Area Illumination Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current near-infrared fluorescence imaging techniques using point illumination and point detection are inefficient in exciting fluorophores within tissue volumes and produce sparse data sets, making it difficult to accurately localize contrast-enhanced targets in three dimensions.
Innovation Solution
The method employs area illumination and area detection to efficiently excite fluorophores within a large tissue volume and provides more comprehensive data, allowing for the generation of three-dimensional images of fluorescent targets using time-varying excitation and emission light, filtered to reject excitation light, and processed through mathematical models for tomographic reconstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If point illumination and point detection techniques are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the excitation efficiency of fluorophores in tissue volume is insufficient and data sets become sparse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from point-based (0D) illumination and detection to area-based (2D) illumination and detection. This dimensional expansion allows simultaneous excitation of fluorophores across a large tissue volume and collection of fluorescence signals from multiple locations, thereby increasing excitation efficiency and data completeness without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple illumination points into a single area illumination source and merges multiple detection points into a single area detector. This merging approach achieves comprehensive tissue coverage and complete data sets while maintaining relatively simple system architecture, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and productivity
2Ease of operation
If point illumination and point detection are used, then the system is simpler to operate, but the data sets produced are sparse making inverse problem solution difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By expanding from point (0D) to area (2D) detection, the system captures fluorescence signals across the entire tissue surface simultaneously. This dimensional transition provides complete spatial information about fluorophore distribution, eliminating data sparsity and enabling accurate solution of the inverse problem for target localization
3Device complexity
If steady-state fluorescence measurements are used, then the measurement process is simpler, but functional information about the fluorescent environment is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs time-resolved fluorescence measurements that capture the temporal decay kinetics of fluorescent emissions. By measuring fluorescence intensity as a function of time after excitation, the system obtains functional information about the molecular environment of fluorophores, such as pH, oxygen concentration, and molecular binding states, without excessively complicating the measurement system
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables more efficient excitation of fluorophores and provides richer data sets, facilitating accurate three-dimensional imaging of fluorescent targets, which can be applied in medical imaging for diseased tissue identification and tumor margin detection.
Implementation Method 1
the material comprising a fluorescent target. Time-varying emission light from the fluorescent target is detected
Implementation Method 2
The time-varying emission light is filtered to reject excitation light re-emitted from the material
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for biomedical imaging includes directing time-varying excitation light at a surface area of a light scattering material, the material comprising a fluorescent target. Time-varying emission light from the fluorescent target is detected, substantially at a two-dimensional sensor surface, in response to the time-varying excitation light stimulating the fluorescent target. The time-varying emission light is filtered to reject excitation light re-emitted from the material. A three-dimensional image of the fluorescent target is generated based on the detection substantially at the sensor surface.