PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a biological information imaging apparatus capable of more accurately acquiring the distribution of an absorption coefficient (&mua) inside a subject (living body) by obtaining an average effective attenuation coefficient (&mueff) in the living body in advance.SOLUTION: The biological information imaging apparatus includes: an acoustic wave detector 107 that detects an acoustic wave generated from a light absorber 105 which has absorbed a part of the energy of light emitted from a light source 103 to the subject 100, and converts it to a first electrical signal a photodetector 110 that converts intensities corresponding to a plurality of propagation distances of the light emitted from the light source 109 and propagated through the subject 100 to a second electrical signal a signal processing apparatus 111 that derives the average effective attenuation coefficient (&mueff) of the subject 100 based on the second electrical signal and derives the distribution of the absorption coefficient (&mua) of the subject 100 based on the first electrical signal and the average effective attenuation coefficient (&mueff) and an image constructing apparatus 111 that forms an image of the distribution of the absorption coefficient (&mua) based on the distribution of the absorption coefficient (&mua) derived by the signal processing apparatus 111.COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT【課題】生体内の平均的な有効減衰係数(μeff)を予め求めることで、被検体(生体)内の吸収係数(μa)分布をより正確に得ることが可能な、生体情報イメージング装置を提供する。【解決手段】光源103から被検体100に照射された光のエネルギーの一部を吸収した光吸収体105から発生する音響波を検出し、第1の電気信号に変換する音響波検出器107と、光源109から照射され被検体100内を伝播する光の複数の伝播距離に係る強度を第2の電気信号に変換する光検出器110と、第2の電気信号に基づいて被検体100の平均的な有効減衰係数(μeff)を導出し、第1の電気信号と平均的な有効減衰係数(μeff)に基づいて、被検体100の吸収係数(μa)分布を導出する信号処理装置111と、信号処理装置111によって導出された吸収係数(μa)分布に基づいて吸収係数(μa)分布画像を形成する画像構成装置111と、を備える。【選択図】図1
