Fluorescence Imaging System Spectral Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems face challenges in providing accurate, quantitative measurements of fluorescence imaging agent concentrations and properties during procedures due to factors like illumination and tissue depth, making it difficult to determine the amount of time the substance will fluoresce.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device and image processing system that capture and compare fluorescence image information across different wavelength bands to determine properties such as concentration levels of the fluorescing substance, using processors and memory to analyze the spectral intensity plots and generate accurate property data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fluorescence imaging is performed to identify cellular activity during medical procedures, then medical personnel can readily identify structures and cellular activity, but accurate quantitative measurement of fluorescence imaging agent concentrations is difficult due to factors like illumination and tissue depth
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures fluorescence images at multiple excitation wavelengths and multiple emission wavelengths, creating a spectral fingerprint for each pixel. By analyzing the spectral characteristics across different wavelength bands rather than a single wavelength, the system can distinguish between variations caused by imaging conditions (illumination intensity, tissue depth) and variations caused by actual concentration differences of the fluorescence imaging agent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces reference regions or background regions that do not contain the fluorescence imaging agent as intermediaries. These reference regions provide a baseline for comparing the spectral characteristics of regions containing the agent, allowing the system to subtract out the effects of illumination variations and tissue depth, thereby isolating the concentration-dependent signal.
2Measurement precision
If single wavelength band imaging is used to capture fluorescence, then the imaging system is simpler and faster, but the ability to determine substance properties and concentration levels is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system divides the spectral range into multiple excitation wavelength bands and multiple emission wavelength bands, capturing images in each band separately. This segmentation allows the system to collect comprehensive spectral information while using standard imaging components for each wavelength band, rather than requiring a single complex hyperspectral imager.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the same imaging device and detector for all wavelength bands, making the imaging component multi-functional. By sequentially or simultaneously capturing images across multiple wavelength bands with the same hardware, the system achieves spectral analysis capability without duplicating entire imaging systems, thus balancing complexity and measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If multi-wavelength band imaging is performed to determine substance properties, then accurate concentration and property data can be obtained, but the imaging process requires more complex data processing and analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a spectral fingerprint (a simplified representation) for each pixel based on the multi-wavelength data, copying the essential concentration and property information into a compact form. This spectral fingerprint serves as a simplified copy of the full spectral data, enabling efficient storage and analysis while retaining the quantitative information needed for concentration determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing system uses iterative algorithms that compare the observed spectral characteristics with reference spectral libraries of known fluorescence imaging agents. The system provides feedback by adjusting concentration estimates until the modeled spectrum matches the observed spectrum, enabling accurate quantitative measurement even with complex multi-wavelength data through systematic refinement.
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, real-time determination of substance properties, allowing for better decision-making during medical procedures and facilitating effective clinical trials with improved precision.
Implementation Method 1
first image information corresponding to a first wavelength band associated with fluorescence emitted by a substance and output second image information corresponding to a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band and associated with the fluorescence emitted by the substance
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative system may include an imaging device and an image processing system. The imaging device may be configured to output first image information corresponding to a first wavelength band associated with fluorescence emitted by a substance and may be configured to output second image information corresponding to a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band and associated with the fluorescence emitted by the substance. The image processing system may be configured to receive the first image information and the second image information from the imaging device and may determine, based on a comparison of the first image information to the second image information, a property of the substance.