Apparatus and method for non-invasively measuring bio-fluid concentrations using photoacoustic spectroscopy

An apparatus for non-invasively measuring bio-fluid concentrations comprising:

• a light source for irradiating an incident light having a predetermined wavelength band which can be absorbed into a targeted component of a living body on a predetermined part of a living body;
• a light detector for detecting an intensity E of the incident light and a photoacoustic signal generated when the incident light is absorbed into the targeted component of the living body;
• an acoustic signal generation/measurement device for generating a first acoustic signal A1 having a similar frequency band to the frequency band of the photoacoustic signal PA in the vicinity of the predetermined part of the living body and for measuring a second acoustic signal A2 that is a modulated signal of the first acoustic signal A1 due to the acoustic characteristics of the living body;
• a controller for controlling the acoustic signal generation/measurement device so that the first acoustic signal A1 in a predetermined frequency band can be generated;
• and
• a calculator for calculating a signal compensation value N based on the intensity E of the incident light from the light source, and the photoacoustic signal PA and the second acoustic signal A2 input from the ultrasonic translator, and for computing the concentration C of the targeted component.

A method for non-invasively measuring bio-fluid concentrations comprising:

• applying an incident light having a predetermined wavelength band which can be absorbed into a targeted component of a living body to a predetermined part of the living body;
• detecting the intensity E of the incident light and a photoacoustic signal PA generated when predetermined wavelengths of the incident light are absorbed into the targeted component of the living body;
• generating a first acoustic signal A1 having a similar frequency band to the frequency band of the photoacoustic signal PA in the vicinity of the predetermined part of the living body;
• detecting a second acoustic signal A2 that is a modulated signal of the first acoustic signal A1 due to the acoustic characteristics of the living body;
• and
• calculating a signal compensation value N based on the intensity of the incident light, the photoacoustic signal PA and the second acoustic signal A2, and computing a concentration C of the targeted component of the living body.