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Endoscopes and methods relating to direct viewing of a target tissue

  • US 6,110,106 A
  • Filed: 06/24/1998
  • Issued: 08/29/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An endoscope for directly transmitting an image from an in vivo target tissue to a user, the endoscope comprising:

  • a body including a proximal end and a distal end, the body being configured to position the distal end proximate to the target tissue;

    a light emitter proximate to the distal end to direct an illumination light to the target tissue;

    an eyepiece ocular coupled to the body at the proximal end that is sized to fit a human eye;

    at least one collection light guide including a collector to receive emanating light from the target tissue and a conductor to conduct the emanating light along at least a portion of a light path to the eyepiece ocular which transmits the emanating light to the eye to form a light collection system, wherein the user is able to directly view the target tissue directly through the eyepiece ocular without a transduction imaging device between the target tissue and the user;

    a wavelength selection filter aligned with the collection light guide to be disposed in the light path, the wavelength selection filter selectively transmitting at least two desired wavelength bands of the emanating light; and

    a wavelength ratio scaling filter aligned with the collection light guide to be disposed in the light path, the wavelength ratio scaling filter selectively controlling the intensity of at least one of the desired wavelength bands, the wavelength selection filter and the wavelength ratio scaling filter manipulating the emanating light from the target tissue to selectively enhance an image of the target tissue;

    wherein the illumination light transmitted to the target tissue consists essentially of a selected wavelength band and the light collection system further comprises a long pass filter disposed in the light path, wherein the long pass filter blocks light having about the same wavelength as the selected wavelength band and transmits other light.

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