# US 2014/0194724 A1 · Photoacoustic measuring apparatus

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- Number: US 2014/0194724 A1
- Document ID: US20140194724A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/193,117
- Filed: 2014-02-28
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-10
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Shigeru Ichihara; Yukio Furukawa; Shuichi Kobayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194724A1

## CPC

- A61B 5/0095: {by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements}
- A61B 5/0091: {for mammography}
- A61B 5/4312: {Breast evaluation or disorder diagnosis (optical mammography A61B5/0091)}
- A61B 5/708: {Breast positioning means}
- A61B 8/0825: {for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography}
- G01N 21/1702: {with opto-acoustic detection, e.g. for gases or analysing solids}
- G01N 29/2418: {using optoacoustic interaction with the material, e.g. laser radiation, photoacoustics (photoacoustic cells G01N21/1702; measuring characteristics of vibrations by using radiation-sensitive means G01H9/00; acousto-optical conversion techniques for short-range imaging G01S15/8965; sound-producing devices using laser bundle G10K15/046)}
- G01N 2021/1787: {Tomographic, i.e. computerised reconstruction from projective measurements}
- G01N 2201/0634: Diffuse illumination
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A photoacoustic measuring apparatus includes a light source, a movable holding unit which holds an object, a light diffusing unit which fixes the distance between the light diffusing unit and the holding unit and diffuses light incident from the light source, and an acoustic wave obtaining unit which obtains an acoustic wave generated from the object by the light emitted via the holding unit and the light diffusing unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A photoacoustic measuring apparatus comprising:
a light source;
a holding unit which holds an object;
a light diffusing unit which is positioned apart from the holding unit at a fixed interval and diffuses light incident from the light source; and
an acoustic wave obtaining unit which obtains an acoustic wave generated from the object by the light emitted via the holding unit and the light diffusing unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The photoacoustic measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing member which holds the distance between the light diffusing unit and the holding unit constant.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The photoacoustic measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding unit sandwiches and holds the object between two plates.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The photoacoustic measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding unit presses and holds the object.