Photoacoustic image generating device and insertion object

Abstract

Even when an insertion object is inserted to a deep position of a subject or even when the insertion object is inserted into the subject at an angle close to a right angle, it is possible to confirm the position of the insertion object in a photoacoustic image. The insertion object is, for example, a hollow puncture needle 15 that includes an opening at a tip thereof. The puncture needle 15 includes a light guide member 152 that guides light emitted from a first light source to the vicinity of the opening, and a light emitting portion 153 that is provided in the vicinity of the opening and emits the light. First photoacoustic waves, which are caused by the light emitted from the light emitting portion 153 , are generated in the puncture needle 15 . A first photoacoustic image is generated on the basis of the first photoacoustic waves.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A photoacoustic image generating device comprising:
 a first light source;   an insertion object of which at least a part is inserted into a subject and which has a light guide member guiding light emitted from the first light source, a light emitting portion emitting the light guided by the light guide member, and a photoacoustic wave generating portion generating first photoacoustic waves caused by the light emitted from the light emitting portion;   an acoustic wave detecting part for detecting the first photoacoustic waves that are generated from the insertion object after at least a part of the insertion object is inserted into the subject; and   a photoacoustic image generating part for generating a first photoacoustic image on the basis of the first photoacoustic waves.   
     
     
         2 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the insertion object has an opening and has an inner cavity therein.   
     
     
         3 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the photoacoustic wave generating portion includes a light absorbent member that absorbs the light emitted from the light emitting portion and generates photoacoustic waves.   
     
     
         4 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the light absorbent member covers a light emitting surface of the light emitting portion.   
     
     
         5 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the insertion object further has a hollow tube that fixes the light guide member to an inner wall of the inner cavity along the inner cavity.   
     
     
         6 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the light absorbent member is provided on the inner wall of the inner cavity and also functions as a fixing member that fixes a tip portion of the light guide member to the inner wall.   
     
     
         7 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into a subject.   
     
     
         8 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the needle is a biopsy needle that is inserted into an inspection object of a living body and is capable of taking tissue of a biopsy region of the inspection object.   
     
     
         9 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into a subject, and   the needle further has a hollow tube that houses the light guide member therein, has the light absorbent member at a tip of the hollow tube, and has a void between the light emitting portion and the light absorbent member.   
     
     
         10 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the hollow tube, the light guide member, and the light absorbent member form an inner needle that seals at least a part of an inner cavity of the needle.   
     
     
         11 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into a subject,   the light guide member forms an inner needle that seals at least a part of an inner cavity of the needle, and   at least a part of the light guide member including the light emitting portion has a film having light absorbency.   
     
     
         12 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into a subject,   the needle further has an inner needle that seals at least a part of an inner cavity of the needle,   the light guide member is embedded in the inner needle, and   the inner needle also functions as the light absorbent member having light absorbency.   
     
     
         13 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into a subject,   the needle further has an inner needle that seals at least a part of an inner cavity,   the inner needle includes a hollow tube and a transparent resin that closes at least a tip portion of the hollow tube,   the light guide member is embedded in the hollow tube by the transparent resin, and   the inner needle has the light absorbent member at a tip of the hollow tube.   
     
     
         14 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into a subject,   the needle further has an inner needle that seals at least a part of an inner cavity,   the inner needle includes a hollow tube and a transparent resin that closes at least a tip portion of the hollow tube, and has the light absorbent member at a light emitting end of the light guide member forming the light emitting portion, and   the light guide member is embedded in the hollow tube by the transparent resin.   
     
     
         15 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the hollow tube consists of polyimide, a fluorine resin, or metal.   
     
     
         16 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the needle further comprises an optical connector that detachably connects the light guide member to an optical fiber guiding the light emitted from the first light source.   
     
     
         17 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the light emitting portion emits at least a part of the light, which is guided by the light guide member, toward the inner wall of the inner cavity.   
     
     
         18 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a catheter that is inserted into a blood vessel.   
     
     
         19 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a guide wire for a catheter that is inserted into a blood vessel.   
     
     
         20 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a radiofrequency cauterization needle that houses an electrode used for radiofrequency cauterization therein.   
     
