Endoscopic Dual-Sensor Imaging via Wavelength Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging technologies face challenges in simultaneously capturing clear images of medical sites under white light and fluorescent light, particularly with fluorophores like Cy5.5, SGM-101, OTL38, and indocyanine green, as existing systems struggle to effectively separate and suppress excitation light from the image sensors, leading to overexposure and distortion.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing device with a first sensor for blue, green, and red light and a second sensor for fluorescent light, utilizing a beam splitter and filters to guide light wavelengths and suppress excitation light, allowing for simultaneous or alternating capture of images in white and fluorescent light, while maintaining natural color reproduction and minimizing distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single image sensor is used to capture both white light and fluorescent light, then device complexity is reduced, but image quality deteriorates due to overexposure and distortion from excitation light
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system divides the detection function into separate image sensors: a first image sensor for white light and a second image sensor for fluorescent light. This segmentation allows each sensor to be optimized for its specific wavelength range, preventing the excitation light from overexposing the fluorescent image sensor while maintaining the ability to capture both modalities simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
A beam splitter is introduced as an intermediary optical element that directs different wavelength ranges to appropriate image sensors. The beam splitter separates excitation light (which would cause distortion) from fluorescent light, ensuring that only the desired fluorescent signal reaches the second image sensor while the first image sensor captures the white light image.
2Ease of operation
If excitation light is not suppressed, then imaging simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to overexposure and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful excitation light is extracted and removed from the detection path using a beam splitter. The beam splitter directs excitation light away from the second image sensor, eliminating the overexposure and distortion problems while maintaining the simplicity of simultaneous dual-mode imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam splitter converts the potentially harmful excitation light into a useful directional control mechanism. By strategically directing excitation light away from the fluorescent sensor while allowing fluorescent light to pass through, the system turns what would be a distortion problem into an enabling feature for clean fluorescent imaging.
3Measurement precision
If filters are added to suppress excitation light, then image quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beam splitter serves as an intermediary that performs the excitation light suppression function without requiring additional filters. By using wavelength-dependent reflection and transmission properties, the beam splitter selectively directs excitation light away from the second sensor while allowing fluorescent light to pass, achieving clean detection with a single optical component rather than multiple filters.
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 accurate and undistorted imaging of medical sites under both white and fluorescent light conditions, improving diagnostic capabilities by effectively separating and suppressing excitation light, thus enhancing image quality and color fidelity.
Implementation Method 1
a beam splitter guiding light emanating from the object and having a wavelength, which is smaller than a predetermined cutoff wavelength λ0 within the red spectral range, to the first image sensor and for guiding light emanating from the object and having a wavelength greater than the predetermined cutoff wavelength λ0 to the second image sensor
Implementation Method 2
a number of filters arranged upstream of the second image sensor for partially, substantially or completely suppressing light having a wavelength suitable for exciting at least one of Cy5.5 and SGM-101 and for partially, substantially or completely suppressing light having a wavelength suitable for exciting fluorescence of at least one of OTL38 and indocyanine green
Implementation Method 3
A modern fluorophore is Cy5.5, which is excited with light in the wavelength range of 660 nm to 690 nm (red; absorption maximum at 675 nm) and emits fluorescent light in the wavelength range of 680 nm to 720 nm (emission maximum at 694 nm or 707 nm)
Data Source
AI summary
A device for capturing an image of an object of medical interest in remitted or reflected illumination light and for capturing an image of the object in fluorescent light generated by Cy5.5 and/or SGM-101 and for capturing an image in fluorescent light generated OTL38 and/or indocyanine green (ICG). The device includes an image sensor for detecting blue, green and red light, another image sensor for detecting fluorescent light of Cy5.5 and/or SGM-101 and OTL38 and/or ICG, a beam splitter guiding light having a wavelength smaller than a predetermined cutoff wavelength to the first sensor and guiding light having a wavelength greater than the predetermined cutoff wavelength to the second sensor, and filters upstream of the second sensor for partially, substantially or completely suppressing light having a wavelength exciting Cy5.5 and/or SGM-101 and for partially, substantially or completely suppressing light having a wavelength suitable for exciting fluorescence of OTL38 and/or ICG.