PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately perform both measurement of a photoacoustic wave generated inside a subject and measurement of a photoacoustic wave generated by an absorbing member.SOLUTION: A subject information acquiring apparatus includes: an acoustic wave generating member 4 that absorbs light to generate an acoustic wave an irradiation unit 2 that irradiates a subject or the acoustic wave generating member with light an acoustic wave detector 6 that detects an acoustic wave propagating from the subject a signal processing unit 7 that generates subject information as information inside the subject on the basis of a signal output from the acoustic wave detector and a changing-over unit 8 that performs changeover between a first mode in which a first acoustic wave generated inside the subject by irradiation with light is detected by the acoustic wave detector and a second mode in which a second acoustic wave generated inside the subject by irradiation with light and having propagated inside the subject is detected by the acoustic wave detector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1COPYRIGHT: (C)2017,JPO&INPIT【課題】被検体の内部で発生した光音響波の測定と吸収部材で発生した光音響波の測定の両方を精度良く行う。【解決手段】被検体情報取得装置が、光を吸収して音響波を発生する音響波発生部材4と、被検体または音響波発生部材に光を照射する照射部2と被検体から伝播する音響波を検出する音響波検出器6と、音響波検出器から出力される信号に基づいて被検体の内部の情報である被検体情報を生成する信号処理部7と、光の照射により被検体の内部で発生した第一の音響波を音響波検出器で検出する第一のモードと、光の照射により音響波発生部材で発生し、被検体の内部を伝播した第二の音響波を音響波検出器で検出する第二のモードと、の切替を行う切替部8と、を有する。【選択図】図1
