Optical coherence tomography system that is reconfigurable between different imaging modes

• US 9,709,379 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Kemp, Nathaniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Tarifur
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cook, Jonathon
• Application Number:
  US14/107,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 356479, 356497
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02004 using frequency scans
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02009 by using two or more low coherence lengths using different or varying spectral width
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/0203 With imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02048 Rough and fine measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02069 Synchronization of light source or manipulator and detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence

Abstract

The invention generally relates to an optical coherence tomography system that is reconfigurable between two different imaging modes and methods of use thereof.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable optical coherence tomography (OCT) system configured to reconfigure between at least a first imaging mode optimized for coronary imaging and a second imaging mode optimized for peripheral imaging, the system comprising:

a reconfigurable swept-source laser configured to be adjusted between a first setting corresponding to the first imaging mode and a second setting corresponding to the second imaging mode, wherein the reconfigurable swept-source laser comprises;

a first filter comprising a first bandwidth characteristic corresponding to the first imaging mode;

a second filter comprising a second bandwidth characteristic corresponding to the second imaging mode; and

an optical switch configured to switch an optical signal between the first filter and the second filter;

wherein, in the first setting, the swept-source laser has a first sweep rate with a first coherence length and the first imaging mode is for imaging a coronary vessel; and

wherein, in the second setting, the swept-source laser has a second sweep rate with a second coherence length, the second sweep rate being less than the first sweep rate and the second coherence length being greater than the first coherence length, and the second imaging mode is for imaging a peripheral vessel;

wherein sampling characteristics of OCT signal digitization are changed between the first and second imaging modes by changing an external K-space sample clock waveform by switching a different wavemeter interferometer into a K-clock generator for each of the imaging modes.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the OCT system comprises two different software image acquisition modules, one for each imaging mode.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is compatible with two different catheters, one for each imaging mode.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an apparatus selected from the group consisting of:

a spectroscopic apparatus, an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) apparatus, a Forward-Looking IVUS (FLIVUS) apparatus, a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) apparatus, a radiofrequency apparatus, a thermal imaging or thermography apparatus, an optical light-based imaging apparatus, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, a radiography apparatus, a nuclear imaging apparatus, a photoacoustic imaging apparatus, an electrical impedance tomography apparatus, an elastography apparatus, an intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) apparatus, a forward looking ICE apparatus, an orthopedic apparatus, a spinal imaging apparatus, and a neurological imaging apparatus.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical switch comprises a piezoelectric beam steering optical switch.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical switch comprises a MEMS-type optical switch.