SIMULTANEOUS ACQUISITION OF DIFFERING IMAGE TYPES

• US 20080267472A1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Demos, Stavros G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/063 for monochromatic or narrow-band illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/307 for the urinary organs, e.g. urethroscopes, cystoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/313 for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
• 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 5/0086 using infrared radiation

Abstract

A system in one embodiment includes an image forming device for forming an image from an area of interest containing different image components; an illumination device for illuminating the area of interest with light containing multiple components; at least one light source coupled to the illumination device, the at least one light source providing light to the illumination device containing different components, each component having distinct spectral characteristics and relative intensity; an image analyzer coupled to the image forming device, the image analyzer decomposing the image formed by the image forming device into multiple component parts based on type of imaging; and multiple image capture devices, each image capture device receiving one of the component parts of the image. A method in one embodiment includes receiving an image from an image forming device; decomposing the image formed by the image forming device into multiple component parts based on type of imaging; receiving the component parts of the image; and outputting image information based on the component parts of the image. Additional systems and methods are presented.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an image forming device for forming an image from an area of interest containing different image components;

an illumination device for illuminating the area of interest with light containing multiple components;

at least one light source coupled to the illumination device, the at least one light source providing light to the illumination device containing different components, each component having distinct spectral characteristics and relative intensity;

an image analyzer coupled to the image forming device, the image analyzer decomposing the image formed by the image forming device into multiple component parts based on type of imaging; and

multiple image capture devices, each image capture device receiving one of the component parts of the image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image forming device includes an endoscope-type device used in the medical field to view interior body structures.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image transport line for directing the image from the image forming device to the image analyzer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination device is integral to the image forming device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes at least two light sources for providing at least two types of light to illuminate the area of interest.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes a visible light source and at least one other light source for generating a monochromatic or narrow band light source.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes a visible light source and at least one laser light source.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising output devices for displaying information based on outputs of the image capture devices.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein image information based on a first component of the image is output to a first output device and image information based on a second component of the image is output to a second output device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein composite image information based on multiple component parts of the image is output.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an illumination channel and a lens for focusing light from the illumination channel onto a smaller portion of the area of interest than that illuminated by the illumination device.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a spectrometer for receiving reflected light originating in the illumination channel.

13. A system, comprising:

an image analyzer for coupling to an image forming device adapted for insertion in a human body, the image analyzer decomposing an image formed by the image forming device into multiple component parts based on type of imaging;

multiple image capture devices, each image capture device receiving one of the component parts of the image; and

a processing device coupled to the image capture devices.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one light source for providing light to an illumination device coupled to die image forming device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising an illumination channel, light from the illumination channel being focused onto a smaller portion of the area of interest than that illuminated by the illumination device.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a spectrometer for receiving reflected light originating in the illumination channel.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one light source includes at least two light sources for providing at least two types of light to the illumination device.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one light source includes a visible light source and at least one other light source for generating light outside of a visible spectrum.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one light source includes a visible light source and at least one other light source for generating laser light.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the image forming device includes an endoscope.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising an image transport line for directing the image from die image forming device to the image analyzer.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising output devices coupled to the processing device, the output devices being for displaying information based on outputs of the image capture devices.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein image information based on a first part of the image is output to a first output device and image information based on a second part of the image is output to a second output device.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein composite image information based on multiple component parts of the image is output.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving an image from an image forming device;

decomposing the image formed by the image forming device into multiple component parts based on type of imaging;

receiving the component parts of the image; and

outputting image information based on the component parts of the image.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the image forming device includes an endoscope-type device used in the medical field to view interior body structures.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising directing the image from the image forming device to the image analyzer using an image transport line.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing light from at least one light source to an illumination device coupled to the image forming device for illuminating an area of interest, wherein the at least one light source includes at least two light sources for providing at least two types of light to the illumination device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one light source includes a visible light source and at least one other light source for generating light outside of a visible spectrum.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one light source includes a visible light source and at least one other light source for generating laser light.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising focusing light from an illumination channel onto a smaller portion of the area of interest than that illuminated by the illumination device.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising a spectrometer for receiving reflected light originating in the illumination channel.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein outputting information based on component parts of the image includes displaying information.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein image information based on a first part of the image is output to a first output device and image information based on a second part of the image is output to a second output device.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein composite image information based on multiple component parts of the image is output.