WO2022116138A1

WO2022116138A1 - Photoacoustic signal acquisition device and photoacoustic imaging system

Info

Publication number: WO2022116138A1
Application number: PCT/CN2020/133857
Authority: WO
Inventors: 刘成波; 陈涛; 宋亮; 张迎; 刘良检; 高蓉康; 任亚光; 潘殷豪
Original assignee: 中国科学院深圳先进技术研究院
Priority date: 2020-12-04
Filing date: 2020-12-04
Publication date: 2022-06-09

Abstract

A photoacoustic signal acquisition device (100) and a photoacoustic imaging system (1000). The photoacoustic signal acquisition device (100) comprises: a laser generating assembly (110), configured to generate laser; an ultrasonic transducer assembly (120) comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers (121), wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers (121) is arranged in a first arc array, an opening of a first arc is used for placing a target to be tested, and each ultrasonic transducer (121) is configured to receive a photoacoustic signal generated by the laser acting on the target to be tested; and a signal acquisition device (130), connected to the ultrasonic transducer assembly (120) and configured to acquire a photoacoustic signal. The first arc constituted by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers (121) is not a closed ring, and thus can widen a range for imaging the target to be tested while causing no limitation to the size of the target to be tested and can also make the target to be tested be imaged more comfortably, thus improving user experience.

Description

Photoacoustic signal acquisition device and photoacoustic imaging system

【Technical field】

The present application relates to the technical field of photoacoustic imaging, and in particular, to a photoacoustic signal acquisition device and a photoacoustic imaging system.

【Background technique】

Peripheral vascular disease, which is called vascular disease in traditional Chinese medicine, includes a highly harmful and high incidence of the three systems of arteries, veins and lymphatics. Its incidence has increased significantly in recent years, such as arteriosclerotic occlusive disease, arteriovenous thrombosis, aneurysm and so on. At present, the professional technology for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease in my country is booming, and traditional surgical techniques are constantly being improved. It is not difficult to diagnose peripheral vascular diseases based on human clinical symptoms and medical examinations, such as palpation in traditional Chinese medicine, and the clinical application of medical imaging techniques, including ultrasound screening, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography imaging examinations. However, palpation in traditional Chinese medicine is based on empirical judgment. The resolution of ultrasound imaging technology cannot meet the screening of microvascular lesions. MRI is expensive and is not suitable for large-scale population census. Angiography imaging examination is an invasive examination. , and the contrast agent may affect kidney function or cause allergic reactions. The rapidly developing photoacoustic imaging technology stands out among many medical imaging technologies because of its advantages of high contrast in optical imaging and high resolution and deep penetration in ultrasonic imaging. offers new opportunities.

The principle of the application of photoacoustic imaging technology to vascular imaging is briefly described as follows: When the nanosecond pulsed laser is irradiated on the surface of the human body, the blood absorbs the energy of the laser and thermally expands instantaneously, thereby generating a photoacoustic signal (photoacoustic signal), which The signal is collected by a semi-circular array ultrasonic transducer, and the obtained data is processed and reconstructed by an algorithm to obtain the image and functional information of the blood vessel.

[Content of the invention]

The main technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a photoacoustic signal acquisition device and a photoacoustic imaging system, which can not only broaden the range of imaging targets to be detected, but also improve user experience.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a technical solution adopted in the present application is to provide a photoacoustic signal acquisition device, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device includes: a laser generating component for generating laser light. The ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a first arc-shaped array, the first arc-shaped opening is used to place the target to be detected, and the ultrasonic transducer is used to receive laser light and act on the to-be-detected object. Detect the photoacoustic signal generated by the target. The signal collector, connected to the ultrasonic transducer component, is used for collecting photoacoustic signals.

Further, the laser generating component includes: a laser for emitting laser light. The optical path adjustment unit is arranged on the optical path of the laser and is used to adjust the laser. The optical fiber assembly is arranged on the optical path of the laser, and is used for coupling and launching the adjusted laser to the target to be detected.

Further, the optical fiber assembly includes: a coupler, which is arranged on the optical path of the laser and is used for coupling the adjusted laser. The first fiber bundle is connected to the coupler. A plurality of second optical fiber bundles are obtained by bifurcating the ends of the first optical fiber bundles.

