Biological information imaging apparatus and biological information imaging method

Abstract

A biological information imaging method includes a first measurement step to measure an acoustic wave ( 54 ) generated by light ( 53 ) with which a living body ( 51 ) is irradiated from a light source ( 50 ) and which is absorbed by tissue ( 52 ) in the living body, a storage step to store first information obtained in the first measurement step, a second measurement step to measure an acoustic wave ( 54 ) generated by light ( 53 ) with which the living body ( 51 ) is irradiated from the light source ( 50 ) and which is absorbed by the tissue ( 52 ) in the living body, and a processing step to generate an image of information of the tissue in the living body by using second information obtained in the second measurement step, and the first information stored in the storage step.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A biological information imaging method comprising:
 obtaining first image data based on a first acoustic wave generated by irradiating a sample with first light having a first wavelength, the first wavelength including a wavelength which is from 700 nm to 800 nm;   obtaining second image data based on a second acoustic wave generated by irradiating the sample with second light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the second wavelength including a wavelength which is from 800 nm to 1000 nm;   obtaining third image data based on a third acoustic wave generated by irradiating the sample with third light having the first wavelength at a time point different from a time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light;   obtaining fourth image data based on a fourth acoustic wave generated by irradiating the sample with fourth light having the second wavelength at a time point different from a time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light;   performing registration between the first image data and the third image data; and   obtaining difference image data by calculating a difference between the second image data and the fourth image data which are in positions registered between the first image data and the third image data.   
     
     
         3 . The biological information imaging method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth image data are obtained in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         4 . The biological information imaging method according to  claim 2 , wherein the registration between the first image data and the third image data is performed in such a manner that a venous image in the first image data and a venous image in the third image data are in register with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The biological information imaging method according to  claim 2 , further comprising storing the second image data in a storage unit,
 wherein the difference image data is obtained by calculating the difference between the second image data stored in the storage unit and the fourth image data.   
     
     
         6 . The biological information imaging method according to  claim 3 , wherein the first image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space is obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the first light,
 wherein the second image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space is obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the second light,   wherein the third image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space is obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the third light, and   wherein the fourth image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space is obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the fourth light.   
     
     
         7 . The biological information imaging method according to  claim 2 , wherein a blood pressure of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is different from the blood pressure of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light. 
     
     
         8 . The biological information imaging method according to  claim 2 , wherein the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is a time point when a blood pressure of the sample is a systolic blood pressure, and the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light is a time point when the blood pressure of the sample is a diastolic blood pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The biological information imaging method according to  claim 2 , wherein a heart rate of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is different from the heart rate of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light. 
     
     
         10 . A biological information imaging apparatus comprising a light source, an optical controlling unit, an acoustic wave detector, and an information processing unit,
 wherein said optical controlling unit is configured to control said light source to irradiate a sample with first light having a first wavelength, the first wavelength including a wavelength which is from 700 nm to 800 nm;   wherein said acoustic wave detector is configured to detect a first acoustic wave generated by irradiation of the sample with the first light and convert the first acoustic wave into a first electric signal,   wherein said information processing unit is configured to obtain first image data based on the first electric signal,   wherein said optical controlling unit is configured to control said light source to irradiate the sample with second light having a second wavelength, the second wavelength including a wavelength which is from 800 nm to 1000 nm;   wherein said acoustic wave detector is configured to detect a second acoustic wave generated by irradiation of the sample with the second light and convert the second acoustic wave into a second electric signal,   wherein said information processing unit is configured to obtain second image data based on the second electric signal,   wherein said optical controlling unit is configured to control said light source to irradiate the sample with third light having the first wavelength at a time point different from a time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light,   wherein said acoustic wave detector is configured to detect a third acoustic wave generated by irradiation of the sample with the third light and convert the third acoustic wave into a third electric signal,   wherein said information processing unit is configured to obtain third image data based on the third electric signal,   wherein said optical controlling unit is configured to control said light source to irradiate the sample with fourth light having the second wavelength at a time point different from a time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light,   wherein said acoustic wave detector is configured to detect a fourth acoustic wave generated by irradiation of the sample with the fourth light and convert the fourth acoustic wave into a fourth electric signal,   wherein said information processing unit is configured to obtain fourth image data based on the fourth electric signal,   wherein said information processing unit is configured to perform registration between the first image data and the third image data, and   wherein said information processing unit is configured to obtain difference image data by calculating a difference between the second image data and the fourth image data which are in positions registered between the first image data and the third image data.   
     
     
         11 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said light source is a laser or a light emitting diode. 
     
     
         12 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said acoustic wave detector includes a transducer using a piezo-electric phenomenon, a transducer using the resonance of light, or a transducer using a change of capacitance. 
     
     
         13 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said information processing unit is configured to obtain the first, second, third and fourth image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         14 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said information processing unit is configured to perform the registration between the first image data and the third image data in such a manner that a venous image in the first image data and a venous image in the third image data are in register with each other. 
     
     
         15 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a storage unit configured to store the second image data, wherein said information processing unit is configured to obtain the difference image data by calculating the difference between the second image data stored in the storage unit and the fourth image data. 
     
     
         16 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said information processing unit is configured to:
 obtain the first image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the first electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the first light,   obtain the second image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the second electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the second light,   obtain the third image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the third electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the third light, and   obtain the fourth image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the fourth electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the fourth light.   
     
     
         17 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein a blood pressure of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is different from the blood pressure of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light. 
     
     
         18 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is a time point when a blood pressure of the sample is a systolic blood pressure, and the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light is a time point when the blood pressure of the sample is a diastolic blood pressure. 
     
     
         19 . The biological information imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein a heart rate of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is different from the heart rate of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light. 
     
     
         20 . An information processing apparatus for processing image data obtained by a biological information imaging apparatus including a light source, an optical controlling unit, and an acoustic wave detector, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to:
 obtain first image data based on a first acoustic wave generated by irradiating a sample with first light having a first wavelength, the first wavelength including a wavelength which is from 700 nm to 800 nm;   obtain second image data based on a second acoustic wave generated by irradiating the sample with second light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the second wavelength including a wavelength which is from 800 nm to 1000 nm;   obtain third image data based on a third acoustic wave generated by irradiating the sample with third light having the first wavelength a time point different from a time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light;   obtain fourth image data based on a fourth acoustic wave generated by irradiating the sample with fourth light having the second wavelength a time point different from a time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light;   perform registration between the first image data and the third image data; and   obtain difference image data by calculating a difference between the second image data and the fourth image data which are in positions registered between the first image data and the third image data.   
     
     
         21 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to obtain the first, second, third and fourth image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         22 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to perform the registration between the first image data and the third image data in such a manner that a venous image in the first image data and a venous image in the third image data are in register with each other. 
     
     
         23 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to:
 obtain the first image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the first electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the first light,   obtain the second image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the second electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the second light,   obtain the third image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the third electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the third light, and   obtain the fourth image data in two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space based on the fourth electric signal obtained by single irradiation of the sample with the fourth light.   
     
     
         24 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein a blood pressure of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is different from the blood pressure of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light. 
     
     
         25 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is a time point when a blood pressure of the sample is a systolic blood pressure, and the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light is a time point when the blood pressure of the sample is a diastolic blood pressure. 
     
     
         26 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein a heart rate of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the first light and the third light is different from the heart rate of the sample at the time point when the sample is irradiated with the second light and the fourth light.