Spectroscope With Modified Field-of-View

• US 20100160792A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Infraredx Incorporated (Nipro Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Infraredx Incorporated (Nipro Corporation)
• Inventors: FURNISH, Simon, ZULUAGA, Andres
• Application Number:
  US12/641,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20100160792A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0062 Arrangements for scanning
• 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: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance

Abstract

A spectroscope for detecting vulnerable plaques includes an optical fiber extending through a catheter. The optical fiber has a field-of-view that is modified to preferentially collect light scattered from deep within the wall of a blood vessel. Obstructions or curved optical surfaces can be used to modify the field of view.

Claims

1. A spectroscope comprising:

a catheter;

an optical fiber having a core and extending through the catheter, the optical fiber having a field-of-view; and

an obstruction disposed within the field-of-view of said optical fiber to prevent light in a selected zone from illuminating the core.

2. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the obstruction comprises a ledge extending across a chord of the core, the ledge occluding a region bounded by the chord and by a boundary of the core.

3. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the obstruction comprises a tab extending at least part way across the core.

4. The spectroscope of claim 3, wherein the tab comprises a curved tip.

5. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the obstruction comprises a disk disposed to occlude a circular portion of the field-of-view.

6. The spectroscope of claim 1, further comprising a mirror in optical communication with the optical fiber;

and wherein the obstruction comprises a non-reflective region of the mirror, the non-reflective region being shaped to obstruct a portion of the field-of-view thereof.

7. The spectroscope of claim 1, further comprising a perforated mask enclosing the fiber;

and wherein the obstruction comprises walls forming an aperture in optical communication with the fiber, the aperture being shaped to obstruct a portion of the field-of-view thereof.

8. The spectroscope of claim 1, further comprising a transparent sheath surrounding the fiber;

and wherein the obstruction comprises an opaque band in optical communication with the fiber and positioned to obstruct a portion of the field-of-view thereof

9. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the obstruction has a shape selected to form a field-of-view in the shape of a truncated ellipse.

10. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the obstruction has a shape selected to form a field-of-view in the shape of a crescent.

11. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the obstruction has a shape selected to form an annular field-of-view.

12. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the obstruction has an edge configured to diffract light incident thereon to form a selected field-of-view.

27. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber comprises the collection fiber.

28. The spectroscope of claim 1, wherein the field of view includes a specular zone and a re-entrant zone.

29. The spectroscope of claim 28, wherein the obstruction is disposed to prevent light in the specular zone from illuminating the core.

30. The spectroscope of claim 29, wherein the obstruction is configured to prevent substantially all of the light in the specular zone from illuminating the core.

13-26. -26. (canceled)