Integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of optical imaging technology and provides an integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device. The scanning box includes a polarizer, a beam expander, a half-wave plate, an achromatic cylindrical lens, and a polarizing beam splitter arranged sequentially according to the light propagation path. An achromatic double lens is disposed on one side of the first light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter, and a galvanometer system and an achromatic double lens are disposed on one side of the second light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter. The scanning box is provided with a first interface, a second interface, and a third interface. A light source, externally connected to the first interface, is located at the light inlet of the polarizer. A camera, externally connected to the second interface, receives the light emitted from the first light-emitting surface. A microscope, externally connected to the third interface, receives the light emitted from the second light-emitting surface. This embodiment realizes an integrated, modular laser speckle imaging system that maintains the high performance of confocal imaging while improving the system's stability and portability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of optical imaging technology, and particularly relates to an integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device. Background Technology

[0002] Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a non-invasive optical imaging technique widely used for monitoring microcirculatory blood flow. This technique analyzes the spatiotemporal statistical characteristics of laser speckle patterns to achieve qualitative or semi-quantitative measurements of parameters such as blood flow velocity. Currently, the mainstream technical solutions in this field can be divided into the following two categories:

[0003] The first type is wide-field laser speckle imaging (LSCI). Wide-field LSCI uses an expanded-beam laser to illuminate the surface of the tissue under test, and the camera directly records the speckle pattern. This technique has a simple optical path and a large imaging field of view, making it suitable for imaging superficial blood flow in the skin, retina, and other areas. However, due to its wide-field illumination characteristics, multiple scattering light from different depths of the sample can severely reduce the spatial resolution and contrast of the image, making it difficult to achieve accurate quantitative blood flow analysis in deep tissues or highly scattering media. The second type is confocal laser speckle imaging. To suppress stray light and multiple scattering noise in wide-field imaging, some confocal laser speckle imaging systems have emerged. These systems effectively suppress out-of-focus scattering light through line scanning, thereby improving imaging contrast, resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio, making them particularly suitable for thicker samples or deep blood flow monitoring.

[0004] However, the second type of system typically uses free-space optical lasers and components, resulting in large size, complex structure, high cost, and difficulty in integration with conventional microscope platforms, which limits its application in routine clinical examinations and multimodal imaging. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this utility model embodiment is to provide an integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device, which aims to solve the problems of low integration and inconvenience in clinical application of confocal laser speckle imaging technology.

[0006] This utility model embodiment is implemented as follows: an integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device, the integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device comprising:

[0007] The scanning box includes a polarizer, a beam expander, a half-wave plate, an achromatic cylindrical lens, and a polarizing beam splitter arranged sequentially according to the light propagation path. An achromatic double lens is provided on one side of the first light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter, and a galvanometer system and an achromatic double lens are arranged sequentially on one side of the second light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter. The scanning box is provided with a first interface, a second interface, and a third interface.

[0008] The light source is externally connected to the first interface and is located at the light inlet of the polarizer;

[0009] The camera is connected to the second interface and is used to receive the light emitted from the first light-emitting surface;

[0010] The microscope is connected to the third interface for receiving the light emitted from the second light-emitting surface.

[0011] Furthermore, the light source is a multi-wavelength fiber laser.

[0012] Furthermore, the light source is selected from four fiber lasers with wavelengths of 488nm, 532nm, 640nm and 785nm.

[0013] Furthermore, the beam expander is selected as a 5x broadband beam expander, the achromatic cylindrical lens has a focal length of 100 mm, and the achromatic doublet has a focal length of 100 mm.

[0014] Furthermore, the camera is a research-grade sCMOS camera, which acquires raw speckle images in line scan imaging mode.

[0015] Furthermore, the galvanometer system is selected as a single-axis large beam diameter scanning galvanometer system.

[0016] Furthermore, the scanning box also includes a collimator, through which the light beam from the light source enters the polarizer.

[0017] Furthermore, the optical components inside the scanning box are integrated into the scanning box as a single unit.

[0018] The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device provided in this embodiment of the invention has the following advantages: it improves system integration and compatibility, enabling it to be effectively combined with commercial microscope platforms and supporting multimodal imaging and routine clinical applications; the integrated scanning box simplifies the system structure, reduces assembly and operational complexity, improves system stability and environmental adaptability, and facilitates long-term monitoring and use by non-professionals; the overall system size is reduced, and integrated components such as fiber lasers are used to reduce costs, enhance portability, and expand applicability in various clinical scenarios such as operating rooms and outpatient clinics. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 Internal optical path diagram of the scanning box provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0021] 10. Scanning box; 20. Light source; 30. Camera; 40. Microscope;

[0022] 1. Collimator; 2. Polarizer; 3. Beam expander; 4. Half-wave plate; 5. Achromatic cylindrical lens; 6. Polarizing beam splitter; 7. Galvanometer system; 8. Achromatic doublet lens. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this utility model and are not intended to limit this utility model.

[0024] It is understood that the terms “first,” “second,” etc., used in this application may be used herein to describe various elements, but unless otherwise stated, these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another.

[0025] In one embodiment, an integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device is provided, the integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device comprising:

[0026] The scanning box 10 includes a polarizer 2, a beam expander 3, a half-wave plate 4, an achromatic cylindrical lens 5, and a polarizing beam splitter 6 arranged sequentially according to the light propagation path. An achromatic double lens 8 is provided on one side of the first light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter 6, and a galvanometer system 7 and an achromatic double lens 8 are arranged sequentially on one side of the second light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter 6. The scanning box 10 is provided with a first interface, a second interface, and a third interface.

