Apparatus and methods for facilitating at least partial overlap of dispersed ration on at least one sample

• US 9,254,089 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• 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 Eugene, Yelin, Dvir, Kang, Dongkyun
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, HWA S
• Application Number:
  US13/054,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20110237892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,401 Days
• Field of Search: 356/328, 356/305, 356/334
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00172 with means for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/044 for absorption imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0062 Arrangements for scanning
• 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: G01J 3/0218 using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/18 using diffraction elements, e.g. grating gratings per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2469 using optical fibres

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of apparatus and method according to the present disclosure are provided. For example, an apparatus for providing electromagnetic radiation to a structure can be provided. The exemplary apparatus can include a first arrangement having at least two wave-guides which can be configured to provide there through at least two respective electromagnetic radiations with at least partially different wavelengths from one another. The exemplary apparatus can also include a dispersive second arrangement structured to receive the electro-magnetic radiations and forward at least two dispersed radiations associated with the respective electro-magnetic radiations to at least one section of the structure. The wave-guide(s) can be structured and/or spatially arranged with respect to the dispersive arrangement to facilitate at least partially overlap of the dispersed radiations on the structure. In addition, another arrangement can be provided which can include at least two further wave-guides which can be configured to receive the electro-magnetic radiations from the dispersive arrangement. Each of the further wave-guides can be structured and/or spatially arranged with respect to the dispersive arrangement to facilitate a receipt of a different one of the such electro-magnetic radiations as a function of wavelengths thereof.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing electromagnetic radiation to a sample, comprising:

a wave-guide first arrangement including at least two wave-guides which provide there through at least two respective electro-magnetic radiations having at least partially different wavelengths from one another;

an optical disperse second arrangement structured to receive the electro-magnetic radiations and forward at least two dispersed radiations associated with the respective electro-magnetic radiations to at least one section of the sample,

wherein the at least two wave-guides are spatially arranged at different angles from one another with respect to the dispersive arrangement such that (i) the respective electro-magnetic wavelength radiations are received on or by the dispersive second arrangement at at least one of further different angles or at different locations from one another, and (ii) at least partial overlap of the dispersed radiations are facilitated on the sample;

a splitter configured to split further respective radiations received from each of the waveguides; and

a detector which is configured to detect the split further respective electro-magnetic radiations.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two wave-guides are spatially arranged by being spatially offset from one another.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a position of each of the at least two wave-guides at the different angles cause the respective electro-magnetic radiations exiting the wave-guides to be at further different angles from one another.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second arrangement includes at least one of a grism or a grating.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second arrangement includes a lens.

6. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein at least one of the wave-guides or the second arrangement is configured to rotate with respect to the sample.

7. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein at least one of the wave-guides is at least one of (i) a single mode fiber, (ii) a multi-mode fiber, (iii) a multi-clad fiber, or (iv) a fiber within a fiber bundle.

8. The apparatus according claim 1, further comprising an optical waive-guide third arrangement configured to receive further electro-magnetic radiations provided from the sample through the second arrangement, wherein the third arrangement includes further wave-guides to receive the further radiations, and wherein the further radiations are associated with the dispersed radiations.

9. The apparatus according claim 8, wherein at least one of the further wave-guides is at least one of (i) a single mode fiber, (ii) a multi-mode fiber, (iii) a multi-clad fiber, or (iv) a fiber within a fiber bundle.

10. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein the second arrangement is structured to generate further respective electro-magnetic radiations based on the received electro-magnetic radiations, and further comprising a particular wave-guide arrangement including at least further two wave-guides which are configured to receive the second electro-magnetic radiations, wherein each of the at least two further wave-guides is at least one of structured or spatially arranged with respect to the second arrangement to facilitate a receipt of a different one of the further respective electro-magnetic radiations as a function of wavelengths thereof.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electro-magnetic radiations are first and second wavelength bands, respectively.

12. An apparatus for obtaining information for a sample, comprising:

an optical disperse first arrangement structured to receive at least two first electro-magnetic radiations that have at least partially different wavelengths from one another, and which are associated with particular radiations impacting and at least partially overlapping on at least one region of the sample, wherein the dispersive first arrangement is structured to generate second respective electro-magnetic radiations based on the received first electro-magnetic radiations;

a wave-guide second arrangement including at least two wave-guides which are configured to receive the second electro-magnetic radiations, wherein the at least two wave-guides are spatially arranged at different angles from one another with respect to the dispersive arrangement such that (i) the second electro-magnetic radiations are received on or by the second arrangement at at least one of further different angles or different locations from one another, and (ii) a receipt of a different one of the second respective electro-magnetic wavelength bands are facilitated as a function of wavelengths thereof;

a splitter configured to split further respective radiations received from each of the waveguides; and

a third arrangement which includes a detector that is configured to detect the split further respective electro-magnetic radiations.

