PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect a photo-acoustic wave with an intensity sufficient for generating a tomogram image at a depth part of an analyte with a relatively lower power light source.SOLUTION: A photo-acoustic imaging device includes a photo-acoustic wave detector, an internally detected image generation unit, and an image formation unit. The photo-acoustic wave detector includes an internal light source and an internal detection unit. The internal light source includes a light emission element which is inserted inside the analyte, and radiates the emission light thereof to a light absorber inside the analyte. The internal detection unit detects, at inside the analyte, a photo-acoustic wave generated in the light absorber, and generates an internally detected signal on the basis of the detection result of the photo-acoustic wave. The internally detected image generation unit generates an internally detected tomogram image of the analyte on the basis of the internally detected signal. The image formation unit forms a photo-acoustic image by using the internally detected tomogram image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2COPYRIGHT: (C)2016,JPO&INPIT【課題】比較的に低出力の光源を用いて、被検体の深奥部の断層像の生成に十分な強度の光音響波を検出する。【解決手段】光音響画像化装置は、光音響波検出器と、内部検出像生成部と、画像形成部と、を備える。光音響波検出器は、内部光源と、内部検出部と、を有する。内部光源は、被検体の内部に挿入される発光素子を有し、該発光素子の出射光を被検体内の光吸収体に照射する。内部検出部は、光吸収体で発生する光音響波を被検体の内部で検出し、該光音響波の検出結果に基づく内部検出信号を生成する。内部検出像生成部は、内部検出信号に基づく被検体の内部検出断層像を生成する。画像形成部は、内部検出断層像を用いて光音響画像を形成する。【選択図】図2
