Methods and systems for monitoring and obtaining information of at least one portion of a sample using conformal laser therapy procedures, and providing electromagnetic radiation thereto

• US 7,538,859 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vakoc, Benjamin J., Bouma, Brett Eugene, Tearney, Guillermo J., Shishkov, Milen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US11/670,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 356/35.5, 356/450, 356/484, 356/485, 356/496
• US Class Current: 356/35.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/207 mixing two wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3614 using optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters

Abstract

In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, method and system can be provided for obtaining information associated with at least one portion of a sample. For example, a temperature change can be caused in the portion of the sample. At least one first electro-magnetic radiation can be forwarded to a section near or in the portion of the sample. A deformation of the section can be identified at a plurality of depths as a function of (i) a phase of at least one second electro-magnetic radiation provided from the section, and/or (ii) a rate of change of the phase and/or an amplitude of the second electro-magnetic radiation. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, method and system can be provided for controlling a temperature distribution in a sample. For example, an electro-magnetic radiation can be provided to the section in the sample at a particular wavelength. The temperature distribution can be controlled by modifying the particular wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation when the electro-magnetic radiation is provided to the section.

Claims

1. A process for obtaining information associated with at least one portion of a biological sample, comprising:

receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation provided from a section near or in the at least one portion of the biological sample; and

identifying a deformation of the section at a plurality of depths as a function of at least one temperature change within the section and at least one of (i) a phase of at least one second electro-magnetic radiation provided from the section, or (ii) a rate of change of at least one of the phase or an amplitude of the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation.

2. The process according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating an interferometric signal associated with the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation; and

determining the phase of the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation using the interferometric signal.

3. The process according to claim 2, further comprising measuring the interferometric signal as a function of a wavelength of the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation has a wavelength that varies over time.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature change is caused using a laser arrangement.

6. The process according to claim 1, further comprising defining a border between at least one irreversibly changed portion and an unchanged portion of the biological sample as a function of the information associated with the deformation.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the at least one changed portion is at least one of denatured, damaged or coagulated.

8. The process according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating an interferometric signal associated with the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation; and

determining the amplitude of the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation using the interferometric signal.

9. The process according to claim 8, further comprising measuring the interferometric signal as a function of a modifiable wavelength of the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the electro-magnetic radiation is forwarded to the section in the sample at a particular wavelength;

and further comprising;

during the forwarding of the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, controlling a temperature distribution in the sample by modifying the particular wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the forwarding step comprises applying a beam of the electro-magnetic radiation to the section, wherein a cross-sectional area of the beam is at most about 1/10^th of an entire area of the section, and further comprising:

applying the beam to the at least one portion at least one of (i) while modulating a wavelength of the laser radiation, or (ii) while monitoring a depth of the application of the laser radiation.

12. A process for controlling a temperature distribution in a sample, comprising:

a) providing an electro-magnetic radiation to a section in the sample at a particular wavelength; and

b) during step (a), controlling the temperature distribution by modifying the particular wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation.

13. The process according to claim 12, further comprising:

c) identifying a deformation of the at least one portion at a plurality of depths as a function of at least one of (i) a phase of at least one further electro-magnetic radiation provided from the at least one portion, or (ii) a rate of change of at least one of the phase or an amplitude of the at least one further electro-magnetic radiation.

14. The process according to claim 12, wherein step (b) comprises applying a beam of the electro-magnetic radiation to the section, wherein a cross-sectional area of the beam is at most about 1/10^th of an entire area of the section, and further comprising:

d) applying the beam to the at least one portion at least one of (i) while modulating a wavelength of the laser radiation, or (ii) while monitoring a depth of the application of the laser radiation.

15. The process according to claim 12, wherein the modification to the particular wavelength changes a distribution of damage in at least one portion of the sample.

16. The process according to claim 12, wherein the temperature distribution is further controlled by modifying a power of the electro-magnetic radiation.

17. The process according to claim 12, wherein the particular wavelength is modified to be in a range of approximately at least one of (i) about 1.35 μ

m to 1.5 μ

m or (ii) about 1.7 μ

m to 2.2 μ

m.

18. The process according to claim 12, wherein the temperature distribution is substantially due to an absorption of the electro-magnetic radiation by water.

19. The process according to claim 12, wherein the electro-magnetic radiation is provided by at least one of a thulium laser amplifier arrangement or an erbium laser amplifier arrangement.

20. The process according to claim 12, wherein a rate at which the particular wavelength is modified is greater that about 10 nm per second.

21. The process according to claim 12, wherein the particular wavelength is modified in a non-random manner.

22. A system for obtaining information associated with at least one portion of a biological sample, comprising:

a first arrangement;

configured to receive at least one first electro-magnetic radiation provided from a section near or in the at least one portion of the biological sample; and

a second arrangement configured to identify a deformation of the section at a plurality of depths as a function of at least one temperature change within the section and at least one of (i) a phase of at least one second electro-magnetic radiation provided from the section, or (ii) a rate of change of at least one of the phase or an amplitude of the at least one second electro-magnetic radiation.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein a border is defined between at least one changed portion and an unchanged portion of the sample as a function of the information associated with the deformation.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one changed portion is at least one of denatured, damaged or coagulated.

25. A system for controlling a temperature distribution in a sample, comprising:

at least one first arrangement which is configured to provide an electro-magnetic radiation to a section in the sample at a particular wavelength; and

at least one first arrangement which is configured to control the temperature distribution by modifying the particular wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation when the electro-magnetic radiation is provided to the section.