Method and devices for imaging and biopsy

• US 20040220478A1
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zickfeld Associates, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ikona Medical Corporation
• Inventors: Wallace, Jeffrey M., Thakor, Nitish V., Natarajan, Ananth, Peacock, Keith, Venkatesha, Santosh
• Granted Patent: US 7,559,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00186 with imaging filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0625 for multiple fixed illumination angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0646 with illumination filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0275 with sample notch, e.g. on the side of inner stylet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0291 for uterus A61B10/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/42 Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods ligaturing clamps or clips for the umbilical cord A61B17/122; curettage A61B17/320708; dilators A61M29/00

Abstract

Certain embodiments include an endoscope and methods for imaging using the endoscope. The endoscope may include an imaging channel and a tip positioned at one end of the imaging channel, the tip adapted to collect light from a field of view that extends 360° around at least a portion of the endoscope and to transmit the light to the imaging channel. Certain embodiments may also utilize various sensors, controllers and processing mechanisms to record and process images into a representation, move the endoscope in and out of the endometrial cavity, and to biopsy a portion of the endometrium.

Claims

1. A method for imaging an endometrial cavity, comprising:

positioning an endoscope at least partially within the endometrial cavity; and

imaging tissue within the endometrial cavity around a circumference of at least a portion of the endoscope.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a plurality of images of the endometrial cavity by moving the endoscope through at least a portion of the endometrial cavity and imaging tissue around the circumference of at least a portion of the endoscope at a plurality of positions within the endometrial cavity;

storing the plurality of images; and

processing the images with an image data processing system to create at least one representation of at least a portion of the endometrial cavity.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising displaying the at least one representation to a viewing device.

4. A method as in claim 2, further comprising illuminating the endometrial cavity and acquiring the light radiating from the endometrial cavity.

5. A method as in claim 2, further comprising performing the imaging of tissue around the circumference of at least a portion of the endoscope in the absence of distending media in the endometrial cavity.

6. A method as in claim 2, where the system alleviates the experience or skill required from the user commonly needed for hysteroscopy in order to image the endometrial cavity.

7. A method as in claim 2, wherein the endoscope includes at least one of a reflective element and a refractive element.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising performing the imaging using a specific wavelength or a specific bandwidth of light.

9. A method as in claim 7, further comprising performing the imaging using at least one of visible, ultra-violet and infrared wavelength light.

10. A method as in claim 7, further comprising performing the imaging using at least one of reflected imaging, scattered light imaging and florescence imaging of the endometrial cavity.

11. A method as in claim 2, further comprising a control system adapted to move the endoscope in the endometrial cavity.

12. A method as in claim 2, further comprising a control system adapted for measuring the change in position of the endoscope as it moves.

13. A method as in claim 2, further comprising illuminating the endometrial cavity with broadband light and recording the images with a sensor positioned outside of the endometrial cavity.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein the sensor includes a CCD camera.

15. A method as in claim 13, wherein the sensor only images light of a particular wavelength or a particular band of wavelengths.

16. A method as in claim 13, further comprising storing the images from the sensor to a device positioned outside of the endometrial cavity.

17. A method as in claim 2, further comprising illuminating the endometrial cavity with light of a particular wavelength or a particular band of wavelengths and recording the images with a sensor positioned outside of the endometrial cavity.

18. A method as in claim 2, further comprising processing the images using a device positioned outside of the endometrial cavity.

19. A method as in claim 2, further comprising creating the at least one representation to be at least a two dimensional representation of at least a portion of the endometrial cavity.

20. A method as in claim 2, further comprising a control system adapted to position the endoscope to a desired location within the endometrial cavity based on the representation of the endometrial cavity.

21. A method as in claim 20, further comprising creating the at least one representation to be a two dimensional representation of the endometrial cavity.

22. A method as in claim 2, further comprising storing and displaying the at least one representation to a device positioned outside of the endometrial cavity.

23. A method as in claim 2, further comprising capturing the plurality of images using a detector positioned within the endometrial cavity and transmitting the plurality of images to a device positioned outside of the endometrial cavity.

24. A method as in claim 23, wherein the detector comprises an electrical transducer.

25. A method as in claim 1, further comprising moving the endoscope so that the imaging can be carried out at a plurality of positions along a length of the endometrial cavity to obtain a plurality of images.

26. A method as in claim 25, further comprising analyzing the plurality of images and determining an area of interest.

27. A method as in claim 26, further comprising performing a biopsy of tissue from the area of interest.

28. A method comprising:

positioning at least a portion of an endoscope within the endometrial cavity;

obtaining an image of tissue in the endometrial cavity extending 360 degrees around at least a portion of the endoscope; and

moving the endoscope within the endometrial cavity to obtain a plurality of images each extending 360 degrees around at least a portion of the endoscope.

29. A method as in claim 28, further comprising determining an area of interest based on the images.

30. A method as in claim 28, further comprising collecting at least one tissue sample from the area of interest.

31. A method as in claim 28, wherein a collector and plunger system is used to collect at least one tissue sample from the endometrial cavity.

32. A method as in claim 28, further comprising creating a representation of at least a portion of the endometrial cavity and providing a control system to locate a specific area of interest in the endometrial cavity based on the representation.

33. A method as in claim 32, further comprising creating the representation to be at least a two dimensional representation.

34. A method as in claim 32, further comprising obtaining a tissue sample from the specific area of interest.

35. A method as in claim 33, further comprising obtaining a tissue sample from the specific area of interest.

36. A method as in claim 32, further comprising using the control system to position a biopsy apparatus to obtain a biopsy in the specific area of interest.

37. A method as in claim 36, wherein the biopsy comprises at least one biopsy technique selected from an optical biopsy technique and a physical biopsy technique.

38. A method as in claim 28, where in the obtaining an image of tissue in the endometrial cavity extending 360 degrees around at least a portion of the endoscope includes obtaining an image extending 360 degrees around at least a portion of a lens of the endoscope.

39. An endoscope comprising:

a body portion;

a tip coupled to the body portion, the tip including an end region and a window region, the window region being positioned between the end region and the body portion;

a mirror coupled to the end region of the tip;

wherein the mirror and window region are configured so that light from an imaging region may be transmitted through the window and reflected from the mirror towards the body portion of the endoscope.

40. An endoscope as in claim 39, further comprising at least one light source coupled to the body portion.

41. An endoscope as in claim 40, wherein the light source is positioned to transmit light to the mirror and the mirror is positioned to transmit the light through the window to the imaging region outside of the endoscope.

42. An endoscope as in claim 39, where in the body portion includes an imaging channel therein, the imaging channel adapted to receive the light from the imaging region that is transmitted through the window and reflected from the mirror towards the body portion of the endoscope.

43. An endoscope as in claim 42, further comprising at least one filter positioned in the endoscope to control to wavelength of light.

44. An endoscope system including the endoscope of claim 42, further comprising an imaging sensor adapted to capture images from the light that travels through the imaging channel.

45. An endoscope system as in claim 44, further comprising a position sensor adapted to detect changes in position of the endoscope.

46. An endoscope system as in claim 45, further comprising a controller to trigger the imaging sensor based on a signal from the position sensor.

47. An endoscope as in claim 39, further comprising an end cap adapted to cover at least a portion of the tip.