Photoacoustic image generation apparatus and insert

1. An insert that is at least partially inserted into a subject, comprising:

a first light guide member that guides light with a first wavelength;

a first light emitting portion from which the light guided by the first light guide member is emitted;

a second light guide member that is provided so as to be adjacent to the first light guide member and guides light with a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;

a second light emitting portion from which the light guided by the second light guide member is emitted;

a light absorption/conversion member that at least partially covers light emission surfaces of the first light emitting portion and the second light emitting portion, absorbs the light with the first wavelength emitted from the first light emitting portion to generate photoacoustic waves, and converts the light with the second wavelength emitted from the second light emitting portion into light with a third wavelength different from the first wavelength and the second wavelength; and

a transparent resin that transmits the light with the third wavelength,

wherein

the light absorption/conversion member is covered with the transparent resin,

the insert has an inner cavity, and

the first light guide member, the second light guide member, and the light absorption/conversion member are fixed to an inner wall of the inner cavity by the transparent resin.

2. The insert according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light absorption/conversion member includes a light absorber that transmits the light with the second wavelength and the light with the third wavelength and absorbs the light with the first wavelength to generate photoacoustic waves, a phosphor that absorbs the light with the second wavelength and converts the light with the second wavelength into the light with the third wavelength, and a resin including the light absorber and the phosphor.

3. The insert according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the light absorption/conversion member functions as a fixing member that fixes the first light guide member and the second light guide member to an inner wall of the inner cavity.

4. The insert according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first light emitting portion is provided at a center of the insert in a width direction.

5. A photoacoustic image generation apparatus comprising:

a first light source that emits light with a first wavelength;

a second light source that emits light with a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;

an insert that is at least partially inserted into a subject and includes a first light guide member that guides the light with the first wavelength, a first light emitting portion from which the light guided by the first light guide member is emitted, a second light guide member that is provided so as to be adjacent to the first light guide member and guides the light with the second wavelength, a second light emitting portion from which the light guided by the second light guide member is emitted, and a light absorption/conversion member that at least partially covers light emission surfaces of the first light emitting portion and the second light emitting portion, absorbs the light with the first wavelength emitted from the first light emitting portion to generate first photoacoustic waves, and converts the light with the second wavelength emitted from the second light emitting portion into light with a third wavelength different from the first wavelength and the second wavelength;

acoustic wave detection unit that detects the first photoacoustic waves and second photoacoustic waves which are generated in the subject by the emission of the light with the third wavelength to the subject; and

photoacoustic image generation unit that generates a first photoacoustic image on the basis of the first photoacoustic waves, and generates a second photoacoustic image on the basis of the second photoacoustic waves.

6. The photoacoustic image generation apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the acoustic wave detection unit further detects reflected acoustic waves with respect to acoustic waves transmitted to the subject, and

the photoacoustic image generation apparatus further comprises reflected acoustic image generation unit that generates a reflected acoustic image on the basis of the reflected acoustic waves.

7. An insert that is at least partially inserted into a subject, comprising:

a first light guide member that guides light with a first wavelength;

a first light emitting portion from which the light guided by the first light guide member is emitted;

a second light guide member that is provided so as to be adjacent to the first light guide member and guides light with a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;

a second light emitting portion from which the light guided by the second light guide member is emitted; and

a light absorption/conversion member that at least partially covers light emission surfaces of the first light emitting portion and the second light emitting portion, absorbs the light with the first wavelength emitted from the first light emitting portion to generate photoacoustic waves, and converts the light with the second wavelength emitted from the second light emitting portion into light with a third wavelength different from the first wavelength and the second wavelength,

wherein

the insert is a puncture needle having an inner cavity,

the insert further includes a hollow tube in which the first light guide member and the second light guide member are accommodated,

the puncture needle includes an inner needle and an outer needle,

the inner needle includes the hollow tube, and

the inner needle seals at least a portion of the inner cavity.

8. An insert that is at least partially inserted into a subject, comprising:

a first light guide member that guides light with a first wavelength;

a first light emitting portion from which the light guided by the first light guide member is emitted;

a second light guide member that is provided so as to be adjacent to the first light guide member and guides light with a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;

a second light emitting portion from which the light guided by the second light guide member is emitted;

a light absorption/conversion member that at least partially covers light emission surfaces of the first light emitting portion and the second light emitting portion, absorbs the light with the first wavelength emitted from the first light emitting portion to generate photoacoustic waves, and converts the light with the second wavelength emitted from the second light emitting portion into light with a third wavelength different from the first wavelength and the second wavelength; and

a transparent resin that transmits the light with the third wavelength,

wherein

the insert is a puncture needle having an inner cavity,

the insert further includes a hollow tube in which the first light guide member and

the second light guide member are accommodated, and

the first light guide member, the second light guide member, and the light absorption/conversion member are fixed to an inner wall of the hollow tube by the transparent resin.

9. The photoacoustic image generation apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the photoacoustic image generation unit generates a third photoacoustic image on the basis of both the first photoacoustic waves and the second photoacoustic waves.

10. The photoacoustic image generation apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

image combination unit that combines at least one of the first photoacoustic image, the second photoacoustic image, or the third photoacoustic image and the reflected acoustic image.