Light tunnel and lens which provide extended focal depth of at least one anatomical structure at a particular resolution

• US 10,463,254 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tearney, Guillermo J., Bouma, Brett Eugene, Gardecki, Joseph A., Liu, Linbo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Hwa Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/588,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20170367581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0044 for the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of systems and methods can be provided which can generate data associated with at least one portion of a sample. For example, at least one first radiation can be forwarded to the portion through at least one optical arrangement. At least one second radiation can be received from the portion which is based on the first radiation. Based on an interaction between the optical arrangement and the first radiation and/or the second radiation, the optical arrangement can have a first transfer function. Further, it is possible to forward at least one third radiation to the portion through such optical arrangement (or through another optical arrangement), and receive at least one fourth radiation from the portion which is based on the third radiation. Based on an interaction between the optical arrangement (or the other optical arrangement) and the third radiation and/or the fourth radiation, the optical arrangement (or the other optical arrangement) can have a second transfer function. The first transfer function can be at least partially different from the second transfer function. The data can be generated based on the second and fourth radiations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a plurality of electro-magnetic radiations to at least one sample, comprising:

a wave-guide coaxially aligned with a mirror tunnel, the mirror tunnel configured to (i) transform the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations output from the wave-guide to a plurality of beams of different orders, and (ii) forward each of the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations to at least one lens; and

the at least one lens configured to receive the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations from the wave-guide, and generate a focus-spot radiation which has a greater depth-of-focus than a diffraction-limited depth-of-focus,

each of the wave-guide, the mirror tunnel, the at least one lens, and the focus-spot radiation being aligned along a single optical axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wave-guide is configured to provide the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations in at least partially a circular pattern.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lens is configured to cause the focus-spot radiation to have a diameter that is smaller than a diffraction limited spot on or in the sample in three dimensions.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lens includes a grin lens.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wave-guide further comprises a single-mode wave-guide.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wave-guide further comprises a photo-polymer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a housing which at least partially encloses the wave-guide.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a sheath enclosing the housing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a controller which is configured to at least one of rotate or translate the housing.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lens includes at least one optical element which comprises a photopolymer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave-guide is an optical wave-guide.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one lens comprises two lenses.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations generates a diffraction-limited coherent transfer function (CTF).

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations comprises spatially coherent electro-magnetic radiation.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations are provided to the mirror tunnel as an output of an end of the wave-guide.

16. A probe for providing a plurality of electro-magnetic radiations to at least one sample, comprising:

a wave-guide coaxially aligned with a mirror tunnel,

the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations being emitted from an end of the wave-guide into the mirror tunnel to (i) transform the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations to a plurality of beams of different orders, and (ii) forward each of the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations to at least two lenses; and

the at least two lenses configured to receive the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations from the wave-guide, and generate a focus-spot radiation which has a greater depth-of-focus than a diffraction-limited depth-of-focus,

each of the wave-guide, the mirror tunnel, the at least two lenses, and the focus-spot radiation being aligned along a single optical axis.

17. A system for imaging at least one sample, comprising:

a probe comprising a wave-guide coaxially aligned with a mirror tunnel, the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations being emitted from an end of the wave-guide into the mirror tunnel to (i) transform a plurality of electro-magnetic radiations to a plurality of beams of different orders, and (ii) forward each of the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations to at least one lens;

an interferometric arrangement provided in communication with the probe; and

the at least one lens configured to receive the plurality of electro-magnetic radiations from the wave-guide, and generate a focus-spot radiation which has a greater depth-of-focus than a diffraction-limited depth-of-focus.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the interferometric arrangement is part of the probe.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a waveguide, a mirror tunnel, a first lens, and a second lens optically coupled to one another and aligned along a single optical axis,

an end of the waveguide comprising a point source which emits electro-magnetic radiation toward the mirror tunnel,

the mirror tunnel receiving the electro-magnetic radiation emitted from the point source and emitting the electro-magnetic radiation toward the first lens,

the mirror tunnel transforming the electro-magnetic radiation to a plurality of beams of different orders,

the first lens receiving the electro-magnetic radiation emitted from the mirror tunnel and emitting the electromagnetic radiation toward the second lens, and

the second lens receiving the electro-magnetic radiation emitted from the first lens and generating a focus-spot radiation which has a greater depth-of-focus than a diffraction-limited depth-of-focus,

the focus-spot radiation being aligned along the single optical axis.