Spectral volume microprobe arrays

• US 6,411,835 B1
• Filed: 02/02/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Luma Imaging Corp. (SpectraScience, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MediSpectra, Inc. (SpectraScience, Inc.)
• Inventors: Modell, Mark, Hed, A. Zeʼev
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US09/241,806
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 600/121-125, 600/310, 600/407, 600/473, 600/475-479, 356/317, 356/318, 356/337, 356/341-343, 250/341.1, 250/363.01, 250/363.02, 250/372, 250/458.1, 250/459.1, 250/461.1, 250/461.2
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0068 Confocal scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a characteristic of a sample of a material by the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the sample. The apparatus includes a source of electromagnetic radiation, an optical assembly and a detector. The optical assembly sequentially illuminates a plurality of volume elements in the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path and collects electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the volume elements. The optical assembly collects the electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the volume elements with a collected distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path. The first and second regions at least partially overlap in each of the volume elements. The detector detects the collected electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the sequentially illuminated volume elements to produce responses representative of the characteristic in each of the volume elements.

Claims

1. A method for determining a characteristic of a biological sample, the method comprising the steps of:

sequentially illuminating plurality of volume elements in a sample with an optical assembly comprising a sheath that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation into the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;

sequentially collecting, with said optical assembly, emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops the dimensions of which are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said emanating electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly; and

,

detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a characteristic of each of said volume elements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of field stops comprises a single array of individually controllable optical shutters.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of moving at least a portion of said optical assembly with respect to the sample so as to vary the locations of said volume elements within the sample along the optical axes of said first and second optical paths.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said illuminating step comprises simultaneously illuminating two or more noninterfering volume elements and wherein said collecting step comprises simultaneously collecting electromagnetic radiation emanating from said noninterfering volume elements.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of field stops comprises an array of individually movable micromirrors, said method further comprising sequentially moving the micromirrors of said array between an active position for directing illumination to the sample and for directing collected electromagnetic radiation from the sample to a detector, and an inactive position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of field stops comprises an array of individually movable micromirrors, each of said micromirrors comprising an off axis segment of a paraboloid of revolution, said method further comprising moving pairs of said micromirrors between active positions and inactive positions, one micromirror of an active pair directing illumination to the sample and the other micromirror of the active pair directing electromagnetic radiation emanating from the sample to a detector.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said illuminating step comprises directing illumination through a bundle of optical fibers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said collecting step comprises directing collected electromagnetic radiation through a bundle of optical fibers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said illuminating step comprises modulating the illumination of the sample.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of field stops comprises an array of individually controllable illuminating optical shutters and an array of individually controllable collection optical shutters.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of field stops comprises an array of individually controllable illuminating elements and an array of individually controllable collection elements.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said illuminating step comprises illuminating said volume elements at different times with sources having different spectra.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting step is performed by an array of detector elements.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said illuminating, collecting. and detecting steps are carried out in vitro.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said illuminating, collecting and detecting steps are carried out in vivo.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting step comprises producing a response representative of a pathology.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting step comprises producing a response representative of cancer.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising presenting said response as an image of the spatial distribution of a pathology.

19. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a biological sample, the apparatus comprising:

a source of electromagnetic radiation;

illuminating optics for sequentially illuminating a plurality of volume elements in a biological sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;

collecting optics for collecting emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said illuminating and collecting optics each having respective field stops the dimensions of which are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said emanating electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said illumninating and collecting optics, respectively;

a detector for detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a biological characteristic of each of said volume elements; and

,

a housing that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation from said illuminating optics into the biological.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said housing is attached to said illuminating and collecting optics via a single use fastening mechanism.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said housing is disposable.

22. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a biological sample, the apparatus comprising:

a source of electromagnetic radiation;

an optical assembly for a) sequentially illuminating a plurality of volume elements in a biological sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path and b) collecting emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops whose dimensions are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said emanating electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly;

a detector for detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a biological characteristic of each of said volume elements; and

,

a housing that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation from said optical assembly into the biological sample.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said housing is attached to said optical assembly via a single use fastening mechanism.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said housing is disposable.

25. A method for diagnosing a biological characteristic of a tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an optical assembly that is adapted to direct an optical signal to a biological tissue;

providing a sheath capable of transmitting the optical signal;

positioning the sheath on the optical assembly so that the sheath is interposed between the optical assembly and the biological tissue;

sequentially illuminating, with the optical assembly, a plurality of volume elements in the biological tissue by directing electromagnetic radiation into the biological tissue with an intensity distribution in the biological tissue that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;

sequentially collecting, with said optical assembly, emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops whose dimensions are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly; and

,

detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a biological characteristic of each of said volume elements.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising attaching the sheath to the optical assembly with a fastening mechanism.