LIGHTING GUIDE WIRE WITH OPTICAL DETECTION

Abstract

A guidance element system (10) comprises a guidance element (50, 200, 400), a light source (302, 502), and a detector (306, 506). The guidance element includes at least one illumination fiber (56, 208, 407, 408). This at least one illumination fiber distally transmits the light projected by the light source from the proximal end of the guidance element to the distal end of the guidance element. The distal end of the guidance element projects the distally transmitted light. The distal end of the guidance element receives light projected from the distal end of the guidance element and reflected back to the distal end of the guidance element. This at least one illumination fiber proximally transmits the reflected light from the distal end of the guidance element to the proximal end of the guidance element.The proximal end of the guiding element projects the proximally transmitted light towards the detector. The detector detects the proximally transmitted light.