Biological Tissue Characterization with Wide-Field and Confocal OCT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for characterizing surgical margins, particularly in skin tumor excision, face challenges due to lack of depth resolution and positioning errors, making it difficult to accurately delineate excision margins both in vivo and in ex vivo applications.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a full-field illumination device, two-dimensional detector, and microscopic analysis device with a microscope objective, which allows for precise characterization of biological tissues by generating microscopic analysis information and producing a mapping of characterization parameters, enabling accurate identification of tissue boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If multi-photon fluorescence imaging is used for real-time identification of tumor regions, then real-time characterization is achieved, but depth resolution is lost and positioning errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two imaging modalities into a single integrated system: wide-field imaging for real-time surface visualization and confocal optical coherence tomography (OCT) for depth-resolved microscopic analysis. The confocal OCT microscope objective is mechanically coupled to the wide-field imaging device, allowing simultaneous acquisition of both surface and subsurface images without repositioning, thus resolving the contradiction between real-time speed and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional surface imaging to three-dimensional volumetric imaging by incorporating confocal OCT capability. The confocal OCT system provides depth resolution through optical sectioning, enabling characterization of subsurface lesions at different depths while maintaining real-time imaging capability through the integrated wide-field guidance.
2Speed
If conventional fluorescence imaging is used, then real-time imaging is achieved, but positioning errors occur due to tissue movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs the wide-field imaging device to continuously monitor tissue surface position and provide real-time positioning feedback. This surface image serves as a reference frame that compensates for tissue movements, ensuring that the confocal OCT measurements remain accurately positioned despite physiological motions during in vivo characterization.
3Measurement precision
If OCT imaging is used for ex vivo analysis, then depth resolution is achieved, but acquisition time becomes too long for in vivo application
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial OCT scanning by acquiring confocal OCT images at selected depths and locations guided by the wide-field imaging. Rather than performing exhaustive full-volume OCT scans, the integrated system targets specific regions of interest identified by the rapid wide-field imaging, significantly reducing acquisition time while maintaining depth resolution for clinically relevant subsurface lesions.
4Loss of information
If ex vivo OCT analysis is used, then detailed characterization is achieved, but the method is not suitable for in vivo application due to long acquisition time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges rapid wide-field imaging with confocal OCT microscopy into a single integrated system. The wide-field component provides real-time overview and navigation, while the confocal OCT component delivers detailed depth-resolved characterization. This combination enables in vivo application by reducing total acquisition time while preserving comprehensive tissue characterization capability.
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
Enables precise and easily interpretable characterization of biological tissues, facilitating accurate excision by providing real-time mapping of tissue parameters, even for subsurface lesions, improving surgical precision.
Implementation Method 1
a full-field illumination device configured to illuminate the biological tissue in a first spectral band; a two-dimensional detector producing, in operation, a reflection image of said elementary surface
Implementation Method 2
an illumination path configured to illuminate the biological tissue according to a first illumination pattern included in said elementary surface, and in a second spectral band; a detection path configured to detect, according to a detection pattern included in said elementary surface, a light beam emitted by the biological tissue in response to said illumination
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
System (101) for characterizing a region of interest of a biological tissue, comprising: a sighting device (110) configured to produce a reflection image of an elementary surface of the biological tissue; a microscopic analysis device (120) configured to detect, according to a detection pattern included in the elementary surface, a light beam emitted by the biological tissue in response to an illumination of the biological tissue and to generate microscopic analysis information, and to determine from the microscopic analysis information a characterizing parameter of the tissue; a processing module (140) configured to locate, with respect to a surface image of the region of interest, each elementary surface image of a plurality of elementary surface images and to produce a mapping element of the characterizing parameter from the at least one first characterizing parameter determined for at least some of the elementary surface images of the plurality of elementary surface images; a display module (150) configured to display a map of the tissue comprising the mapping element, the map being registered with respect to the surface image of the region of interest.