Subject information acquisition apparatus

Abstract

A subject information acquisition apparatus includes an electromechanical conversion element which receives an elastic wave generated by irradiating with an electromagnetic wave an object in a subject and converts the received elastic wave into an electric signal; a moving device moves the electromechanical conversion element; a signal processing device calculates an image value based on the electric signal. The moving device moves the electromechanical conversion element from a first position to a second position, the electromechanical conversion element receives the elastic wave at the first position and converts the received elastic wave into a first electric signal, and receives the elastic wave at the second position and converts the received elastic wave into a second electric signal; when the electromechanical conversion element is situated at the second position, the signal processing device calculates a first image value at a specified position inside the subject based on the first electric signal.

1 . A subject information acquisition apparatus, comprising:
 an electromechanical conversion element configured to receive an elastic wave generated by irradiating with an electromagnetic wave an object in a subject, and to convert the received elastic wave into an electric signal;   a moving device configured to move the electromechanical conversion element;   a signal processing device configured to calculate an image value based on the electric signal, wherein   the moving device is configured such that the electromechanical conversion element can be moved from a first position to a second position different from the first position,   the electromechanical conversion element receives the elastic wave at the first position and converts the received elastic wave into a first electric signal, and receives the elastic wave at the second position and converts the received elastic wave into a second electric signal, and   when the electromechanical conversion element is situated at the second position, the signal processing device calculates a first image value based on the first electric signal at a specified position inside the subject.   
     
     
         2 . The subject information acquisition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the signal processing device further calculates a second image value at the specified position based on the second electric signal, and   the first image value and the second image value at the specified position are added.   
     
     
         3 . The subject information acquisition apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an electromagnetic wave source configured to emit a first electromagnetic wave at a first time point and emit a second electromagnetic wave at a second time point which is later than the first time point, wherein   the elastic wave received at the first position is an elastic wave which is generated by the first electromagnetic wave, and the elastic wave received at the second position is an elastic wave which is generated by the second electromagnetic wave.   
     
     
         4 . The subject information acquisition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the moving device continuously moves the electromechanical conversion element.   
     
     
         5 . The subject information acquisition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 plural electromechanical conversion elements are combined to form a electromechanical conversion element group.   
     
     
         6 . The subject information acquisition apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the plural electromechanical conversion elements are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, and   the moving device moves the plural electromechanical conversion elements in a direction of the arrangement.   
     
     
         7 . The subject information acquisition apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the plural electromechanical conversion elements are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, and   the moving device moves the plural electromechanical conversion elements in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement.   
     
     
         8 . The subject information acquisition apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the plural electromechanical conversion elements are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, and   the moving device moves the plural electromechanical conversion elements in a direction of the arrangement and in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement.