PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect a photo-acoustic wave with an intensity sufficient for generating a tomogram image with a simple configuration using 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: a light source for radiating light to a light absorber in an analyte； and an acoustic-electric transducer which detects a photo-acoustic wave generated in the light absorber, and generates a detection signal on the basis of the detection result of the photo-acoustic wave. The acoustic-electric transducer includes a plurality of detection elements which are one dimensionally aligned. The light source includes at least light emission elements which are respectively arranged between adjacent detection elements. The internally detected image generation unit generates a tomogram image of the analyte on the basis of the detection signal. The image formation unit forms a photo-acoustic image by using the tomogram image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A【課題】比較的に低出力の光源を用いた簡素な構成で、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、被検体内の光吸収体に光を照射する光源と、光吸収体で発生する光音響波を検出し、該光音響波の検出結果に基づく検出信号を生成する音響電気変換部と、を有する。また、音響電気変換部は一次元的に配列する複数の検出素子を有し、光源は少なくとも隣接する検出素子間に配置される発光素子を含む。内部検出像生成部は検出信号に基づく被検体の断層像を生成し、画像形成部は断層像を用いて光音響画像を形成する。【選択図】図３Ａ
