Photoacoustic apparatus and method with user selectable directivity angles for detection

An object information acquiring method comprising:

• a first step of determining a measurement condition;
• a second step of selecting at least a part of a plurality of detection elements in a certain arrangement configured to output electric signals corresponding to acoustic waves generated as a result of irradiation of light onto an object, and disposed in a manner that axes of directivity gather;
• and
• a third step of acquiring property information on the inside of the object by using the electric signals output from the detection elements selected in the second step,
• wherein the plurality of detection elements includes at least two groups of detection elements, the groups being different in a directivity angle,
• wherein at least one group of detection elements is selected in the second step based on the measurement condition determined in the first step,
• wherein the at least two groups of detection elements includes a first group of detection elements and a second group of detection elements, and the detection elements of the first group have a wider directivity angle than the detection elements of the second group,
• wherein at least two types of measurement modes including a quick scan mode and a detailed scan mode are able to be specified as the measurement condition determined in the first step,
• wherein at least the first group of detection elements is selected in the second step in case the quick scan mode is specified as the measurement condition, and
• wherein at least the second group of detection elements is selected in the second step in case the detailed scan mode is specified as the measurement condition.

An object information acquiring apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• a detector array including a first group of detection elements configured to detect acoustic waves from an object in a quick scan mode and a second group of detection elements configured to detect acoustic waves from an object in a detailed scan mode;
• an inputting unit configured to indicate at least two types of measurement modes including a quick scan mode and a detailed scan mode to be specified by an input from the user;
• a selecting unit configured to select at least a part of the detection elements in the detector array;
• and
• a processing unit configured to acquire property information on the inside of the object, using electric signals output from the detection elements selected by the selecting unit,
• wherein the selecting unit selects at least the first group of detection elements in case the quick scan mode is specified by the user,
• wherein the selecting unit selects at least the second group of detection elements in case the detailed scan mode is specified by the user, and
• wherein the detection elements of the first group have a wider different directivity angle than the detection elements of the second group.

An object information acquiring method comprising:

• a first step of determining a measurement condition configured to set a scanning mode to the object information acquiring apparatus including a first group of detection elements adapted for a quick scan mode and a second group of detection elements adapted for a detailed scan mode;
• a second step of selecting at least a part of a plurality of the detection elements configured to detect acoustic waves from an object, the acoustic waves generated as a result of irradiation of light onto the object;
• and
• a third step of acquiring property information of the object by using electric signals output from the detection elements selected in the second step,
• wherein the first step is performed configured to indicate at least two types of measurement modes including the quick scan mode and the detailed scan mode to be specified by an input from the user,
• wherein the second step is performed configured to select at least the first group of detection elements in case the quick scan mode is specified in the first step, and
• wherein the second step is performed configured to select at least the second group of detection elements in case the detailed scan mode is specified in the first step, and
• wherein the detection elements of the first group have a wider different directivity angle than the detection element of the second group.