Biological optical measurement apparatus and ultrasound diagnostic apparatus

A biological optical measurement apparatus comprising:

• a light emission unit to be arranged on a surface of a subject and configured to substantially vertically emit light form an emission surface of the light emission unit to the surface of the subject;
• plural detectors arranged at different positions around the light emission unit and configured to detect respectively intensities of light applied from the light emission unit and propagating in the subject;
• and
• at least one light guide portion provided between at least one of the plural detectors and a surface of the subject and formed such that an opening area on a surface side of the subject becomes larger than an opening area on a detection surface side of the detector.

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:

• an ultrasound probe configured to transmit an ultrasound wave from an ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface to an subject and receive an ultrasound wave reflected inside the subject through the ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface;
• an optical probe including a light emission unit to be arranged on a surface of a subject and configured to substantially vertically emit light from an emission surface of the light emission unit to the surface of the object, plural detectors arranged at different positions around the ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface, with a central axis of the ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface in a longitudinal direction being a symmetrical axis, and configured to detect intensities of light reflected within the subject, and plural detectors arranged at different positions around the light emission unit, with at least one of the detectors being inclined at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to a central axis of the light emission unit, and configured to detect respectively intensities of light applied from the light emission unit and propagating in the subject;
• an image generating unit configured to generate an ultrasound image by using an ultrasound wave received by the ultrasound probe;
• a calculation unit configured to calculate a position and size of an abnormal region exhibiting a predetermined light absorption coefficient in the subject based on the intensity of light detected by each of the detectors;
• and
• a display unit configured to display the ultrasound image indicating the position and size of the abnormal region.

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:

• an ultrasound probe configured to transmit an ultrasound wave from an ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface to an subject and receive an ultrasound wave reflected inside the subject through the ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface;
• an optical probe including at least one light emission unit to be arranged on a surface of a subject and configured to substantially vertically emit light from an emission surface of the light emission unit to the surface transmitter/receiver and plural detectors arranged around an ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface and configured to detect intensities of light propagating in the subject and an optical probe including at least one light guide portion provided between at least one of the plural detectors and a surface of the subject and formed such that an opening area on a surface side of the subject becomes larger than an opening area on a detection surface side of the detector;
• an image generating unit configured to generate an ultrasound image by using an ultrasound wave received by the ultrasound probe;
• a calculation unit configured to calculate a degree of contact between the ultrasound transmitter/receiver surface and the subject surface based on the intensity of light detected by each of the detectors;
• a support information generating unit configured to generate support information for supporting operation of the ultrasound probe based on the calculated degree of contact;
• and
• a support information output unit configured to output the support information.