In a photoacoustic image generation device, when a puncture needle includes an outer needle and an inner needle, and the inner needle includes an optical fiber, the position of the puncture needle can be confirmed even when the inner needle is removed from the outer needle. And A puncture needle (15) includes an outer needle and an inner needle, and the inner needle includes a light emitting portion and a photoacoustic wave generating portion. The insertion / removal detection means (30) detects that the inner needle of the puncture needle (15) has been removed from the outer needle. When it is detected that the inner needle has been removed, the process switching means (31) makes the image display different from the image display before the detection that the inner needle has been removed. [Selection] Figure 1【課題】光音響画像生成装置において、穿刺針が外針と内針とを含み、内針が光ファイバを含む場合に、内針が外針から抜かれたときでも穿刺針の位置の確認を可能とする。【解決手段】穿刺針（１５）は、外針と内針とを含み、内針は、光出射部と光音響波発生部とを含む。挿抜検出手段（３０）は、穿刺針（１５）の内針が外針から抜かれたことを検出する。処理切替手段（３１）は、内針が抜かれたことが検出された場合に、画像表示を、内針が抜かれたことが検出される前の画像表示とは異なるものとする。【選択図】図１
