A test-object-information acquisition apparatus and method are provided; the test-object-information acquisition apparatus includes a light radiating unit (5), a first probe (4) that receives an acoustic wave generated in a test object (19) in response to the test object being irradiated with light radiated by the light radiating unit, a second probe (3) that radiates an ultrasound beam towards the test object and receives a reflected wave from the test object, an ultrasound controller (8) arranged to control the second probe to radiate the ultrasound beam toward the test object, and a scanning unit (6, 7) arranged to cause the light radiating unit and the first and second probes to perform a reciprocating scan process across the test object. The ultrasound controller varies a radiation method for radiating the ultrasound beam from the second probe to the test object so that the radiation method is different between an outbound scan and a return scan of the reciprocating scan process.