Real-time contemporaneous multimodal imaging and spectroscopy uses thereof
First Claim
1. An optical apparatus for simultaneous measurement of images, comprising a light source delivering interrogating broadband radiation, a first optical modulator separating said interrogating broadband radiation into a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, a target object to interact with said interrogating spectral segments to produce returning radiation for imaging, a second optical modulator separating said returning radiation from the target object into a plurality of returning spectral segments corresponding to said plurality of imaging modalities, and at least one detector to receive said returning spectral segments and to process said returning spectral segments into images.
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Abstract
The present invention comprises an optical apparatus, methods and uses for real-time (video-rate) multimodal imaging, for example, contemporaneous measurement of white light reflectance, native tissue autofluorescence and near infrared images with an endoscope. These principles may be applied to various optical apparati such as microscopes, endoscopes, telescopes, cameras etc. to view or analyze the interaction of light with objects such as planets, plants, rocks, animals, cells, tissue, proteins, DNA, semiconductors, etc. Multi-band spectral images may provide morphological data such as surface structure of lung tissue whereas chemical make-up, sub-structure and other object characteristics may be deduced from spectral signals related to reflectance or light radiated (emitted) from the object such as luminescence or fluorescence, indicating endogenous chemicals or exogenous substances such as dyes employed to enhance visualization, drugs, therapeutics or other agents. Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention discusses simultaneous white light reflectance and fluorescence imaging. Another embodiment describes the addition of another reflectance imaging modality (in the near-IR spectrum). Input (illumination) spectrum, optical modulation, optical processing, object interaction, output spectrum, detector configurations, synchronization, image processing and display are discussed for various applications.
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Citations
132 Claims
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1. An optical apparatus for simultaneous measurement of images, comprising
a light source delivering interrogating broadband radiation, a first optical modulator separating said interrogating broadband radiation into a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, a target object to interact with said interrogating spectral segments to produce returning radiation for imaging, a second optical modulator separating said returning radiation from the target object into a plurality of returning spectral segments corresponding to said plurality of imaging modalities, and at least one detector to receive said returning spectral segments and to process said returning spectral segments into images.
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42. A method of simultaneously measuring images, comprising
producing interrogating broadband radiation, separating said interrogating broadband radiation into a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, interacting said interrogating spectral segments with a target object to produce returning radiation, separating said returning radiation into a plurality of returning spectral segments corresponding to said plurality of imaging modalities, and processing said returning spectral segments into images.
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50. An optical apparatus for simultaneous measurement of images, comprising
a light source delivering interrogating broadband radiation, an optical modulator separating said interrogating broadband radiation into a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, a target object to interact with said interrogating spectral segments to produce returning radiation, and a detector to receive and process said returning radiation, comprising means to separate said returning radiation into a plurality of returning spectral segments corresponding to said plurality of imaging modalities, and means to process said returning spectral segments into images.
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91. A method of simultaneously measuring images, comprising
producing interrogating broadband radiation, separating said interrogating broadband radiation into a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, interacting said interrogating spectral segments with a target object to produce returning radiation, and detecting said returning radiation, comprising separating said returning radiation into a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, and processing said returning spectral segments into images.
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102. An optical apparatus for simultaneous measurement of white light and fluorescence images, comprising
means for providing a desired illumination, means for modulating said illumination at video-rate for real-time imaging, means for producing images by interaction of said illumination with a target object, means for separating said images at video-rate, means for detecting said separated images, means for processing said detected separated images, means for controlling detection and processing of said separated images, and means for displaying at least one of said processed images.
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103. An endoscope for obtaining contemporaneous images, comprising
a probe having an inner end to be located within a body, and an outer end to extend outside said body, a light source to produce interrogating broadband radiation, an optical modulator separating said interrogating broadband radiation into a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, a target object within said body to interact with said interrogating spectral segments to produce returning radiation for imaging, a lens to focus said returning radiation on a CCD sensor,
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127. An endoscope for obtaining contemporaneous images, comprising
a probe having an inner end to be located within a body, and an outer end to extend outside said body, a light source comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes located as said inner end and producing interrogating radiation, wherein said light-emitting diodes are electronically switched to produce a plurality of interrogating spectral segments corresponding to a plurality of imaging modalities, a target object within said body to interact with said interrogating spectral segments to produce returning radiation for imaging, a lens to focus said returning radiation on a CCD sensor, wherein said CCD sensor comprises at least one set of pixels and said set of pixels captures a plurality of spectral bands of said image.
Specification