CONFIGURABLE PLATFORM

• US 20170209050A1
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Novadaq Technologies, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: FENGLER, John Josef Paul, STEAD, Robert Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 10,980,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00186 with imaging filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/00 Photometry, e.g. photographic exposure meter spectrophotometry G01J3/00; specially adapted for radiation pyrometry G01J5/00 ; exposure meters built in cameras G03B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/58 using luminescence generated by light
• 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 3/021 using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or particular reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0248 using a sighting port, e.g. camera or human eye
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4406 Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/16 adapted for ultraviolet illumination ; Fluorescence microscopes G02B21/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1013 for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors spectral imaging systems G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/106 for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 : using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/049 : having three pick-up sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 : for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/16 : Optical arrangements associated therewith, e.g. for beam-splitting or for colour correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 : provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 : Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 : Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 : by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/75 : by influencing optical camera components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/11 : Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics

Abstract

A fluorescence imaging system for imaging an object, the system includes a white light provider that emits white light, an excitation light provider that emits excitation light in a plurality of excitation wavebands for causing the object to emit fluorescent light, a component that directs the white light and excitation light to the object and collects reflected white light and emitted fluorescent light from the object, a filter that blocks light in the excitation wavebands and transmits at least a portion of the reflected white light and fluorescent light, and an image sensor assembly that receives the transmitted reflected white light and the fluorescent light.

Claims

1. A fluorescence imaging system for imaging an object, comprising:

a white light provider that emits white light;

an excitation light provider that emits excitation light in a plurality of excitation wavebands for causing the object to emit fluorescent light;

a component that directs the white light and excitation light to the object and collects reflected white light and emitted fluorescent light from the object;

a filter that blocks light in the excitation wavebands and transmits at least a portion of the reflected white light and fluorescent light; and

an image sensor assembly that receives the transmitted reflected white light and the fluorescent light.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the excitation wavebands is centered at about 405 nm, about 470-480 nm, about 660 nm, about 760-780 nm, about 805 nm, or about 750-810 nm.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the excitation light provider comprises at least three excitation light sources.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the excitation light provider is coupled to an optical filter that narrows the spectrum of light emitted from the excitation light provider.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter has an optical density of at least 4 for blocking substantially all light in the excitation wavebands.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter transmits at least 90% of the reflected white light and the fluorescent light.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the image sensor assembly comprises a single image sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the image sensor assembly comprises a plurality of image sensors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the component is an interchangeable component.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image processor and at least one controller that controls the system to selectively operate in a non-fluorescence mode, a fluorescence mode, or a combined non-fluorescence and fluorescence mode, wherein:

in the non-fluorescence mode, the controller causes the white light provider to emit white light and the image processor generates a white light image based on image signals associated with the reflected white light from the object,

in the fluorescence mode, the controller causes the excitation light provider to emit excitation light and the image processor generates a fluorescence emission image based on image signals associated with the fluorescent light from the object, and

in the combined non-fluorescence and fluorescence mode, the controller causes at least a portion of the white light or at least a portion of the excitation light to be pulsed.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflected white light and the fluorescent light received at the image sensor are temporally multiplexed, spatially multiplexed, or both temporally multiplexed and spatially multiplexed.

12. A fluorescence imaging system for imaging an object, comprising:

a light source assembly comprising;

a white light provider that emits white light;

an excitation light provider that emits excitation light in a plurality of excitation wavebands for causing the object to emit fluorescent light;

at least one image sensor that receives reflected white light and emitted fluorescent light from the object; and

an optical assembly located in the optical path between the object and the image sensor, comprising;

a first optics region that projects the reflected white light as a white light image onto the image sensor; and

a second optics region that reduces the image size of the fluorescent light, spectrally separates the fluorescent light, and projects the separated fluorescent light as fluorescence images onto different portions of the image sensor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the excitation wavebands is centered at a wavelength falling outside of the visible light spectrum.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of excitation wavebands is centered at about 670 nm, about 770 nm, or about 805 nm.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a combining optical assembly coupled to the light source assembly, wherein the combining optical assembly combines the emitted white light and excitation light from the light source assembly into a single optical path.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the optical assembly comprises a filter that blocks light in the excitation wavebands and transmits at least a portion of reflected white light and fluorescent light from the object.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the optical assembly comprises a beam splitter that separates the transmitted light into a first branch of reflected white light and a second branch of fluorescent light.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the second optics region comprises demagnification optics that reduce the image size of the fluorescent light.

19. A method for fluorescence imaging of an object, comprising:

emitting white light;

emitting excitation light in a plurality of excitation wavebands for causing the object to emit fluorescent light;

directing the white light and excitation light to the object;

collecting reflected white light and emitted fluorescent light from the object;

blocking light in the excitation wavebands and transmitting at least a portion of the reflected white light and fluorescent light; and

receiving the transmitted reflected white light and fluorescent light on an image sensor assembly.

20. A method for fluorescence imaging of an object, comprising:

emitting white light;

emitting excitation light in a plurality of excitation wavebands, causing the object to emit fluorescent light;

receiving reflected white light and emitted fluorescent light from the object on at least one image sensor;

feeding at least part of the reflected light through an optical assembly located in an optical path between the object and the image sensor, wherein;

a first optics region of the optical assembly projects reflected white light as a white light image onto the image sensor; and

a second optics region reduces the image size of the fluorescent light, spectrally separates the fluorescent light, and projects the separated fluorescent light as fluorescence images onto different portions of the image sensor.