Further, each second optical fiber bundle includes a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber includes an optical outlet, and the optical outlets of the plurality of optical fibers are located on a straight line.

Further, the optical fiber assembly further includes: a plurality of packaging boxes, each packaging box correspondingly encapsulates a second optical fiber bundle.

Further, the optical fiber assembly further includes an optical fiber bundle clamping assembly, and the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly includes a plurality of clamping members, the plurality of clamping members are arranged in a second arc-shaped array, and the opening of the second arc-shaped is facing the target to be detected, each A holding member correspondingly holds a second optical fiber bundle. Wherein, the light spots of the multiplexed laser light emitted by the plurality of second fiber bundles are located at different positions of the target to be detected.

Further, the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly also includes a clamping plate, the clamping plate is parallel to the plane where the first arc is located, and a plurality of clamping members are arranged on the clamping plate, and each clamping member and the clamping plate are in a predetermined shape. Set the angle setting.

Further, the preset angle is 30°.

Further, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device also includes a scanning platform, the fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly are arranged on the scanning platform, and the scanning platform is used to move and drive the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly to perform detection on the target to be detected. scanning.

Further, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device includes: a driver, connected to the scanning platform, for receiving a control instruction sent by an external device and driving the scanning platform.

In order to solve the above technical problem, another technical solution adopted in the present application is to provide a photoacoustic imaging system, the system comprising: any one of the above photoacoustic signal acquisition devices. The upper computer is connected to the photoacoustic signal acquisition device for receiving and processing the photoacoustic signal.

The beneficial effects of the present application are: different from the situation in the prior art, the present application provides a photoacoustic signal acquisition device, which utilizes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers to receive photoacoustic signals generated by a laser acting on a target to be detected. The transducers are arranged in a first arc-shaped array, and the first arc-shaped opening is used to place the target to be detected. The present application provides a photoacoustic signal acquisition device. Since the first arc formed by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers is not a closed ring, it not only does not limit the size of the target to be detected, but also widens the imaging range of the target to be detected. The object to be detected can be imaged more comfortably and the user experience can be improved.

【Description of drawings】

In order to illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application more clearly, the following briefly introduces the drawings that are used in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can also be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

1 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application;

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the optical fiber assembly in FIG. 1;

3 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the application for encapsulating a second optical fiber bundle in an encapsulation box;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly in FIG. 2;

5 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the ultrasonic transducer assembly in FIG. 1;

6 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the positional relationship between the fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly in this embodiment;

7 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application;

8 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application;

FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the photoacoustic imaging system provided in the present application.

【Detailed ways】

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Reference herein to an "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearances of the phrase in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor a separate or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

The photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided in the present application is used for photoacoustic signal acquisition of biological samples. The biological sample may be a small animal, such as a mouse, a rabbit, etc., or a certain part of an organism, such as a limb, a brain, etc., which is not specifically limited here.

Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a photoacoustic signal collection device provided by the present application. As shown in FIG. 1 , the photoacoustic signal collecting device 100 includes a laser generating component 110 , an ultrasonic transducer component 120 and a signal collecting device 130 .

Among them, the laser generating component 110 is used for generating laser light.

Optionally, the laser generating assembly 110 includes a laser 111 , an optical path adjusting unit 112 , and an optical fiber assembly 113 .

The laser 111 is used to emit laser light, and the pulsed laser generated by the laser 111 is used as a detection signal source. When it is projected on the sample to be tested, the absorber on the surface and inside of the sample absorbs the light, resulting in instantaneous violent thermal expansion, thereby generating thermally excited ultrasonic waves. The laser 111 provided in this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, at least one of a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser, a ruby laser, a neodymium glass laser, a nitrogen molecular laser, and an excimer laser.

The function of the optical path adjustment unit 112 is to adjust the laser light emitted by the laser 111. For example, the optical path adjustment adjustment unit 112 can be used to collimate, expand or narrow the laser beam, and can efficiently couple the laser light emitted by the laser 111 into the laser beam. fiber optic assembly 113. Optionally, the optical path adjustment unit 112 may be a device with a laser focusing function, such as a convex lens or a focusing mirror.

The optical fiber assembly 113 is arranged on the optical path of the laser 111, and is used for coupling and emitting the adjusted laser light to the target to be detected.

Referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the optical fiber assembly in FIG. 1 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the optical fiber assembly 113 includes a coupler 1131, a first optical fiber bundle 1132, a plurality of second optical fiber bundles 1133, and an optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134.

The coupler 1131 is disposed on the optical path of the laser 111 for coupling the adjusted laser.

The first optical fiber bundle 1132 is connected to the coupler 1131, and the first optical fiber bundle 1132 includes a plurality of optical fibers. Specifically, the coupler 1131 couples the adjusted laser light into the first optical fiber bundle 1132 , that is, the adjusted laser light is transmitted in the first optical fiber bundle 1132 .

A plurality of second optical fiber bundles 1133 are obtained by bifurcating the ends of the first optical fiber bundles 1132 , each second optical fiber bundle 1133 includes a plurality of optical fibers, and the sum of the optical fibers included in all the second optical fiber bundles 1133 is equal to that of the first optical fiber bundle 1132 . Number of fibers included.

The inventors of the present application found that when a traditional photoacoustic signal acquisition device uses an optical fiber bundle to transmit laser light, the multiple light exit ports of the multiple optical fibers in the optical fiber bundle usually form a circle, so that the laser light emitted by the multiple optical fibers is emitted divergently. When it comes to the surface of the target to be detected, the arrangement of the optical fiber outlets is not conducive to the convergence of laser energy on the one hand, so that the surface of the target to be detected cannot meet the conditions for generating ultrasonic waves due to insufficient laser energy; on the other hand, it is very likely that As a result, the signal collection device cannot comprehensively collect the photoacoustic signal generated by the target to be detected.

In this embodiment, each second optical fiber bundle 1133 includes a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber includes a light outlet, and the light outlet of the optical fiber is used to emit laser light to the surface of the target to be detected, and multiple optical fibers in each second optical fiber bundle 1133 The light exit of the root fiber is on a straight line. In a specific embodiment, multiple optical fibers of each second optical fiber bundle 1133 can be arranged side by side on the same layer of space, so that the light exits of the multiple optical fibers are located on a straight line.

Optionally, the optical fiber assembly further includes a plurality of packaging boxes 1135 , and each packaging box 1135 encapsulates a second optical fiber bundle 1133 correspondingly.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the packaging box encapsulating the second optical fiber bundle in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the light exits of the plurality of optical fibers in the second optical fiber bundle 1133 are located on the straight line L of the packaging box. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light exits of the multiple optical fibers in the second optical fiber bundle 1133 can be encapsulated in a straight line L, so that the optical exits of the multiple optical fibers in each second optical fiber bundle 1133 are located on a straight line.

In this embodiment, by arranging the light exit ports of the plurality of optical fibers of each second optical fiber bundle 1133 on the same straight line, the laser light emitted to the target to be detected can be gathered, and then the energy of the laser light can be fully gathered, so that the laser light to be detected can be gathered. The detection target can successfully generate photoacoustic signals. In addition, since the light exits of the multiple optical fibers are located on a straight line, the laser spot located on the surface of the target to be detected can be basically located on a straight line. Therefore, the emission range of the laser can be broadened to a certain extent, thereby promoting more positions of the target to be detected. It can receive laser light, and then generate photoacoustic signal, and then can collect more comprehensive photoacoustic signal.

Referring to FIG. 4 , FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly in FIG. 2 . As shown in FIG. 4 , the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 includes a clamping plate 11341 and a plurality of clamping members 11342 .

The plurality of clamping members 11342 are arranged in a second arc B array, the opening of the second arc B faces the target to be detected, and each clamping member 11342 correspondingly clamps a packaging box 1135 containing the second optical fiber bundle 1133 . In fact, the clamping members 11342 are used to fix the position of the second optical fiber bundle 1133, so that the transmission laser light of the second optical fiber bundle 1133 clamped by each clamping member 11342 can be emitted to the designated position of the target to be detected.

Specifically, in this embodiment, it is considered that the target to be detected is generally a biological sample, such as the limbs of the biological sample, that is, the target to be detected is generally cylindrical. Therefore, in this embodiment, multiple clamping members 11342 are arranged in a second arc B array, and the opening of the second arc B faces the target to be detected. The so-called "multiple clamping members 11342 are arranged in a second arc B array". Meaning, the plurality of clips 11342 are located at different positions of an arc. Wherein, the second arc B is a part of the ring, for example, 1/2 of the ring, that is, a half ring, 1/3 of the ring, that is, a 120-degree ring, and so on. This setting method is more in line with the morphological characteristics of the biological sample to be tested, so that it can maintain a comfortable state during the test, which can improve the user experience.

