PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image that is close to an optical absorption intensity distribution of an original optical absorber in a photoacoustic image generation device.SOLUTION: A probe 11 detects a photoacoustic wave generated within a subject by irradiating the subject with light. A signal separating means 24 separates a photoacoustic signal into a low-frequency component and a high-frequency component. A low-frequency image generating means 25 generates a low-frequency image based on the low-frequency component of the photoacoustic signal, and a high-frequency image generating means generates a high-frequency image based on the high-frequency component of the photoacoustic signal. An image correcting means 28 corrects the low-frequency image by using the high-frequency image.【課題】光音響画像生成装置において、本来の光吸収体の光吸収強度分布に近い画像を得る。【解決手段】プローブ１１は、被検体に対する光照射により被検体内で生じた光音響波を検出する。信号分割手段２４は、光音響信号を低周波成分と高周波成分とに分割する。低周波画像生成手段２５は光音響信号の低周波成分に基づいて低周波画像を生成し、高周波画像生成手段は光音響信号の高周波成分に基づいて高周波画像を生成する。画像補正手段２８は、低周波画像を高周波画像を用いて補正する。【選択図】図１
