PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photoacoustic measurement apparatus which improves the ease of observing photoacoustic images even when artifacts are caused due to photoacoustic waves generated at a surface of a subject where measurement light enters, and also to provide a signal-processing device and a signal-processing method for use therein.SOLUTION: The photoacoustic measurement apparatus comprises: a probe comprising a light emitting section which emits the measurement light to the subject, and an acoustic wave detection section which is juxtaposed with the light emitting sections and detects photoacoustic waves generated inside the subject by the emission of the measurement light an image generation section for generating a photoacoustic image on the basis of the photoacoustic waves detected by the acoustic wave detection section and a display processing section for applying to the photoacoustic image a display process which determines an observation area extending from the position corresponding to the surface of the subject in the photoacoustic image to an observable depth corresponding to the distance between the arrival area of the measurement light on the contact plane and the acoustic wave detection section.COPYRIGHT: (C)2015,JPO&INPIT【課題】測定光が入射する被検体の表面部分で生じた光音響波に起因するアーチファクトが発生したとしても、光音響画像の観察のし易さを向上させる音響計測装置並びにそれに利用される信号処理装置および信号処理方法を提供する。【解決手段】光音響計測装置において、被検体に測定光を出射する光出射部と、光出射部に並設された、測定光の出射によって被検体内に生じた光音響波を検出する音響波検出部とを有するプローブ、音響波検出部により検出された光音響波に基づいて光音響画像を生成する画像生成部、および、光音響画像中の被検体表面に相当する位置から、測定光の当接平面上の到達領域と音響波検出部との間隔に応じた観察可能深度までの観察領域を明確化する表示処理を、光音響画像に施す表示処理部を備える。【選択図】図1
