Systems, methods and computer-accessible medium which provide microscopic images of at least one anatomical structure at a particular resolution

• US 8,896,838 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tearney, Guillermo J., Bouma, Brett E., Gardecki, Joseph A., Liu, Linbo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Tarifur
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, MAURICE C
• Application Number:
  US13/042,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 356/479, 356/477, 356/450, 356432-435, 600/477, 600/476, 600/310, 600/342, 600/567, 600/300, 600/475, 600/478, 600/479, 250/338.1, 250/339.01, 250/339.05, 250/339.11, 250/336.1, 250/340, 250/341.1, 250/341.8
• US Class Current: 356/450
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0044 for the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• 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: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of probes, apparatus, systems and methods can be provided which provide at least one electro-magnetic radiation to at least one sample. For example, a plurality of axicon lenses can be provided which are configured to provide the electro-magnetic radiation(s) having at least partially annulus shape. In addition or alternatively, at least one optical arrangement can be provided which is configured to forward at least one radiation to the sample therethrough having at least partially circularly-symmetric pattern. For example, at least one first portion of the radiation transmitted through a circular section of the pattern can have an optical path-length that is different from an optical path-length of at least one second portion of the radiation transmitted through at least one other section of the pattern.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing at least one electro-magnetic radiation to at least one sample, comprising:

a plurality of axicon lenses which are configured to provide the at least one electro-magnetic radiation having at least partially annulus shape; and

at least one optical arrangement including an optical aperture and configured to provide at least one further radiation based on the at least one electromagnetic radiation, wherein the at least one further radiation has a spot diameter of focus is less than 10 μ

m, and a depth of the focus or a focal range of the further radiation is greater than approximately 0.5 mm.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a housing arrangement which at least partially encloses the axicon lenses.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the housing arrangement is shaped and structured to be inserted into an anatomical structure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the housing arrangement is shaped and structured to be inserted into an endoscope.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one optical arrangement provides the at least one further radiation that generates a transfer function of the optical arrangement that is different from the transfer function of at least one of the axicon lenses.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of wave-guiding arrangements, one of which is coupled to at least one of the axicon arrangements, and another one of which is coupled to the optical arrangement.

7. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein the at least one further radiation is at least partially focused to at least one of the depth of focus or the focal range that is greater than approximately Rayleigh range of a full aperture of illumination.

8. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein the depth of the focus or the focal range is greater than approximately 1 mm.

9. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein the depth of the focus or the focal range is greater than approximately 2 mm.

10. An apparatus for providing at least one electro-magnetic radiation to at least one sample, comprising:

at least one optical arrangement which is configured to forward at least one radiation to the at least one sample therethrough, wherein the at least one optical arrangement has a structure having at least partially circularly-symmetric pattern, wherein a section of the pattern of the structure is configured to cause at least one

first portion of the at least one radiation transmitted therethrough to have an optical path-length

that is different from an optical path-length of at least one second portion of the radiation transmitted through at least one other section of the pattern of the structure element.

wherein the first and second portions of the at least one radiation are associated with respective

first and second transfer functions that are different from one another.

an interferometric arrangement which includes a detector arrangement that is configured to detect the first transfer function and the second transfer function.

11. The apparatus according claim 10, wherein the at least one optical arrangement includes a plurality of wave guiding arrangements, and wherein, at a point of emission of each of the wave guiding arrangements, the at least one optical arrangement causes a phase of each of the at least one electro-magnetic radiation to have a predetermined value.

12. The apparatus according claim 10, wherein the at least one optical arrangement includes a plurality of axicon lenses which are configured to generate the at least one radiation.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the detector arrangement includes a plurality of detectors, each configured to detect the first transfer function and the second transfer function.

14. An apparatus for providing at least one electro-magnetic radiation to at least one sample, comprising:

at least one optical arrangement which is configured to forward at least one radiation to the at least one sample therethrouqh, wherein the at least one optical arrangement has a structure having at least partially circularly-symmetric pattern, wherein at least one first portion of the at least one radiation transmitted through a section of the pattern has an optical path-length that is different from an optical path-length of at least one second portion of the radiation transmitted through at least one other section of the pattern, wherein the first and second portions of the at least one radiation are associated with respective first and second transfer functions that are different from one another; and

an interferometric arrangement which includes a plurality of detectors, wherein each of the detectors is configured to detect the first transfer function and the second transfer function.

15. The apparatus according claim 14, wherein at least one portion of the at least one radiation is at least partially focused to at least one of a depth of focus or a focal range that is greater than approximately Rayleigh range of a full aperture of illumination.

16. An apparatus for providing at least one electro-magnetic radiation to at least one sample, comprising:

at least one optical arrangement which is configured to forward at least one radiation to the at least one sample therethrough having at least partially circularly-symmetric pattern, wherein at least one first portion of the radiation transmitted through a circular section of the pattern has an optical path-length that is different from an optical path-length of at least one second portion of the radiation transmitted through at least one other section of the pattern, wherein a spot diameter of focus of the radiation is less than 10 μ

m, and wherein a depth of the focus or a focal range of the radiation is greater than approximately 0.5 mm.

17. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein a spot diameter of focus is less than 10 μ

m, and wherein the depth of the focus or the focal range is greater than approximately 2 mm.

18. A method for providing at least one electro-magnetic radiation to at least one sample, comprising:

providing the at least one electro-magnetic radiation having at least partially annulus shape using a plurality of axicon lenses; and

providing at least one further radiation based on the at least one electromagnetic radiation via at least one optical arrangement that includes an optical aperture, wherein the at least one further radiation has a spot diameter of focus is less than 10 μ

m, and a depth of the focus or a focal range of the further radiation is greater than approximately 0.5 mm.

19. A method for providing at least one electro-magnetic radiation to at least one sample, comprising:

forwarding at least one radiation to the at least one sample through at least one optical arrangement, wherein the at least one optical arrangement has a structure which has at least partially circularly-symmetric pattern, wherein a section of the pattern of the structure is configured to cause at least one first portion of the at least one radiation transmitted therethrough to have an optical path-length that is different from an optical path-length of at least one second portion of the radiation transmitted through at least one other section of the pattern of the structure, wherein the first and second portions of the at least one radiation are associated with respective first and second transfer functions that are different from one another; and

using a detector arrangement of an interferometric arrangement, detecting the first transfer function and the second transfer function.