     
         21 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 20 ,
 wherein the electrode is capable of protruding from an inner cavity of the radiofrequency cauterization needle, and   the radiofrequency cauterization needle further has a light guide member for the electrode that guides the light emitted from the first light source, a light emitting portion for the electrode that is provided at a tip portion of the electrode and emits the light guided by the light guide member for the electrode, and a light absorbent member for the electrode that generates photoacoustic waves due to the light emitted from the light emitting portion for the electrode.   
     
     
         22 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the insertion object is an optical fiber for laser treatment, and has a light absorbent member that absorbs light emitted from the optical fiber and generates photoacoustic waves, and   the optical fiber also functions as the light guide member.   
     
     
         23 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the light guide member is an optical fiber, and   an end face of the optical fiber, to which light travels when seen from the first light source, forms the light emitting portion.   
     
     
         24 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 23 ,
 wherein an angle of the end face of the optical fiber forming the light emitting portion is equal to or larger than 45° and smaller than 90° when an angle in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the optical fiber is 0° and an angle in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the optical fiber is 90°.   
     
     
         25 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 23 ,
 wherein the optical fiber is connected to the first light source through a connector that includes a mechanism pressing and fixing the optical fiber.   
     
     
         26 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first light source is a semiconductor laser light source.   
     
     
         27 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the acoustic wave detecting part is further capable of detecting reflected acoustic waves of acoustic waves transmitted to the subject,   the photoacoustic image generating device further comprising:   a reflected acoustic wave-image generating part for generating a reflected acoustic wave-image on the basis of the reflected acoustic waves.   
     
     
         28 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 an image combining part for combining the first photoacoustic image with the reflected acoustic wave-image.   
     
     
         29 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second light source,   wherein the acoustic wave detecting part is further capable of detecting second photoacoustic waves that are generated in a subject due to light emitted from the second light source after the light emitted from the second light source is emitted to the subject, and   the photoacoustic image generating part is further capable of generating a second photoacoustic image on the basis of the second photoacoustic waves.   
     
     
         30 . The photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 29 ,
 wherein the second light source also functions as the first light source, and   a part of the light emitted from the second light source is branched toward the subject and a part of the light emitted from the second light source is branched toward the insertion object.   
     
     
         31 . An insertion object of which at least a tip portion is inserted into a subject and which is used for the photoacoustic image generating device according to  claim 1 , the insertion object having:
 a light guide member that guides light emitted from a light source;   a light emitting portion that emits the light guided by the light guide member; and   a photoacoustic wave generating portion that generates photoacoustic waves caused by the light emitted from the light emitting portion.   
     
     
         32 . The insertion object according to  claim 31 ,
 wherein the photoacoustic wave generating portion includes a light absorbent member that absorbs the light emitted from the light emitting portion and generates photoacoustic waves.   
     
     
         33 . The insertion object according to  claim 32 ,
 wherein the light absorbent member covers a light emitting surface of the light emitting portion.   
     
     
         34 . The insertion object according to  claim 32 , further having:
 a hollow tube that has an inner cavity therein and fixes the light guide member to an inner wall of the inner cavity along the inner cavity.   
     
     
         35 . The insertion object according to  claim 32 ,
 wherein the light absorbent member is provided on an inner wall of the insertion object and also functions as a fixing member that fixes a tip portion of the light guide member to the inner wall.   
     
     
         36 . The insertion object according to  claim 31 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into the subject.   
     
     
         37 . The insertion object according to  claim 32 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that is inserted into the subject, and   the needle further has a hollow tube that houses the light guide member therein, has the light absorbent member at a tip of the hollow tube, and has a void between the light emitting portion and the light absorbent member.   
     
     
         38 . The insertion object according to  claim 31 ,
 wherein the insertion object is a needle that has an inner cavity therein and is inserted into the subject, and further has an inner needle that seals at least a part of the inner cavity of the needle,   the inner needle includes a hollow tube and a transparent resin that closes at least a tip portion of the hollow tube, and   the light guide member is embedded in the hollow tube by the transparent resin.