It can be understood that the diameter of the second arc B should be greater than a preset threshold, and the preset threshold reflects the size of the largest target to be detected that can be detected by the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment. In this way, it can be ensured that the laser can fully irradiate the object to be tested on the two-dimensional plane.

Optionally, in order to achieve uniform collection of the photoacoustic signal generated by the target to be detected, the included angles formed between two adjacent clamping members 11342 may be set to be equal.

A plurality of clamping members 11342 are disposed on the clamping plate 11341, and each clamping member 11342 and the clamping plate 11341 are disposed at a predetermined angle. For example, the preset angle is 30°. That is, each clamping member 11342 and the clamping plate 11341 are arranged at the same angle. As above, due to the laser emitted by each second fiber bundle 1133, the laser spot generated by irradiating the surface of the target to be detected is basically located on a straight line, And each clamping member 11342 and the clamping plate 11341 are arranged at the same angle, therefore, the laser light emitted by the second optical fiber bundle 1133 clamped by the plurality of clamping members 11342 will also irradiate the laser spot generated by the surface of the target to be detected. It will be basically located on a straight line, so that all the laser spots emitted by the optical fiber are located on the same straight line, and then the photoacoustic signals of the target to be detected that are located near the straight line are comprehensively collected.

Obviously, by adjusting the size of the preset angle, the laser spots irradiated on the surface of the target to be detected can be located on different straight lines. In an application scenario, the size of the preset angle can be continuously adjusted to realize the three-dimensional space of the target to be detected. , and then collect photoacoustic signals in three-dimensional space.

Optionally, the first optical fiber bundle 1132 may select multiple optical fibers of the same specification, and each second optical fiber bundle 1133 includes the same number of optical fibers. For example, the first optical fiber bundle 1132 includes 100 optical fibers of the same specification, and the end of the first optical fiber bundle 1132 is divided into five second optical fiber bundles 1133 , that is, each second optical fiber bundle 1133 includes 20 optical fibers. In this way, it can be ensured that the intensity of the laser light finally emitted to different positions of the target to be detected is basically the same. It should be noted that the above is only an exemplary representation of an existing form of the first optical fiber bundle 1132 and the second optical fiber bundle 1133 . According to actual application scenarios, the optical fibers included in the second optical fiber bundle 1133 may also be different. It can be understood that the number of fibers included in the first fiber bundle 1132, the number of the second fiber bundles 1133, and the number of fibers included in each second fiber bundle 1133 can be determined according to the size of the target to be detected and different requirements for pulse energy. change occurs.

Optionally, the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 is fabricated using 3D printing technology. 3D printing technology is a kind of rapid prototyping technology. It is a technology that builds objects by stacking and accumulating layer by layer based on digital model files, using adhesive materials such as powdered metal or plastic. Formation". Of course, the fiber bundle clamping assembly can also be manufactured in any other manner, which is not specifically limited herein.

The traditional photoacoustic imaging system is usually based on a closed annular array ultrasonic transducer. When in use, the arm or leg of the target to be detected (such as a person) is inserted into the closed annular array ultrasonic transducer, and then passes through the annular array. An ultrasound transducer receives the resulting photoacoustic signal. The inventors of the present application have found through long-term research that the closed annular array ultrasonic transducer is very inconvenient in actual use, because the outer dimensions and contours of human arms or legs are different, and the differences are very large, and the closed annular array will be directly excluded. Some of the objects to be detected are larger in size, which limits the imaging of the system. In addition, since the limbs need to be stretched into the closed ring during the imaging process of the target to be detected, it may cause discomfort of the target to be detected and lower user experience.

Based on this, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment can overcome the shortcomings of the above-mentioned photoacoustic imaging system in use.

Referring to FIG. 5 , FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the ultrasonic transducer assembly in FIG. 1 . As shown in FIG. 5 , the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 of this embodiment includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 . The ultrasonic transducers 121 are used to receive photoacoustic signals generated by the laser acting on the target to be detected, and to convert the received photoacoustic signals. The signal is converted into an electrical signal for further transmission. It can be understood that the number of ultrasonic transducers 121 included in the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 in this embodiment can be changed according to actual needs, for example, 200, 250, 300, and the like. Within a certain range, the more the ultrasonic transducers 121 are, the faster the acquisition rate of the photoacoustic signal of the target to be detected is.

The multiple ultrasound transducers 121 included in the ultrasound transducer assembly 120 in this embodiment are arranged in an array. In fact, these ultrasound transducers 121 may also become multiple array elements of the ultrasound transducer assembly 120 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 5 , the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 are arranged in an array of a first arc shape A, and the opening of the first arc shape A is used to place the target to be detected. Among them, the first arc A is a part of the ring, for example, 1/2 of the ring, that is, a half ring, 1/3 of the ring, that is, a 120-degree ring, etc. The first arc A can be an excellent arc or inferior arc.

It can be understood that the diameter of the first arc A should also be greater than the above-mentioned preset threshold, and the so-called “pre-set threshold” refers to the preset threshold that the diameter of the second arc B should be greater than.

By arranging the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 in the first arc-shaped A array, the target to be detected can be placed at the opening of the first arc-shaped A, so that the target to be detected can be detected in a comfortable posture, improving the user experience. experience.

Optionally, in this embodiment, by controlling the positional relationship between the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120, the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 can more accurately acquire the photoacoustic signal generated by the target to be detected.

Specifically, please refer to FIG. 4 , FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 together. FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the positional relationship between the fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly in this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 4-6 , in this embodiment, the plane on which the first arc A formed by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 is located can be set to be parallel to the clamping plate 11341 of the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 . Obviously, since the plurality of clamping members 11342 are disposed on the clamping plate 11341 and form a predetermined angle α with the clamping plate 11341, the plane where the first arc A is located and the plurality of clamping members 11342 are at the predetermined angle α. Set the angle α. In this way, under the condition that the distance between the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 and the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and their respective sizes are certain, the preset angle α can be adjusted to control the distance between the clamping member 11342 and the clamping member 11342. The spot position of the laser light emitted by the clamped second optical fiber bundle 1133 is the spot position on the target to be detected, so that the plane where the position of each laser spot is located coincides with the plane where the first arc A is located, and finally The photoacoustic coaxiality is realized, so that the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 located on the plane where the first arc A is located can better receive the photoacoustic signal.

It can be understood that, when the preset angle α between the plane where the first arc A is located and the plurality of clamping members 11342 is unchanged, the clamping plate 11341 of the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic ring energy can be adjusted by adjusting the angle α. The distance of the assembly 120 also realizes the coaxial photoacoustic, so that the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 located on the plane where the first arc A is located can better receive the photoacoustic signal.

Further, since the plurality of clamping members 11342 are arranged in the second arc B, in order to improve the accuracy of the photoacoustic signal received by the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120, the size of the first arc A can be made equal to the size of the second arc B. size.

In the above manner, when the target to be detected is detected, the entire target to be detected does not need to be disposed through the closed annular ultrasonic transducer, but the target to be detected can be freely placed at the opening of the first arc A.

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 together. FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device provided by the present application. As shown in the figure, in order to obtain the three-dimensional detection signal of the target to be detected, this embodiment provides The photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 further includes a scanning platform 140 and a driver 150. The fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 are disposed on the scanning platform 140. The scanning platform 140 is used to move and drive the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and The ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 scans the target to be detected. It should be noted that this embodiment is further expanded on the basis of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in the previous embodiment. Therefore, all the technical means of the previous embodiment are applicable to this embodiment, and will not be done in the future. More to say.

The driver 150 is used for receiving an external control signal to drive the scanning platform 140, so that the scanning platform 140 can drive the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 to move in any direction to comprehensively detect the target to be detected.

Optionally, the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 may further include a carrier plate (not shown), a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 are arranged on the carrier plate, the other side of the carrier plate and the side of the clamping plate 11341 are respectively It is fixed on the scanning platform 140 . Specifically, the plane where the clamping plate 11341 is located and the plane where the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 is located are both perpendicular to the plane where the scanning platform 140 is located, and the plane where the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 is located does not overlap with the plane where the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 is located .

