| abstract |
An in-vivo information measurement apparatus comprises an insertion part; a light projection unit, provided at a tip of the insertion part, that irradiates an examination site with intensity-modulated light which is intensity modulated at a first frequency; a light receiving unit that receives return light from the examination site; an optical detector that detects return light; an in-vivo information calculation unit that calculates in-vivo information for the examination site based on a phase shift between a modulated detection signal, in which a detection signal from the optical detector is modulated at a second frequency, and a reference signal having a difference frequency equal to the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency; and a position moving mechanism that moves at least one of a position at which the intensity-modulated light is emitted by the light projection unit and the position at which the return light is incident on the light receiving unit. The apparatus can easily and efficiently measure the distribution of in-vivo information in directions in the plane of the examination site and in the depth direction of the examination site over a comparatively wide region with a compact configuration, and without requiring a large area where it is inserted into the body cavity. |