[0027] The light source 20 is externally connected to the first interface and is located at the light inlet of the polarizer 2;

[0028] Camera 30 is externally connected to the second interface for receiving the light emitted from the first light-emitting surface;

[0029] The microscope 40 is externally connected to the third interface for receiving the light emitted from the second light-emitting surface.

[0030] In this embodiment, the integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device constructs an integrated, modular laser speckle imaging system adaptable to standard microscope platforms. While maintaining the high performance of confocal imaging, it significantly improves the system's stability, portability, and applicability to multiple scenarios. This embodiment enhances system integration and compatibility, enabling it to be effectively combined with commercial microscope platforms, supporting multimodal imaging and routine clinical applications. The integrated scanning cartridge 10 simplifies the system structure, reduces assembly and operational complexity, improves system stability and environmental adaptability, and facilitates long-term monitoring and use by non-professionals. The overall system size is reduced, and integrated components such as fiber lasers are used to lower costs, enhance portability, and expand applicability in various clinical scenarios such as operating rooms and outpatient clinics.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device of this embodiment. The light source 20 uses a four-channel fiber laser (wavelengths of 488nm, 532nm, 640nm, and 785nm) (Changchun New Industries Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd.). This embodiment is used to achieve confocal laser speckle imaging. The microscope 40 is a general-purpose commercial microscope, which can be manufactured by companies such as Nikon and Olympus. In this embodiment, a multi-wavelength fiber laser is selected as the light source to achieve multi-wavelength laser output, supporting multifunctional, multi-parameter blood flow imaging, and enhancing the system's monitoring capabilities and application potential in complex physiological and pathological environments.

[0032] In this embodiment, the beam expander 3 is a 5x broadband beam expander, the achromatic cylindrical lens 5 has a focal length of 100 mm, and the achromatic doublet lens 8 has a focal length of 100 mm. The camera 30 is a research-grade sCMOS camera (Andor, Zyla 5.5 scientific CMOS) that acquires raw speckle images in line scan imaging mode. The galvanometer system 7 is a single-axis large beam diameter scanning galvanometer system (Thorlabs, GVS011 / M). The scanning box 10 also includes a collimator 1, through which the light source 20 enters the polarizer 2. The collimator 1 is an FC / APC three-in-one fiber collimator (Thorlabs, TC25FC-543). The optical components inside the scanning box 10 are integrated into the scanning box 10. The first interface, the second interface, and the third interface are universal interfaces. The first interface is used to connect to the light source 20, the second interface is used to connect to the camera 30, and the third interface is used to connect to the microscope 40. It is understood that the “sequential arrangement” mentioned in this embodiment does not refer to a straight-line arrangement, but rather to a sequential arrangement according to the light propagation path. The optical path elements in the scanning box can be arranged in a straight line or propagated through a reflector. They do not necessarily have to be arranged on the same straight line, as long as the light propagation direction can be satisfied.

[0033] Figure 2 This is an internal optical path diagram of the scanning box 10 in this embodiment. The optical components of the scanning box 10 used in this embodiment include: collimator 1, polarizer 2, beam expander 3, half-wave plate 4, achromatic cylindrical lens 5, polarizing beam splitter 6, achromatic doublet lens 8, and galvanometer system 7. The optical path structure of this embodiment is as follows:

[0034] First, the light beam from light source 20 is collimated by collimator 1, then passes through polarizer 2 to ensure linearly polarized light. The beam is then expanded by a factor of 5 by beam expander 3. The expanded beam is then polarized by half-wave plate 4, and focused in one dimension by achromatic cylindrical lens 5 to form a linear beam for line scanning illumination. This linear beam passes through polarizing beam splitter 6, and then galvanometer system 7 performs a one-dimensional scan of the sample surface. In the detection path, scattered light returning from the sample is collected by the objective lens of microscope 40, passes through achromatic doublet lens 8 and galvanometer system 7, returns to polarizing beam splitter 6, and is finally received by camera 30 in line scanning imaging mode to acquire a high-quality raw speckle image. After processing, the raw speckle image yields the blood flow image.

[0035] In this embodiment, the confocal optical path design combining line scan illumination and line scan detection effectively suppresses multiple scattering light, significantly improves the spatial resolution, contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of blood flow imaging, and overcomes the problems of low image resolution and low quantitative accuracy caused by multiple scattering in wide-field imaging.

[0036] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0037] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

[0038] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy device, characterized in that, The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device includes: The scanning box includes a polarizer, a beam expander, a half-wave plate, an achromatic cylindrical lens, and a polarizing beam splitter arranged sequentially according to the light propagation path. An achromatic double lens is provided on one side of the first light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter, and a galvanometer system and an achromatic double lens are arranged sequentially on one side of the second light-emitting surface of the polarizing beam splitter. The scanning box is provided with a first interface, a second interface, and a third interface. The light source is externally connected to the first interface and is located at the light inlet of the polarizer; The camera is connected to the second interface and is used to receive the light emitted from the first light-emitting surface; The microscope is connected to the third interface for receiving the light emitted from the second light-emitting surface. 2.The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy device of claim 1, wherein, The light source is a multi-wavelength fiber laser. 3.The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy device of claim 2, wherein, The light source is selected from four fiber lasers with wavelengths of 488nm, 532nm, 640nm and 785nm. 4.The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy device of claim 1, wherein, The beam expander is selected as a 5x broadband beam expander, the achromatic cylindrical lens has a focal length of 100 mm, and the achromatic doublet has a focal length of 100 mm.

5. The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera used is a research-grade sCMOS camera, which acquires raw speckle images in line scan imaging mode.

6. The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The galvanometer system is selected as a single-axis large beam diameter scanning galvanometer system.

7. The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning box further includes a collimator, and the light beam of the light source enters the polarizer after passing through the collimator.

8. The integrated confocal laser speckle microscopy imaging device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the optical elements inside the scanning box are integrated into the scanning box.

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