Eye- and Skin-Safe Means of Creating Photoacoustic Energy within the Human Body

Ultrasound imaging is a vital tool in medicine, used for visualizing internal structures within a patient. However, current methodologies often necessitate physical contact with the patient using a handheld transducer. Though this approach is generally safe, it can be uncomfortable or harmful for certain sensitive areas, such as eyes or skin. Moreover, the efficiency and clarity of images can be compromised due to hand tremors, wrong angle placements, or misinterpretation of the ultrasound waves by the technician. In addition, the requirement of physical contact can create challenges in certain scenarios such as burns or sensitive skin conditions. Hence, there's an increasing need for methods that eliminate physical contact while delivering high-quality imaging.

Technology Description

This invention is a system and method enabling a noncontact form of ultrasound. The system uses a photoacoustic excitation source to direct light signals with wavelengths of 1400 to 1600 nanometers into the patient, exciting acoustic disturbances that create photoacoustic waves. These waves undergo a coherent summation to generate resultant acoustic and/or elastic waves that probe structures within the patient. Following this, the scatter-induced vibrations are detected at the patient's surface, transformed into ultrasound images of the internal structures. A laser vibrometer is used for the detection process. The excitation and detection systems can be utilized separately or together. The unique feature of this technology lies in its noncontact nature that facilitates safer, nonintrusive imaging for the eyes and skin, making it ideal for numerous medical applications.