| abstract |
A non-invasive subject-information imagingnapparatus according to this invention includes a lightngenerating unit (11, 12) which generates lightncontaining a specific wavelength component, a lightnirradiation unit (15) which radiates the generatednlight into a subject, a waveguide unit (14) whichnguides the light from the light generating unit to thenirradiation unit, a plurality of two-dimensionallynarrayed electroacoustic transducer elements (54), antransmission/reception unit (22) which transmitsnultrasonic waves to the subject by driving thenelectroacoustic transducer elements, and generates anreception signal from electrical signals converted bynelectroacoustic transducer elements, and a signalnprocessing unit (25) which generates volume data aboutna living body function by processing a reception signalncorresponding to acoustic waves generated in thensubject by light irradiation, and generates volume datanabout a tissue morphology by processing a receptionnsignal corresponding to echoes generated in the subjectnupon transmission of the ultrasonic waves. |