IR spectroscopic endoscope with inflatable balloon
First Claim
1. Device for the IR spectroscopy of interior surfaces (2, 2′
- ) of a body within a spectral range of interest comprising an optical spectrometer and an endoscope (3;
33;
43) with an IR light guiding means (8) for illuminating the surfaces (2, 2′
), at the proximal end of which, IR light is guided into the IR guiding means (8) and at the distal end of the IR light guiding means the light can be launched at the surface (2, 2′
) to be examined, wherein at the distal end of the endoscope (3;
33;
43) a means for receiving IR light reflected by the surfaces (2, 2′
) to be examined is provided, characterized in that the distal end of the IR light guiding means (8) is arranged within an inflatable balloon (4;
14;
24) consisting essentially of an elastic exterior made from a substantially uniform, single material that is largely transparent in said spectral range of interest, and that the IR light launched from the IR light guiding means (8) as well as the IR light reflected by the surfaces (2, 2′
) to be examined can each penetrate the exterior of the balloon (4;
14;
24) independent of locations of their points of incidence thereon, wherein the elastic exterior of the balloon (4;
14;
24) is formed such that in the inflated state a cross-section for the passage (17;
17′
;
27) of blood (1) to be examined remains free, with the elastic exterior of the balloon (14) being formed such that, in the inflated state, there is at least one radial recess (16, 16′
) in the cross-section through the entire axial extent of the balloon (14), wherein the exterior of the balloon (14) in the area of the recess (16, 16′
) is formed of a thicker, reinforced and/or rigidified material.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for the optical spectroscopic examination of interior surfaces (2, 2′) of a body, e.g. of blood vessels (1), comprising an optical spectrometer and an endoscope (3) with a light guide for illuminating the surfaces, wherein at the proximal end of the light guide it is supplied with light and at the distal of the light guide the light can be launched to the surfaces to be examined, wherein at the distal end of this endoscope there is provided a device for receiving the light reflected by the surfaces to be examined, is characterized in that the distal end of the light guide is arranged within an inflatable balloon (4) with an elastic exterior, and that the light decoupled from the light guide and the light reflected by the surfaces to be examined to the receiving device penetrates in each case the exterior of the balloon. In this way, the light launched by the light guide and also the light directed to the surface to be examined and the light scattered by them, if e.g. interior walls of the vessels in the human body are to be examined, does not pass twice a layer of blood or body fluid, and the distal end of the endoscope is fixed such that during measurements, shaking and change of relative distances can be largely avoided, whereby the quality at the received optical spectra is considerably improved.
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Citations
2 Claims
-
1. Device for the IR spectroscopy of interior surfaces (2, 2′
- ) of a body within a spectral range of interest comprising an optical spectrometer and an endoscope (3;
33;
43) with an IR light guiding means (8) for illuminating the surfaces (2, 2′
), at the proximal end of which, IR light is guided into the IR guiding means (8) and at the distal end of the IR light guiding means the light can be launched at the surface (2, 2′
) to be examined, wherein at the distal end of the endoscope (3;
33;
43) a means for receiving IR light reflected by the surfaces (2, 2′
) to be examined is provided, characterized in that the distal end of the IR light guiding means (8) is arranged within an inflatable balloon (4;
14;
24) consisting essentially of an elastic exterior made from a substantially uniform, single material that is largely transparent in said spectral range of interest, and that the IR light launched from the IR light guiding means (8) as well as the IR light reflected by the surfaces (2, 2′
) to be examined can each penetrate the exterior of the balloon (4;
14;
24) independent of locations of their points of incidence thereon, wherein the elastic exterior of the balloon (4;
14;
24) is formed such that in the inflated state a cross-section for the passage (17;
17′
;
27) of blood (1) to be examined remains free, with the elastic exterior of the balloon (14) being formed such that, in the inflated state, there is at least one radial recess (16, 16′
) in the cross-section through the entire axial extent of the balloon (14), wherein the exterior of the balloon (14) in the area of the recess (16, 16′
) is formed of a thicker, reinforced and/or rigidified material. - View Dependent Claims (2)
- ) of a body within a spectral range of interest comprising an optical spectrometer and an endoscope (3;
Specification
-
- Resources
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Current AssigneeBruker Optik Gmbh (Bruker Corporation)
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Original AssigneeBruker Optik Gmbh (Bruker Corporation)
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InventorsBoese, Matthias, Jaross, Werner, Simon, Arno
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Primary Examiner(s)Lateef, Marvin M.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Pass, Barry
-
Application NumberUS09/466,299Time in Patent Office1,271 DaysField of Search604/104, 604/915, 604/916, 600/101-183, 600/473-480US Class Current600/473CPC Class CodesA61B 1/00082 BalloonsA61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewingA61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing ...A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing anglesA61B 1/0615 for radial illuminationA61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measu...A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
