DUAL-MODALITY ENDOSCOPE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURE, AND USE THEREOF

• US 20150201902A1
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: University of Connecticut (State of Connecticut)
• Original Assignee: University of Connecticut (State of Connecticut)
• Inventors: Zhu, Quing, Kumavor, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US14/413,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201902A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/233 for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes , e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2733 Oesophagoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/307 for the urinary organs, e.g. urethroscopes, cystoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An endoscope includes a sheath; an ultrasound transducer disposed in the sheath to transmit an ultrasound frequency and to receive an image signal comprising an ultrasound signal and photoacoustic signal; and a plurality of optical fibers interposed between the sheath and ultrasound probe to transmit light; wherein the sheath comprises: a first end configured to accept the ultrasound transducer and plurality of optical fibers; and a second end to pass the ultrasound frequency and light out of the sheath. A process to make the endoscope comprises shaping a material to form a sheath; inserting an ultrasound transducer into the sheath; disposing a plurality of optical fibers into the sheath; and coupling an end of the sheath to the ultrasound transducer. A system for imaging comprises an endoscope; a near-infrared light source coupled endoscope; and an acquisition device to acquire an image signal from the endoscope.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

a sheath;

an ultrasound transducer disposed in the sheath to transmit an ultrasound frequency and to receive an image signal comprising an ultrasound signal and photoacoustic signal; and

a plurality of optical fibers interposed between the sheath and the ultrasound transducer to transmit light;

wherein the sheath comprises;

a first end configured to accept the ultrasound transducer and plurality of optical fibers; and

a second end to pass the ultrasound frequency and light out of the sheath.

2. The endoscope of claim 1, further comprising a coupling member to couple the sheath to the ultrasound transducer and the plurality of optical fibers.

3. The endoscope of claim 1, further comprising a handle disposed at the first end.

4. The endoscope of claim 3, wherein the handle and the ultrasound transducer are an integrated member.

5. The endoscope of claim 1, further comprising an optic disposed at the second end to transmit the light from the plurality of optical fibers.

6. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer is disposed inside the sheath to terminate before an edge of the second end.

7. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers terminates from 1 mm to 15 mm before the second end of the sheath.

8. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the endoscope is flexible such that the endoscope bends in response to an applied force.

9. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer or plurality of optical fibers is immobilized in the sheath.

10. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer or plurality of optical fibers has a rotary mobility, axial mobility, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing in the sheath.

11. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the sheath comprises a coating effective to reflect the light from the plurality of optical fibers.

12. The endoscope of claim 11, wherein the coating comprises aluminum, silver, gold, platinum, copper, tin, tantalum, zinc, zirconium, silicon, an oxide thereof, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

13. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the second end of the sheath comprises a notched structure configured to transmit the ultrasound frequency from the ultrasound transducer.

14. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the sheath comprises a metal.

15. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are perimetrically distributed about the ultrasound transducer.

16. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers are divided into at least two groups of optical fibers, the two groups being separated by at least a distance corresponding to a width traversed by an output of the ultrasound transducer.

17. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers includes more than 2 optical fibers.

18. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein each of the optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers has a diameter from 50 μ

m to 1 mm.

19. The endoscope of claim 1, further comprising a film disposed on the plurality of optical fibers to prevent direct contact of the plurality of optical fibers with a tissue in use.

20. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein a fluence of the light transmitted by the plurality of optical fibers has a uniform illumination distribution at a distance from 4 mm to 40 mm beyond the second end of the endoscope.

21. The endoscope of claim 20, wherein the uniform illumination distribution is a Gaussian distribution.

22. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the light has a power from 1 mJ/cm² to 24 mJ/cm².

23. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the light has a wavelength from 600 nm to 1000 nm.

24. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the light has a pulse length from 1 ns to 200 ns.

25. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the light has a repetition rate from 1 Hz to several kHz.

26. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the endoscope is a transvaginal probe, transrectal probe, transnasal probe, transesophageal probe, or transurethral probe.

27. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein a resolution of the endoscope is at least 0.2 mm.

28. A process of making an endoscope, the process comprising:

shaping a material to form a sheath;

inserting an ultrasound transducer into the sheath;

disposing a plurality of optical fibers into the sheath; and

coupling an end of the sheath to the ultrasound transducer to make the endoscope of claim 1.

29. A system for imaging comprising:

the endoscope of claim 1 comprising;

a sheath;

an ultrasound transducer disposed in the sheath to transmit an ultrasound frequency and to receive an image signal comprising an ultrasound signal and photoacoustic signal; and

a plurality of optical fibers interposed between the sheath and the ultrasound transducer to transmit light;

a near-infrared light source coupled to the plurality of optical fibers; and

an acquisition device to acquire an image signal from the ultrasound transducer, wherein the sheath comprises;

a first end configured to accept the ultrasound transducer and plurality of optical fibers; and

a second end to pass the ultrasound frequency and light out of the sheath.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising an optical train to couple the near-infrared light source to the plurality of optical fibers.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the optical train includes a lens to focus a light from the near-infrared light source onto an input end of the plurality of optical fibers.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the optical train includes a beam splitter to split a light from the near-infrared light source into at least two light paths.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the image signal comprises a photoacoustic signal and ultrasound signal.