Method and apparatus for optical imaging via spectral encoding

• US 7,847,949 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yelin, Dvir, Bouma, Brett Eugene, Tearney, Guillermo J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US11/537,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20070081236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 356/477, 356/479, 356/497, 250/227.19, 250/227.27, 385/12
• US Class Current: 356/477
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0062 Arrangements for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0068 Confocal scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• 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: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02 Interferometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02027 Two or more interferometric channels or interferometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02049 characterised by particular mechanical design details
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02064 by particular adjustment of coherence gate, i.e. adjusting position of zero path difference in low coherence interferometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02087 Combining two or more images of the same region
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/04 Measuring microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1765 Method using an image detector and processing of image signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/25 Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/27 using photo-electric detection G01N21/31 takes precedence; circuits for computing concentration logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/419 : computed tomograph
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/046 : using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4833 : of solid biological material, e.g. tissue samples, cell cultures tissue in vivo A61B5/00; cell suspensions G01N33/48735
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0028 : specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for endoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, attachments to conventional microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 : of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/243 : Objectives for endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2461 : Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 : Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports

Abstract

Method, apparatus and arrangement according an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be provided for generating an image of at least one portion of an anatomical structure. For example, the portion can have an area greater than about 1 mm2, and the image can have a resolution a transverse resolution that is below about 10 μm. For example, light can be scanned over such portion so as to generate first information which is related to the portion, where the light may be provided through a diffraction arrangement to generate a spectrally dispersed line. Method, apparatus and arrangement according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be provided for positioning a radiation or optical beam within an anatomical structure based on signals generated by scanning a portion of the structure using the same or a different beam.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

first arrangement configured to forward an electromagnetic radiation to an anatomical structure, and generate signal based on a further radiation returning from at least one a portion of the sample that is associated with the at least one radiation; and

second arrangement configured to automatically control a position of a focus of the first arrangement as a function of a particular signal to a predetermined location within the anatomical structure, wherein at least one of (i) the first arrangement is a confocal microscope arrangement, (ii) the signal is a spectrally-encoded signal, or (iii) the particular signal is a spectrally-encoded signal.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular signal is at least one of an interferometric signal, a time-of-flight signal, or an intensity signal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

third arrangement which is different from the first and second arrangements and configured to receive the signal and an additional signal from a reference to generate an interferometric signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arrangement includes a spectral encoding arrangement.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the anatomical structure is an internal organ.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arrangement forwards the electromagnetic radiation via an optical fiber arrangement.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical fiber arrangement includes a plurality of electromagnetic radiation guiding arrangements.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises a plurality of wavelengths.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises one or more wavelengths that vary over time.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular signal is at least one of electrical or optical.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular signal is a further signal provided from the anatomical structure.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic control of the position of the focus by the second arrangement is performed approximately parallel to an optical axis of the electromagnetic radiation that impinges on the anatomical structure.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arrangement is the confocal microscope arrangement which is configured to focus the electromagnetic radiation on or within the anatomical structure at a spot size of up to 2 μ

m.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arrangement is configured to generate the at least one signal by scanning the at least one portion of the anatomical structure using the electromagnetic radiation.

15. An apparatus comprising:

first arrangement configured to forward an electromagnetic radiation to an anatomical structure, and generate data based on a further radiation returning from at least one portion of the sample that is associated with the at least one radiation; and

second arrangement configured to;

a) generate a signal based on a determination of at least one location of a particular section of the anatomical structure; and

b) automatically control at least one of a motion or a position of a focus of the at least one first arrangement relative to the at least one location within the anatomical structure as a function of the signal,

wherein at least one of (i) the first arrangement is a confocal microscope arrangement, (ii) the signal is a spectrally-encoded signal, or (iii) the data includes spectrally-encoded data.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the particular section is provided on a surface of the anatomical structure.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein operations (a) and (b) are performed substantially simultaneously.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second arrangement is configured to position the focus of the electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of depths within the anatomical structure.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second arrangement controls a depth of the focus within the anatomical structure.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one location is determined based on an interferometric signal.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the interferometric signal is based at least in part on the data.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first arrangement is configured to generate the data by scanning the at least one portion of the anatomical structure using the electromagnetic radiation.

23. A method for positioning an electromagnetic radiation within an anatomical structure, comprising:

forwarding an electromagnetic radiation to an anatomical structure;

generating signal based on the electromagnetic radiation and a further radiation returning from at least a portion of the sample that is associated with the radiation;

controlling a position of a focus of a particular arrangement based a particular signal to a predetermined location within the anatomical structure, wherein at least one of (i) the particular arrangement is a confocal microscope arrangement, (ii) the signal is a spectrally-encoded signal, or (iii) the particular signal is a spectrally-encoded signal.

24. A method for positioning an electromagnetic radiation within an anatomical structure, comprising:

forwarding an electromagnetic radiation to an anatomical structure;

generating data based on the at least one electromagnetic radiation and a further radiation returning from at least a portion of the sample that is associated with the radiation;

generating a signal based on a determination of at least one location of a particular section of the anatomical structure; and

automatically controlling at least one of a motion or a position of a focus of a particular arrangement relative to the at least one location based on the signal,

wherein at least one of (i) the particular arrangement is a confocal microscope arrangement, (ii) the signal is a spectrally-encoded signal, or (iii) the data includes spectrally-encoded data.