INTEGRATED MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A medical fiber optic camera, comprising:
- an elongate sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer diameter of no more than approximately 0.7 millimeters;
one or more illumination optical fibers disposed within the sheath;
an imaging bundle disposed within the sheath and comprising at least one fiber optic clad and multiple fiber optic cores;
a camera body fixedly attached to the proximal end of the elongate sheath and having no connector for connecting a secondary light source to the camera;
an imaging sensor housed in the camera body, optically coupled to a proximal end of the imaging bundle and configured to generate image data; and
a light-emitting diode housed in the camera body and optically coupled to proximal ends of the illumination fibers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic camera system may include a fiber optic camera and a video processing console. The camera may include an elongate sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, and the sheath may contain one or more illumination optical fibers and an imaging bundle having at least one fiber optic clad and multiple fiber optic cores. The camera may further include a camera body fixedly attached to the proximal end of the elongate sheath, and the camera body may contain an imaging sensor optically coupled to a proximal end of the imaging bundle and configured to generate image data and an illumination source optically coupled to proximal ends of the illumination fibers. In some embodiments, the camera body has no connection member for connecting a secondary illumination source to the camera.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A medical fiber optic camera, comprising:
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an elongate sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer diameter of no more than approximately 0.7 millimeters; one or more illumination optical fibers disposed within the sheath; an imaging bundle disposed within the sheath and comprising at least one fiber optic clad and multiple fiber optic cores; a camera body fixedly attached to the proximal end of the elongate sheath and having no connector for connecting a secondary light source to the camera; an imaging sensor housed in the camera body, optically coupled to a proximal end of the imaging bundle and configured to generate image data; and a light-emitting diode housed in the camera body and optically coupled to proximal ends of the illumination fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of imaging a scene of interest in a human or animal subject, the method comprising:
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advancing an elongate sheath of a fiber optic camera, containing one or more illumination optical fibers and an imaging fiber bundle, into a human or animal subject to position a distal end of the sheath near a scene of interest, wherein the sheath has an outer diameter of no more than approximately 0.7 millimeters; illuminating the scene of interest with the one or more illumination optical fibers, wherein the proximal ends of the illumination fibers are coupled with a light-emitting diode in a camera body fixedly attached to a proximal end of the sheath; capturing light information with an imaging sensor in the camera body coupled with a proximal end of the imaging fiber bundle; converting the light information into image data with the imaging sensor; and transmitting the image data from the imaging sensor through a single connection to a video processing console or a video display monitor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A medical fiber optic camera configured for use in a urinary tract of a human or animal subject, the camera comprising:
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an elongate sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer diameter of no more than approximately 0.7 millimeters; one or more illumination optical fibers disposed within the sheath; an imaging bundle disposed within the sheath and comprising at least one fiber optic clad and multiple fiber optic cores; a mechanical structure fixedly attached to the proximal end of the elongate sheath; and a mating feature on the mechanical structure for facilitating coupling of the camera with a medical device, wherein the sheath is configured to fit within a lumen of the medical device. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method of imaging the urinary tract of a human or animal subject, the method comprising:
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inserting an elongate sheath of a fiber optic camera, containing one or more illumination optical fibers and an imaging fiber bundle, into a lumen of a medical device configured for use in a ureter, wherein the sheath has an outer diameter of no more than approximately 0.7 millimeters; mating a mating feature of a mechanical structure of the fiber optic camera coupled with proximal ends of the one or more illumination optical fibers and an imaging fiber bundle with a corresponding mating feature of the medical device; advancing the medical device into the ureter with the sheath residing in the lumen of the device; illuminating the ureter with the one or more illumination optical fibers; and transmitting light information through the imaging fiber bundle toward the mechanical structure of the camera. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification