Three dimensional optical imaging colposcopy

• US 5,921,926 A
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Central Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Central Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Rolland, Jannick P., Delfyett, Peter J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US09/002,069
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/473, 600/475, 600/476-478, 356/345, 356/346
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2290/45 Multiple detectors for detecting interferometer signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02004 using frequency scans
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02044 Imaging in the frequency domain, e.g. by using a spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/0205 of probe head
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/951 Laser

Abstract

An optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry imaging probe for the automatic screening and diagnosis of cervical and skin cancer in vivo. The probe eliminates the old techniques of having to perform Pap smears followed by a biopsy, known as colposcopy. The novel probe is cylindrical in shape and has a disposable outer plastic shield. Inside the probe is a motor driven rotatable casing having a planar optical fiber bundle array therein. The fiber bundle array has plastic light coupling lenslet arrays on both ends. The exposed end of the probe has one lenslet array disc that couples light between the probe and an interior of the cervix area being examined. Both the casing and the bundle array rotate relative to the outer probe walls. Inside the casing is a rotatable motor driven scanning mirror which couples passes light from an incoming second fiber bundle array to the lenslet array on the inside end of the rotatable casing fiber bundle array. The incoming second fiber bundle array is attached to a detector located external and remote to the probe. The detector has a tunable light source and a spectrometer for providing 3-D images of the interior of the cervix. The proposed technique of simultaneous OCT imaging and spectral interferometry and analysis has potential use in either multi-layer optical disk read out using low coherence tomography and spectral interferometry. Alternatively, by employing spectral interferometry, the measured optical spectrum also provides a unique mapping of the recorded bits into the observed spectral modulation. The unique feature is that by simultaneously employing both spectral interferometry and low coherence tomography, the resultant data transfer rate is increased, but the combination also allows for error rate analysis.

Claims

1. An Optical Coherence Tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe for image scanning, comprising:

a cylindrical probe for being inserted into a cavity;

an optical imaging means having a mirror adjacent to a detector end of the probe and an optical fiber array adjacent to a scanning end of the probe, the mirror and the fiber array both being rotatably mounted within the probe for optically scanning an interior portion of a cavity; and

a spectrometer detector remotely attached to the probe for providing a spectral analysis image of back reflected collected light from the optical scanning of the interior portion of the cavity.

2. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber array includes:

an optical fiber planar array.

3. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 1, wherein the probe includes:

a lens array on an exterior end of the optical fiber array.

4. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 1, wherein the optical imaging means includes:

a rotatable scanning mirror for transmitting and receiving reflected light from an interior surface of the cavity.

5. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 1, wherein the probe includes:

a lens array between the mirror and the optical fiber array.

6. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) probe of claim 1, wherein the optical imaging means further includes:

a rotatable case within the probe for housing the mirror.

7. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 6, wherein the mirror includes:

a rotatable scanning mirror within the rotatable case for transmitting and receiving reflected light from an interior surface of the cavity.

8. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 1, wherein the probe further includes:

a first lenslet for coupling light between the mirror and one end of the optical fiber array; and

a second lenslet for coupling light from a second end of the optical fiber array to the interior portion of the cavity.

9. The optical coherence tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 1, further comprising:

a tunable light source for the optical imaging means.

10. An Optical Coherence Tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe and detector for image scanning, comprising:

a cylindrical probe for being inserted into a cavity;

an optical imaging means mounted within the probe for optically scanning an interior portion of a cavity, the optical imaging means having an optical fiber array and a rotatable scanning mirror within a rotatable case for transmitting and receiving reflected light through the fiber optical array to and from the interior portion of the cavity; and

a spectrometer detector remotely attached to the probe for providing a spectral analysis image of back reflected collected light from the optical scanning of the interior portion of the cavity.

11. The Optical Coherence Tomography(OCT) and spectral interferometry probe of claim 10, further comprising:

a first lens array between the mirror and the optical fiber array; and

a second lens on an exposed end of the optical fiber array.