Abstract: In a laser device and a photoacoustic measurement device including the laser device, the intensity of light at each wavelength made independently controllable. The laser device includes a laser medium which has oscillation wavelengths at a first wavelength and a second wavelength with higher light emission efficiency than at the first wavelength, an excitation section, a first resonator, a second resonator, a Q-value change unit, and a control section. The control section oscillates light having the first wavelength through Q switching when a first delay time has elapsed after the excitation of the laser medium has been started in a case where the oscillation wavelength is the first wavelength, and oscillates light having the second wavelength through Q switching when a second delay time has elapsed after the excitation of the laser medium has been started in a case where the oscillation wavelength is the second wavelength.

Abstract: At least a tip portion of a puncture needle 15 is inserted into a subject. The puncture needle 15 includes a light guide member which guides light from a laser unit 13, and a light emission unit which is provided in the vicinity of the tip portion and emits light guided by the light guide member, and generates a photoacoustic wave caused by light from the light emission unit in the tip portion. A probe 11 detects the photoacoustic wave from the puncture needle 15 in a state where the puncture needle 15 is inserted into the subject. A Photoacoustic image generation unit 25 generates a photoacoustic image based on the detected photoacoustic wave. A Light source control unit 30 controls the amount of light emitted from the light emission unit based on the photoacoustic image.

Abstract: A photoacoustic measurement apparatus includes: a main light source; a sub-light source; a light guide member that guides the light which has been emitted from the main light source and the sub-light source and has been incident on a base end to a leading end; an insert of which at least a leading end portion is inserted into a subject and which includes at least the leading end of the light guide member and a light absorption member that absorbs the pulsed laser light, and generates photoacoustic waves; and a photoacoustic wave detection unit that detects the photoacoustic waves. The photoacoustic measurement apparatus has, as an operation mode, a failure detection mode that drives the sub-light source and detects a failure of a photoacoustic wave generation unit including the light guide member and the light absorption member.

Abstract: A first acoustic wave image and a second acoustic wave image are displayed on top of each other in different display colors, and a first operation icon for selecting the first acoustic wave image and a second operation icon for selecting the second acoustic wave image are displayed on operation icon display unit. The first operation icon and the second operation icon are displayed on top of each other in a display order identical to a display order of the first acoustic wave image and the second acoustic wave image that are displayed on top of each other on image display unit.

Abstract: A first acoustic wave image is displayed in a first display color, and a second acoustic wave image is displayed in a second display color different from the first display color. A group of first menu icons for designating a process to be performed on the first acoustic wave image and a group of second menu icons for designating a process to be performed on the second acoustic wave image are displayed on menu icon display means. The group of first menu icons is displayed in the first display color, and the group of second menu icons is displayed in the second display color.

Abstract: A solid-state laser device includes: a first water tank which houses a laser rod and a lamp and into which coolant is introduced; an outer inlet which is provided in a member forming a chamber and through which coolant is received into the chamber; and an outer outlet provided in said member and through which a coolant is discharged to the outside of the chamber. The solid-state laser device further includes: two second water tanks that house electrodes of both ends of the lamp, respectively, and communicate with the first water tank; a coolant inflow passage of which one end communicates with the outer inlet and the other end forms inner inlets opened to only the second water tanks; and a coolant outflow passage of which one end communicates with the outer outlet and the other end forms an inner outlet opened to the first water tank.

Abstract: In a biopsy needle having a hollow tubular outer needle, an inner needle that is disposed in a hollow portion of the outer needle so as to be movable in the tube axis direction relative to the outer needle, and a recessed sample collection portion that is cut inward from a circumferential surface of the inner needle, an outer groove extending in the tube axis direction of the outer needle is provided on at least the distal end side and the rear end side of the sample collection portion in the inner needle, and a light guide member is disposed in the outer groove. At least a part of the light guide member is fixed by fillers filled in the outer groove.

