Spectrally-encoded endoscopy techniques, apparatus and methods

• US 9,516,997 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shishkov, Milen, Tearney, Guillermo J., Bouma, Brett Eugene, Yelin, Dvir, Iftimia, Nicusor
• Primary Examiner(s): LEPISTO, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/465,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00167 Details of optical fibre bundles, e.g. shape or fibre distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00172 with means for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/002 having rod-lens arrangements A61B1/055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• 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 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 9/14 of optical work, e.g. lenses, prisms control of the position of the tool for bevelling optical work B24B47/225
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0205 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. optical manifolds, diffusers, windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0208 using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction
• 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: G02B 23/2453 of the proximal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2469 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/26 : using light guides for illumination G02B23/2469
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/18 : Diffraction gratings holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44

Abstract

Exemplary apparatus for obtaining information for a structure can be provided. For example, the exemplary apparatus can include at least one first optical fiber arrangement which is configured to transceive at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, and can include at least one fiber. The exemplary apparatus can also include at least one second focusing arrangement in optical communication with the optical fiber arrangement. The second arrangement can be configured to focus and provide there through the first electro-magnetic radiation to generate the focused electro-magnetic radiation. Further, the exemplary apparatus can include at least at least one dispersive third arrangement which can receive a particular radiation (e.g., the first electro-magnetic radiation(s) and/or the focused electro-magnetic radiation), and forward a dispersed radiation thereof to at least one section of the structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for obtaining information for a structure, comprising:

at least one first optical fiber arrangement configured to transceive at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, and including at least one fiber;

at least one dispersive second arrangement configured to receive a particular radiation which is at least one of the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, and forward a spectrally-dispersed radiation thereof to at least one section of the structure; and

at least one focusing third arrangement in an optical communication with the at least one first optical fiber arrangement,

wherein the at least one third arrangement is configured to focus and provide there through the spectrally-dispersed radiation to generate a focused electro-magnetic radiation, and

wherein at least one end of the at least one fiber is connected to at least one of the at least one focusing third arrangement and or the at least one dispersive second arrangement.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dispersive second arrangement is provided at a particular angle with respect to an extension of the at least one first optical fiber arrangement.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the particular angle substantially corresponds to a Littrow'"'"'s angle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the particular angle is substantially greater than 1 degree.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dispersive arrangement includes a grating.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one focusing arrangement includes an optical component with a numerical aperture of at most 0.2.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one end is directly connected to the optical component.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular radiation comprises at least one of a plurality of wavelengths or a single wavelength that changes over time.

9. An apparatus for obtaining information for a structure, comprising:

at least one first optical fiber arrangement configured to transceive at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, and including at least one fiber;

at least one dispersive second arrangement configured to receive a particular radiation which is at least one of the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, and forward a spectrally-dispersed radiation thereof to at least one section of the structure;

at least one focusing third arrangement in optical communication with the at least one first optical fiber arrangement,

wherein the at least one focusing third arrangement is configured to focus and provide there through the spectrally-dispersive radiation to generate the focused electro-magnetic radiation,

wherein at least one end of the at least one fiber is connected to at least one of the at least one focusing third arrangement or the at least one dispersive second arrangement, and

wherein at least two of the first, second and third arrangements are provided in a monolithic configuration.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one dispersive second arrangement is provided at a particular angle with respect to an extension of the at least one first optical fiber arrangement.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the particular angle substantially corresponds to a Littrow'"'"'s angle.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the particular angle is substantially greater than 1 degree.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one dispersive arrangement includes a grating.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one focusing arrangement includes an optical component with a numerical aperture of at most 0.2.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one end is directly connected to the optical component.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the particular radiation comprises at least one of a plurality of wavelengths or a single wavelength that changes over time.

17. An apparatus for obtaining information for a structure, comprising:

at least one first optical fiber arrangement configured to transceive at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, and including at least one fiber;

at least one focusing second arrangement configured to generate focused electro-magnetic radiation; and

at least one dispersive third arrangement configured to forward a spectrally-dispersed radiation to at least one section of the structure,

wherein a radiation, that is from the at least one first electro-magnetic and the at least one dispersive third arrangement, is forward to at least one section of the structure, and

wherein at least one end of the at least one fiber is connected to at least one of the at least one focusing second arrangement or the at least one dispersive third arrangement.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the at least one dispersive second arrangement is provided at a particular angle with respect to an extension of the at least one first optical fiber arrangement.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the particular angle substantially corresponds to a Littrow'"'"'s angle.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the particular angle is substantially greater than 1 degree.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the at least one dispersive arrangement includes a grating.

22. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the at least one focusing arrangement includes an optical component with a numerical aperture of at most 0.2.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the at least one end is directly connected to the optical component.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the particular radiation comprises at least one of a plurality of wavelengths or a single wavelength that changes over time.