Micro-molded anamorphic reflector lens for image guided therapeutic/diagnostic catheters

• US 10,568,520 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avinger Inc.
• Original Assignee: Avinger Inc.
• Inventors: Patel, Himanshu N., Kankaria, Manish, Chan, Kin F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/741,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3614 using optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/06 using mirrors only , i.e. having only one curved mirror used in non-imaging applications G02B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0668 having non-imaging properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0911 Anamorphotic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0983 being curved
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms

Abstract

A catheter system for optical coherence tomography includes an elongate catheter body, an optical fiber in the elongate catheter body, and an anamorphic lens assembly coupled with a distal end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber and the lens assembly are together configured to provide a common path for optical radiation reflected from a target and from a reference interface between the distal end of the optical fiber and the lens assembly.

Claims

1. A catheter for optical coherence tomography (OCT), comprising:

an elongate catheter body extending distally to proximally;

an optical fiber in the elongate catheter body; and

a lens assembly comprising a lens body having a concave proximal surface that is opposite from and at an angle relative to the distal end of the optical fiber, the lens body attached to and optically coupled with a distal end of the optical fiber by an interface medium;

wherein the proximal surface has a compound radius having a first radius along a first axis that is different from a second radius along a second axis;

wherein the proximal surface comprises a reflective material configured so that at least 90% of a light reaching the lens body from the distal end of the optical fiber reflects off of the proximal surface; and

wherein the optical fiber and the lens assembly are together configured to provide a common path for optical radiation reflected from a target and from a reference interface formed between the distal end of the optical fiber and the interface medium.

2. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the interface medium is an epoxy.

3. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein a tangent of the proximal surface is at an angle of between about 40 degrees and 50 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the fiber.

4. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the reflective material comprises a reflective coating on the proximal surface.

5. The catheter system of claim 4, wherein the reflective coating comprises gold.

6. The catheter system of claim 4, wherein the reflective material comprises dielectric.

7. The catheter system of claim 4, wherein the reflective coating has an optical density of greater than 3.0.

8. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the lens body comprises a polycarbonate material.

9. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein a secondary reflection of optical radiation from an interface between the optical fiber and the lens assembly is less than −

60 dB.

10. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein the reference interface provides a reference reflection of between −

28 and −

42 dB.

11. The catheter system of claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature of the proximal surface is between 0.2 mm and 1.5 mm.

12. The catheter system of claim 1, further comprising a source of optical radiation configured to provide the light, wherein a reflective coating on the proximal surface has a thickness of at least ⅙

of an excitation wavelength of the source of optical radiation.

13. The catheter system of claim 1, further comprising a source of optical radiation, receiving electronics configured to receive optical radiation reflected from the reference interface and the target, and a processor to generate an image of the target based upon the optical radiation received by the receiving electronics.