In this embodiment, since each second fiber bundle 1133 includes a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber includes a light outlet, and the light outlet of the optical fiber is used to emit laser light to the surface of the target to be detected. The light exits of the multiple optical fibers are located on a straight line. In addition, each holding member 11341 correspondingly holds a packaging box 1135 containing the second optical fiber bundle 1133 . The plurality of clamps 11341 are arranged in a second arc B array, and the opening of the second arc B faces the target to be detected. 11341 is set at a preset angle. Therefore, the laser light emitted by the second optical fiber bundle 1133 held by the plurality of holding members 11342 will also basically lie on a straight line, so that the laser light spots emitted by all the optical fibers are located on the surface of the target to be detected. The same straight line, and then comprehensively collect the photoacoustic signal of the target to be detected near the straight line.

The scanning platform 140 can drive the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 and the fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 to move to scan the target to be detected. Therefore, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment can comprehensively collect the three-dimensional photoacoustic signal of the target to be detected. .

In a specific implementation manner, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment may further include a water tank (not shown in the figure). Before the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 detects the target to be detected, a water tank for transmitting light is installed in the water tank. The transparent liquid of the acoustic signal generally uses water as the transmission medium.

Specifically, the scanning platform 140 is set in the water tank. When the target to be detected is detected, the target to be detected is placed in the corresponding position of the water tank. The optical fiber bundle clamping assembly 1134 and the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 on the scanning platform 140 follow the The movement of the scanning platform 140 scans the target to be detected. In this way, the water in the water tank can be used as a photoacoustic coupling agent, and when the target to be detected is excited and irradiated by the pulsed laser to generate a photoacoustic signal, the photoacoustic signal propagates in the water in the water tank.

The signal collector 130 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 for collecting photoacoustic signals.

In this embodiment, the signal collector 130 can be, for example, a multi-channel data acquisition card. The multi-channel data acquisition card collects the electrical signal sent by the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 and sends the electrical signal to an external device. The external device can be a A device with image processing capabilities.

The photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment can use the ultrasonic transducer assembly 120 composed of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 in a first arc shape A to collect photoacoustic signals generated by laser emission to the target to be detected . It can avoid the disadvantage that the traditional annular ultrasonic transducer needs to be arranged through the annular ultrasonic transducer with a detection target in order to collect photoacoustic signals. That is, since the first arc A formed by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 121 is not a closed ring, the target to be detected only needs to be set at the opening of the first arc A, so it will not cause the target to be detected. Due to the limitation of size, the imaging range of the target to be detected can be expanded, the target to be detected can be imaged more comfortably, and the user experience can be improved.

Referring to FIG. 8 , FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the photoacoustic signal collection device provided by the present application. As shown in Figure 8,

The inventor of the present application has found through long-term research that when the traditional photoacoustic signal acquisition device is working, the laser emits laser light, and its internal clock sends out a trigger signal to synchronize the signal collector to collect data. There is a microsecond-level time difference between the trigger signal and the trigger signal, and such a time difference is extremely unstable, which leads to the phenomenon of dislocation of the collected photoacoustic signal, and finally leads to the reconstruction of the photoacoustic image of the target to be detected by the external device. dislocation.

Based on this, the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided in this embodiment sends a synchronous trigger signal to the laser 111 while the signal collector 130 collects the photoacoustic signal, and the synchronous trigger signal triggers the laser 110 to emit pulsed laser light. Due to the extremely fast propagation speed of light, precise timing synchronization between photoacoustic signal acquisition and laser excitation can be achieved. In this way, the signal collector 130 can collect all the photoacoustic signals of the target to be detected. Thus, the accuracy of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 is improved.

It should be noted that this embodiment is further expanded on the basis of the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 provided by all the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, all the technical means of the above-mentioned embodiments are applicable to this embodiment, and we will not do too much in the future. Repeat.

Referring to FIG. 9 , FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the photoacoustic imaging system provided by the present application. As shown in FIG. 9 , the photoacoustic imaging system 1000 includes the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 in any of the above-mentioned embodiments and a host The computer 200, wherein the upper computer 200 is connected to the photoacoustic signal acquisition device 100 for receiving and processing the photoacoustic signal.

The upper computer 200 is a terminal device such as a computer, a tablet, etc. that can perform program loading or writing. In this embodiment, the upper computer 200 is a high-performance computer, and the upper computer 200 has a built-in reconstruction algorithm system. Through the system, the electrical signal collected by the photoacoustic signal collecting device 100 can be recovered efficiently and with high quality and the image can be reconstructed, so as to obtain clear image information of the target to be detected quickly and accurately.

Specifically, the host computer 200 is connected to the signal collector of the photoacoustic signal collecting device 100, and receives the electrical signal sent by the signal collector.

To sum up, the photoacoustic signal collection device provided in this embodiment can use the ultrasonic transducer assembly formed by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers in a first arc shape to collect the photoacoustic signal generated by the laser emission to the target to be detected. It can avoid the disadvantage that the traditional annular ultrasonic transducer needs to be arranged through the annular ultrasonic transducer with a detection target in order to collect photoacoustic signals. That is, since the first arc formed by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers is not a closed ring, the target to be detected only needs to be arranged at the opening of the first arc, so it will not limit the size of the target to be detected. , which can widen the imaging range of the target to be detected, and can also make the target to be detected more comfortable to be imaged, thereby improving user experience.

The above are only specific implementations in this application, but the protection scope of this application is not limited to this. Anyone who is familiar with the technology within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application can understand that any transformation or replacement that comes to mind should be Covered within the scope of the application, therefore, the protection scope of the application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

In addition, in the description of this specification, reference to the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" and the like means description in conjunction with the embodiment or example. A particular feature, structure, material or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms are not necessarily directed to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of the different embodiments or examples, without conflicting each other.

Claims

A photoacoustic signal acquisition device, characterized in that the photoacoustic signal acquisition device comprises:

Laser generating components for generating laser light;

The ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a first arc-shaped array, and the first arc-shaped opening is used to place the target to be detected, and the ultrasonic transducer is used for receiving the photoacoustic signal generated by the laser acting on the target to be detected;

A signal collector is connected to the ultrasonic transducer assembly for collecting the photoacoustic signal.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein:

The laser generating assembly includes:

Lasers, for emitting laser light;

an optical path adjustment unit, arranged on the optical path of the laser, for adjusting the laser;

An optical fiber assembly, arranged on the optical path of the laser, is used for coupling and emitting the adjusted laser to the target to be detected.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 2, wherein,

The fiber optic assembly includes:

a coupler, arranged on the optical path of the laser, for coupling the adjusted laser;

a first optical fiber bundle connected to the coupler;

A plurality of second optical fiber bundles are obtained by bifurcating the ends of the first optical fiber bundles.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 3, characterized in that:

Each of the second optical fiber bundles includes a plurality of optical fibers, each of the optical fibers includes an optical outlet, and the optical outlets of the plurality of optical fibers are located on a straight line.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 3, characterized in that:

The optical fiber assembly further includes: a plurality of packaging boxes, each of which encapsulates one of the second optical fiber bundles correspondingly.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 5, wherein:

The optical fiber assembly further includes an optical fiber bundle clamping assembly, and the optical fiber bundle clamping assembly includes a plurality of clamping members, and the plurality of clamping members are arranged in a second arc-shaped array, and the opening of the second arc-shaped face faces For the target to be detected, each of the clamping members correspondingly clamps one of the packaging boxes;

Wherein, the light spots of the multiplexed laser light emitted by the plurality of the second optical fiber bundles are located at different positions of the to-be-detected target.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 6, wherein,

The optical fiber bundle clamping assembly further includes a clamping plate, the clamping plate is parallel to the plane where the first arc is located, and the plurality of clamping members are arranged on the clamping plate, each of the The clamping piece and the clamping plate are arranged at a preset angle.
The photoacoustic signal collection device according to claim 7, wherein the preset angle is 30°.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 5, wherein:

The photoacoustic signal acquisition device further includes a scanning platform, the fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly are arranged on the scanning platform, and the scanning platform is used to move and drive the fiber bundle clamping assembly and the ultrasonic transducer assembly to scan the target to be detected.
The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to claim 9, wherein the photoacoustic signal acquisition device comprises:

A driver, connected to the scanning platform, is used for receiving a control instruction sent by an external device and driving the scanning platform.
A photoacoustic imaging system, characterized in that the system comprises:

The photoacoustic signal acquisition device according to any one of claims 1-10;

The upper computer is connected to the photoacoustic signal acquisition device for receiving and processing the photoacoustic signal.