| abstract |
A thermoacoustic probe with an electromagnetic (EM) energy applicator, a thermoacoustic transducer, and a housing containing the EM applicator and thermoacoustic transducer and enabling an EM exit window and a transducer front face to be held flush with respect to each other. A first acoustic absorbing material is placed between the EM applicator and the thermoacoustic transducer, between the EM applicator and the housing, and between the thermoacoustic transducer and the housing as spacers; and a second acoustic absorbing material is injected between the EM applicator and the thermoacoustic transducer, between the EM applicator and the housing, and between the thermoacoustic transducer and the housing in the spaced gaps, wherein the first acoustic absorbing material and the second acoustic absorbing material are combined to form a sleeve covering the EM applicator sides and the thermoacoustic transducer sides. The acoustic absorbing materials mitigate sound artifacts and noise resulting in cleaner signal data. In a preferred embodiment the EM applicator is a radio-frequency applicator, the thermoacoustic transducer is a piezoelectric transducer, and the probe is utilizable for tissue imaging. |