoustic tomography using a flexibly-supported cantilever beam
First Claim
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1. A method for noninvasively imaging biological tissue using a handheld device, said method comprising:
- focusing at least one light pulse suitable for photoacoustic imaging from an optical fiber into a predetermined area inside the tissue, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a cantilever beam that is mounted at one extreme end using at least one flexure bearing;
detecting acoustic waves emitted from the predetermined area in response to the at least one light pulse using a transducer positioned on the cantilever beam; and
generating an image of the predetermined area based on a signal generated by the transducer representative of the acoustic waves;
wherein the optical fiber and the transducer positioned on the cantilever beam are configured to be sector scanned together.
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Abstract
Noninvasively imaging biological tissue using a handheld device. A light pulse is focused into a predetermined area inside an object using a flexibly mounted cantilever beam, acoustic waves emitted by the object in response to the at least one light pulse are detected by a transducer, and an image of the predetermined area inside the object is generated based on a signal generated by the transducer representative of the acoustic waves.
61 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for noninvasively imaging biological tissue using a handheld device, said method comprising:
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focusing at least one light pulse suitable for photoacoustic imaging from an optical fiber into a predetermined area inside the tissue, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a cantilever beam that is mounted at one extreme end using at least one flexure bearing; detecting acoustic waves emitted from the predetermined area in response to the at least one light pulse using a transducer positioned on the cantilever beam; and generating an image of the predetermined area based on a signal generated by the transducer representative of the acoustic waves; wherein the optical fiber and the transducer positioned on the cantilever beam are configured to be sector scanned together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification