System and method for fluorescence-based laser ablation
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an excitation light source configured to produce excitation light wherein the excitation light comprises light having a wavelength that corresponds to an excitation wavelength of a fluorophore, wherein the fluorophore is configured to emit emission light at an emission wavelength in response to receiving light at the excitation wavelength;
an ablation light source configured to produce ablation light wherein the ablation light is configured to ablate tissue;
a beam combiner optically coupled to the excitation light source and the ablation light source;
a camera configured to detect the emission light emitted by the fluorophore; and
a controller, wherein the controller comprises a computer programmed to carry out instructions, the instructions comprising;
causing the excitation light source to produce excitation light;
causing the camera to capture an image of at least a particular tissue location;
determining a topographical map of at least the particular tissue location based on a location of the camera and an angle of the excitation light with respect to the particular tissue location from the plurality of tissue locations;
determining a fluorescence condition based on the image indicating emission light at the emission wavelength at the particular tissue location; and
responsive to the fluorescence condition, causing the ablation light source to produce ablation light.
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Abstract
In an embodiment, an apparatus and method are described for ablating tissue in response to determining a fluorescence condition. An excitation light source may produce excitation light at a excitation wavelength of a fluorophore. A beam scanner may direct the excitation light towards a tissue location. A fluorophore may produce emission light in response to absorbing the excitation light. A camera may capture an image of the tissue location. In response to the image indicating emission light at the tissue location, an ablation light source may produce ablation light. The beam scanner may direct the ablation light towards the tissue location. Additionally or alternatively, a topography map may be generated and certain aspects of the apparatus and/or the method may be adjusted based on the topography map.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an excitation light source configured to produce excitation light wherein the excitation light comprises light having a wavelength that corresponds to an excitation wavelength of a fluorophore, wherein the fluorophore is configured to emit emission light at an emission wavelength in response to receiving light at the excitation wavelength; an ablation light source configured to produce ablation light wherein the ablation light is configured to ablate tissue; a beam combiner optically coupled to the excitation light source and the ablation light source; a camera configured to detect the emission light emitted by the fluorophore; and a controller, wherein the controller comprises a computer programmed to carry out instructions, the instructions comprising; causing the excitation light source to produce excitation light; causing the camera to capture an image of at least a particular tissue location; determining a topographical map of at least the particular tissue location based on a location of the camera and an angle of the excitation light with respect to the particular tissue location from the plurality of tissue locations; determining a fluorescence condition based on the image indicating emission light at the emission wavelength at the particular tissue location; and responsive to the fluorescence condition, causing the ablation light source to produce ablation light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising
causing an excitation light source to produce excitation light wherein the excitation light comprises light having a wavelength that corresponds to an excitation wavelength of a fluorophore, wherein the fluorophore is configured to emit emission light at an emission wavelength in response to receiving light at the excitation wavelength; -
causing a beam scanner to direct the excitation light towards a particular tissue location, wherein the beam scanner is operable to direct the excitation light toward any of a plurality of tissue locations; causing a camera to capture an image of at least the particular tissue location wherein the camera is configured to detect the emission light emitted by the fluorophore; determining a topographical map of at least the particular tissue location based on a location of the camera and an angle of the excitation light with respect to the particular tissue location from the plurality of tissue locations; determining a fluorescence condition based on the image indicating emission light at the emission wavelength at the particular tissue location; and responsive to the fluorescence condition, causing an ablation light source to produce ablation light and causing the beam scanner to direct the ablation light towards the particular tissue location, wherein the ablation light source and the excitation light source are optically coupled to a beam combiner and wherein the beam combiner is optically coupled to the beam scanner. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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determining a topographical map based on a location of a camera, a location of an exit aperture of a beam scanner, and an angle of excitation light with respect to a particular tissue location of a plurality of tissue locations; determining a focal distance to the particular tissue location based on the topographical map; causing an excitation light source to produce excitation light wherein the excitation light comprises light having a wavelength that corresponds to an excitation wavelength of a fluorophore, wherein the fluorophore is configured to emit emission light at an emission wavelength in response to receiving light at the excitation wavelength; causing a beam scanner to direct the excitation light towards a particular tissue location, wherein the beam scanner is operable to direct the excitation light toward any of a plurality of tissue locations; causing a camera to capture an image of at least the particular tissue location wherein the camera is configured to detect the emission light emitted by the fluorophore; determining a fluorescence condition based on the image indicating emission light at the emission wavelength at the particular tissue location; and responsive to the fluorescence condition, causing an ablation light source to produce ablation light and causing the beam scanner to direct the ablation light towards the particular tissue location based at least on the focal distance to the particular tissue location, and wherein the ablation light source and the excitation light source are optically coupled to a beam combiner, and wherein the beam combiner is optically coupled to the beam scanner. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification