Spectroscopic probe for in vivo measurement of raman signals
First Claim
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1. An optical probe for in vivo examination comprising:
- (a) a probe body having an optical opening at one end thereof;
(b) an excitation leg disposed in the probe body, said excitation leg having an optical axis;
(c) a filter for eliminating all but a selected excitation wavelength, disposed in the excitation leg, in operable relation to the optical axis of said excitation leg;
(d) a collection leg disposed in the probe body, said collection leg having an optical axis;
(e) a mirror in operable relation to said optical axis of said excitation leg.
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Abstract
An optical probe is disclosed which is suitable for rapidly measuring Raman spectra in vivo. The probe is designed to minimize interfering Raman and fluorescence signals generated within the probe itself. In addition, the probe design is compact, making it particularly suited for use in confined spaces such as body cavities. In one embodiment, the probe is employed to detect tissue abnormalities such as cervical cancers and precancers.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An optical probe for in vivo examination comprising:
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(a) a probe body having an optical opening at one end thereof; (b) an excitation leg disposed in the probe body, said excitation leg having an optical axis; (c) a filter for eliminating all but a selected excitation wavelength, disposed in the excitation leg, in operable relation to the optical axis of said excitation leg; (d) a collection leg disposed in the probe body, said collection leg having an optical axis; (e) a mirror in operable relation to said optical axis of said excitation leg. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36)
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19. An optical probe for in vivo examination comprising:
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(a) a probe body, wherein the interior of said probe is anodized; (b) an optical opening at one end of said probe body; (c) an excitation leg disposed in the probe body, said excitation leg having an optical axis; (d) a collection leg disposed in the probe body, said collection leg having an optical axis; and (e) a mirror in operable relation to said optical axis of said excitation leg.
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27. An optical probe for in vivo examination comprising:
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(a) a probe body having an optical opening at one end thereof; (b) an excitation leg disposed in the probe body, said excitation leg having an optical axis; (c) a collection leg disposed in the probe body, said collection leg having an optical axis; and (e) a mirror in operable relation to said optical axis of said excitation leg, wherein said mirror is comprised of a polished gold wire. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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31. An optical probe for in vivo examination comprising:
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(a) a probe body, wherein said probe body is comprised of aluminum; (b) an optical opening at one end of said probe body; (c) an excitation leg disposed in the probe body, said excitation leg having an optical axis; (d) a collection leg disposed in the probe body, said collection leg having an optical axis; and (e) a mirror in operable relation to said optical axis of said excitation leg.
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34. An optical probe for in vivo examination comprising:
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an elongated probe body having an optical window at one end thereof; an optical fiber disposed substantially longitudinally in the probe body, the optical fiber having first and second ends; an electromagnetic source coupler mounted on the probe body and coupled to the first end of the optical fiber; a first focusing lens disposed in the probe body and having an optical axis substantially normal to the second end of the optical fiber; an interference filter disposed in the probe body on the optical axis of the first focusing lens; a deflecting mirror disposed in the probe body on the optical axis of the first focusing lens, the interference filter being disposed between the first focusing lens and the deflecting mirror; an optical fiber bundle disposed substantially longitudinally in the probe body, the optical fiber bundle having first and second ends; an electromagnetic receiver coupler mounted on the probe body, the electromagnetic receiver coupler being coupled to the first end of the optical fiber bundle; a collimating lens disposed in the probe body and having an optical axis substantially normal to the second end of the optical fiber bundle; a holographic filter disposed in the probe body on the optical axis of the collimating lens and substantially normal thereto; and a second focusing lens disposed in the probe body and having an optical axis substantially normal to the second end of the optical fiber bundle, the holographic filter being disposed between the collimating lens and the second focusing lens; wherein the deflection mirror is angled with respect to the optical axis of the first focusing lens to establish an optical path from the optical axis of the first focusing lens that intersects with the optical axis of the second focusing lens in a region proximate to and outside of the probe optical window.
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37. A method for collecting optical data from a sample site in vivo comprising:
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generating excitation electromagnetic energy; conducting the excitation energy longitudinally through a probe; concentrating the excitation energy during the excitation energy conducting step; filtering the excitation energy during the excitation energy conducting step to eliminate all but a predetermined excitation wavelength from the excitation energy; deflecting the excitation energy following the concentration and filtering steps onto the sample site; conducting emission radiation resulting from the deflecting step longitudinally through the probe; expanding the emission radiation during the emission radiation conducting step; interference filtering the emission radiation during the emission radiation conducting step and after the expanding step to eliminate the excitation wavelength from the emission radiation; concentrating the emission radiation during the emission radiation conducting step and following the interference filtering step; and collecting the emission radiation following the concentrating step. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. An optical probe for in vivo examination comprising:
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(a) a probe body having an optical opening at one end thereof, (b) an excitation leg disposed in the probe body, said excitation leg having an optical axis, and being transparent to a selected excitation wavelength, (c) a collection leg disposed in the probe body, said collection leg having an optical axis; (d) a filter for filtering said selected excitation wavelength, disposed in the collection leg, in operable relation to the optical axis of said collection leg; and (e) a mirror in operable relation to said optical axis of said excitation leg.
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Specification