13. The apparatus according claim 12, wherein at least one of the additional wave-guides is at least one of (i) a single mode fiber, (ii) a multi-mode fiber, (iii) a multi-clad fiber, or (iv) a fiber within a fiber bundle.

14. The apparatus according claim 12, further comprising an optical wave-guide fourth arrangement configured to transmit the particular radiations to the sample, wherein the fourth arrangement includes particular wave-guides that provide the particular radiations.

15. The apparatus according claim 14, wherein at least one of the particular wave-guides is at least one of (i) a single mode fiber, (ii) a multi-mode fiber, (iii) a multi-clad fiber, or (iv) a fiber within a fiber bundle.

16. The apparatus according claim 12, further comprising a fifth arrangement comprises a computer which is configured to generate at least one image for at least one portion of the sample as a function of the second electro-magnetic radiations.

17. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein the fifth arrangement comprises at least one of a charged-coupled device (CCD), linear array of detectors, or a single detector.

18. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein the fifth arrangement comprises at least one dispersive structure.

19. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein the fifth arrangement is further configured to process data associated with the second electro-magnetic radiations to generate at least one color image of at least one portion of the sample.

20. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein the fifth arrangement obtains image information associated with the sample, and to generate the at least one image based on the image information and the second electro-magnetic radiations.

21. The apparatus according claim 20, wherein the fifth arrangement is configured to obtain image information associated with the sample that has uniform reflectance characteristics.

22. The apparatus according claim 20, wherein the at least one image includes color information.

23. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein the computer is configured to (i) generate data for the at least one portion of the sample based on the second electro-magnetic radiations, and (ii) perform a gamma correction procedure on the data to generate the at least one image.

24. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein the fifth arrangement comprises only one charged-coupled device (CCD) configured to generate data for the at least one portion of the structure based on the second electro-magnetic radiations, and wherein the fifth arrangement is further configured to separate the data into at least two further data, each of the further data corresponding to different colors associated with the at least one portion of the sample.

25. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first and second electro-magnetic radiations are first and second wavelength bands, respectively.

26. An apparatus for providing electromagnetic radiation to a sample, comprising:

a wave-guide first arrangement including at least two wave-guides which provide there through at least two respective electro-magnetic wavelength bands having at least partially different wavelengths from one another;

an optical disperse second arrangement structured to receive the electro-magnetic wavelength bands and forward at least two dispersed wavelength bands associated with the respective electro-magnetic wavelength bands to at least one section of the sample,

wherein the at least two wave-guides are spatially arranged at different angles from one another with respect to the second arrangement, and wherein the second arrangement is configured such that (i) diffraction orders of the at least two electro-magnetic wavelength bands substantially overlap along a transverse dimension on the sample, and (ii) at least partial overlap of the dispersed wavelength bands is facilitated on the sample;

a splitter configured to split further respective radiations received from each of the waveguides; and

a detector which is configured to detect the split further respective electro-magnetic radiations.

27. An apparatus for obtaining information for a sample, comprising:

an optical disperse first arrangement structured to receive at least two first electro-magnetic wavelength bands that have at least partially different wavelengths from one another, and which are associated with particular wavelength bands impacting and at least partially overlapping on at least one region of the sample, wherein the first arrangement is structured to generate second respective electro-magnetic wavelength bands based on the received first electro-magnetic wavelength bands;

a wave-guide second arrangement including at least two wave-guides which are configured to receive the second electro-magnetic wavelength bands, wherein the at least two wave-guides are spatially arranged at different angles from one another with respect to the dispersive arrangement, and wherein the dispersive first arrangement is configured such that (i) diffraction orders of the at least two electro-magnetic wavelength bands substantially overlap along a transverse dimension on the sample, and (ii) a receipt of a different one of the second respective electro-magnetic wavelength bands is facilitated as a function of wavelengths thereof; and

a splitter configured to split further respective radiations received from each of the waveguides; and

a detector which is configured to detect the split further respective electro-magnetic radiations.