Method and apparatus for high resolution coherent optical imaging

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for examining the sub-surface microstructure of a sample are provided. Radiation from a plurality of optical radiation sources travels along a first optical path. In the first optical path, a device focuses the optical radiation from each of the optical sources into a plurality of respective focal points along the first optical path to provide substantially continuous coverage of a selected portion of the first optical path. Then, a sample on the first optical path within the selected length extending into the sample is scanned along said selected portion of the first optical path.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to both a method and an apparatus for high-resolution optical imaging. More particularly, this invention is concerned with providing high-resolution imaging suitable for incorporation into an endoscope.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Modern medical imaging techniques have important applications in health care. Modalities such as X-ray computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound imaging are the main tomographic techniques available in most modern medical centers. Visible-light endoscopy is another major imaging modality which is used extensively in procedures like bronchoscopy or colonoscopy. Each of these techniques employs different physical principles and measures different properties of the biological tissue under study with different resolution. Further, they can commonly be performed in-vivo. A third type of imaging, optical microscopy, is still utilized widely in clinical medicine. However, optic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]The present invention provides an endomicroscope with multiple fibers (i.e. channels) employing OCT to allow for different parts of the image to be scanned in parallel, instead of in series as is currently implemented in existing in vivo or ex vivo OCT / OCM systems. Using multiple parallel channels focused to different depths in the tissue, with each channel collecting high-resolution OCT data only across a very small axial range allows for a series of tight focal points to be achieved throughout the entire field of view without dynamic focusing or dynamic compensation. This greatly simplifies the design of the device which may now use mostly fixed optical components, and may facilitate high-speed operation. In addition, the intrinsically miniature dimension of the fiber optic based OCT technique makes the multichannel concept possible to implement in a flexible endoscopic device while the proximal part of the endoscope, which is outside of the patient, allows room for sources, detectors, and other equipment.

[0021]a focusing means in the first optical path for focusing optical radiation from the optical radiation sources into a plurality of respective focal points located on a surface within the first optical path to provide substantially continuous coverage of a selected portion of the first optical path, whereby, in use, a sample can be located at least partially within the selected portion, thereby permitting simultaneous scanning of a plurality of points within the sample.

Problems solved by technology

After reviewing possible clinical applications of the endomicroscope, the following parameters and features were identified since it is difficult to achieve these parameters and features simultaneously with current in vivo OCT systems.

As a result, the outer diameter of these systems is restricted to approximately 2 to 3 mm which limits the numerical aperture of the imaging system.

This makes it difficult to obtain high lateral resolution under in vivo conditions.

These constraints may be technically unnecessary and limit one from fully exploiting the benefit of OCT / OCM in the clinical applications under consideration.

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