Abstract: The length of an optical fiber from a portion aligned with the rear end of an insertion needle to a fixing portion is a length obtained by adding a predetermined extra length to a linear distance between the rear end of the insertion needle in a case where the insertion needle is located at a protruding position (insertion position) and an optical fiber fixing position of a grip portion. There is provided a fiber feeding adjustment mechanism that suspends the optical fiber with a first suspension portion and a second suspension portion so as to make a detour in a state in which there is no slack, and changes the detour length continuously according to the movement of the insertion needle in a case where the insertion needle moves between the retracted position and the protruding position, thereby maintaining a state in which the optical fiber is suspended without slack.

Abstract: In a biopsy needle having a hollow tubular outer needle, an inner needle that is disposed in a hollow portion of the outer needle so as to be movable in the tube axis direction relative to the outer needle, and a recessed sample collection portion that is cut inward from a circumferential surface of the inner needle, an inner hole that extends in the longitudinal direction of the inner needle on each of the inner needle distal end side and the inner needle rear end side of the sample collection portion and are opened to the sample collection portion is provided in the inner needle, and a light guide member is disposed in the inner holes. At least a part of the light guide member is fixed by filler filled in the inner holes.

Abstract: In a photoacoustic measurement apparatus and a photoacoustic measurement system, it is possible to generate blood flow information using a photoacoustic image without requiring a separate tourniquet. A light source emits measurement light. A probe detects a photoacoustic wave generated in a subject after measurement light is emitted to the subject in each of the avascularized condition in which the subject is avascularized and the non-avascularized condition in which the subject is not avascularized. Photoacoustic image generation unit generates a photoacoustic image based on the detection signal of the photoacoustic wave. Blood flow information generation unit generates blood flow information based on the signal value of a photoacoustic image in a region of interest set in the photoacoustic image. The avascularization of the subject is performed by pressing the probe against the subject.

Abstract: In a photoacoustic measurement apparatus and a photoacoustic measurement system, blood flow information in a desired region can be generated using a photoacoustic image. A light source emits measurement light. A probe detects a photoacoustic wave generated in a subject after measurement light is emitted to the subject in each of the avascularized condition in which the subject is avascularized and the non-avascularized condition in which the subject is not avascularized. Photoacoustic image generation unit generates a photoacoustic image based on the detection signal of the photoacoustic wave. Blood flow information generation unit generates blood flow information based on the signal value of a photoacoustic image in a region of interest set in the photoacoustic image.

Abstract: A solid-state laser device includes: a first water tank which houses a laser rod and a lamp and into which coolant is introduced; an outer inlet which is provided in a member forming a chamber and through which coolant is received into the chamber; and an outer outlet provided in said member and through which a coolant is discharged to the outside of the chamber. The solid-state laser device further includes: two second water tanks that house electrodes of both ends of the lamp, respectively, and communicate with the first water tank; a coolant inflow passage of which one end communicates with the outer inlet and the other end forms inner inlets opened to only the second water tanks; and a coolant outflow passage of which one end communicates with the outer outlet and the other end forms an inner outlet opened to the first water tank.

Abstract: In a laser device and a photoacoustic measurement device including the laser device, the intensity of light at each wavelength made independently controllable. The laser device includes a laser medium which has oscillation wavelengths at a first wavelength and a second wavelength with higher light emission efficiency than at the first wavelength, an excitation section, a first resonator, a second resonator, a Q-value change unit, and a control section. The control section oscillates light having the first wavelength through Q switching when a first delay time has elapsed after the excitation of the laser medium has been started in a case where the oscillation wavelength is the first wavelength, and oscillates light having the second wavelength through Q switching when a second delay time has elapsed after the excitation of the laser medium has been started in a case where the oscillation wavelength is the second wavelength.

Abstract: At least a tip portion of a puncture needle 15 is inserted into a subject. The puncture needle 15 includes a light guide member which guides light from a laser unit 13, and a light emission unit which is provided in the vicinity of the tip portion and emits light guided by the light guide member, and generates a photoacoustic wave caused by light from the light emission unit in the tip portion. A probe 11 detects the photoacoustic wave from the puncture needle 15 in a state where the puncture needle 15 is inserted into the subject. A Photoacoustic image generation unit 25 generates a photoacoustic image based on the detected photoacoustic wave. A Light source control unit 30 controls the amount of light emitted from the light emission unit based on the photoacoustic image.

Abstract: An X-ray imaging system is provided with an X-ray source (11), first and second absorption gratings (31, 32), and a flat panel detector (FPD) (30), and obtains a phase contrast image of an object H by performing imaging while moving the second absorption grating (32) in x direction relative to the first absorption grating (31). The following mathematical expression is satisfied where p1? denotes a period of a first pattern image at a position of the second absorption grating (32), and p2? denotes a substantial grating pitch of the second absorption grating (32), and DX denotes a dimension, in the x-direction, of an X-ray imaging area of each pixel of the FPD (30). Here, “n” denotes a positive integer.

Abstract: A radiation photographing apparatus 1 includes a radiation irradiating unit 11, a first grating 31 which has a periodic structure which is formed by arranging a plurality of linear bodies 31b and forms a radiation image including a periodic intensity distribution by the passing radiation; a detecting unit 14 which includes a radiation image detector 30 and acquire radiation image data by detecting the radiation image which is irradiated from the radiation irradiating unit to transmit the first grating and a subject and subjected to modulation for the periodic intensity distribution; and a guide unit 70 which guides the arrangement of the subject in relation to an arrangement direction of a group of the linear bodies of the first grating.

Abstract: A radiographic phase-contrast imaging apparatus obtains a phase-contrast image using two gratings including the first grating and the second grating. The first and second gratings are adapted to form a moire pattern when a periodic pattern image formed by the first grating is superimposed on the second grating. Based on the moire pattern detected by the radiographic image detector, image signals of the fringe images, which correspond to pixel groups located at different positions with respect to a predetermined direction, are obtained by obtaining image signals of pixels of each pixel group, which includes pixels arranged at predetermined intervals in the predetermined direction, as the image signal of each fringe image, where the predetermined direction is a direction parallel to or intersecting a period direction of the moire pattern other than a direction orthogonal to the period direction. Then, a phase-contrast image is generated based on the obtained fringe images.

Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus comprises a first grid, a second grid, and an X-ray image detector. The first grid passes X-rays emitted from an X-ray source and produces a first periodic pattern image. The second grid opposes the first grid. The second grid partly blocks the first periodic pattern image and produces a second periodic pattern image with moiré fringes. The X-ray image detector detects the second periodic pattern image and produces image data. The X-ray image detector has pixels arranged in two dimensions in X and Y directions. The M pixels arranged in the Y direction form one group. The group is shifted in the Y direction by the number of the pixels less than M each time. A phase of an intensity modulated signal, composed of pixel values of the pixels in the each shifted group, is calculated. Thereby a differential phase image is produced.

Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus comprises a first grid, a second grid, and an X-ray image detector. The first grid passes X-rays emitted from an X-ray source and produces a first periodic pattern image. The second grid opposes the first grid. The second grid partly blocks the first periodic pattern image and produces a second periodic pattern image with moiré fringes. The X-ray image detector detects the second periodic pattern image and produces image data. The X-ray image detector has pixels arranged in two dimensions in X and Y directions. The M pixels arranged in the Y direction form one group. The group is shifted in the Y direction by the number of the pixels less than M each time. A phase of an intensity modulated signal, composed of pixel values of the pixels in the each shifted group, is calculated. Thereby a differential phase image is produced.

Abstract: A radiographic phase-contrast imaging apparatus obtains a phase-contrast image using two gratings including the first grating and the second grating. The first and second gratings are adapted to form a moire pattern when a periodic pattern image formed by the first grating is superimposed on the second grating. Based on the moire pattern detected by the radiographic image detector, image signals of the fringe images, which correspond to pixel groups located at different positions with respect to a predetermined direction, are obtained by obtaining image signals of pixels of each pixel group, which includes pixels arranged at predetermined intervals in the predetermined direction, as the image signal of each fringe image, where the predetermined direction is a direction parallel to or intersecting a period direction of the moire pattern other than a direction orthogonal to the period direction. Then, a phase-contrast image is generated based on the obtained fringe images.