Handheld OCT Imaging With Camera for Middle Ear Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diagnostic tools struggle to visualize the ossicular chain hidden by the tympanic membrane, which is crucial for accurate ear diagnoses and surgical interventions for conductive hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
A handheld optical system with a distal lens assembly, optical beam combining element, image sensor, and optical coherence tomography beam delivery assembly, including a variable focal length lens, is integrated to capture detailed images of the middle ear structures, combining OCT and conventional imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a handheld optical system with integrated OCT and conventional imaging is used, then visualization of middle ear structures including the ossicular chain is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines OCT imaging and conventional imaging into a single handheld optical system, integrating multiple imaging modalities to achieve comprehensive visualization of middle ear structures while maintaining a compact form factor suitable for clinical use
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is designed to perform multiple functions including OCT imaging, conventional imaging, and vibrometric assessment through a single integrated device, eliminating the need for separate diagnostic tools and improving overall measurement capability
2Adaptability or versatility
If a variable focal length lens is integrated into the imaging assembly, then adaptability to different imaging depths is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging lens assembly incorporates a variable focal length lens that can dynamically adjust its focal length to accommodate different imaging depths and distances, allowing the system to adapt to various clinical scenarios without requiring multiple fixed-focus lenses
3Volume of moving object
If an optical beam combining element is used to merge OCT and conventional imaging beams, then device compactness is improved, but optical path alignment difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
An optical beam combining element is introduced as an intermediary component to merge the OCT beam and conventional imaging beam into a common optical path, enabling compact device design while managing the complexity of optical alignment through a dedicated beam combining mechanism
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 clear visualization of middle ear structures, facilitating precise diagnostics and surgical planning by providing high-resolution images of the ossicular chain and vibrometric assessments.
Implementation Method 1
The optical beam combining element can be a beamsplitter. A beamsplitter is an optical component used to split incident light at a designated ratio into two separate beams. However, a beamsplitter can be used in reverse to combine two different beams into a single one. The beamsplitter can be a dichroic mirror.
Implementation Method 2
The distal lens assembly and the imaging lens assembly are configured such that imaging light scattered by a sample residing at a distal object plane is collected by the distal lens assembly and directed onto the image sensor by the imaging lens assembly according to an optical imaging beam path.
Implementation Method 3
The distal lens assembly and/or the imaging lens assembly and/or the optical coherence tomography beam delivery assembly comprises a variable focal length lens configured to variably adjust a distance between the distal lens assembly and the distal object plane along the optical exit axis, wherein a focal length of the variable focal length lens is variable within a predefined focal length range.
Implementation Method 4
The optical coherence tomography beam delivery assembly is configured to deliver, from an optical coherence tomography subsystem, an optical coherence tomography sample arm beam onto the optical beam combining element such that the optical coherence tomography sample arm beam is directed through the distal lens assembly onto the sample, thereby defining an optical coherence tomography sample arm beam path, and such that reflected optical coherence tomography light is collected by the distal lens assembly and directed to the optical coherence tomography subsystem for detection.
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical system comprising a distal lens assembly defining an optical exit axis; an optical beam combining element; an image sensor; an imaging lens assembly defining an imaging beam path between the optical beam combining element and the image sensor, the distal lens assembly and the imaging lens assembly configured such that imaging light scattered by a sample residing at a distal object plane is collected by the distal lens assembly and directed onto the image sensor by the imaging lens assembly according to an optical imaging beam path; an optical coherence tomography beam delivery assembly configured to deliver, from an optical coherence tomography subsystem, an optical coherence tomography sample arm beam onto the optical beam combining element such that the optical coherence tomography sample arm beam is directed through the distal lens assembly onto the sample, thereby defining an optical coherence tomography sample arm beam path, and such that reflected optical coherence tomography light is collected by the distal lens assembly and directed to the optical coherence tomography subsystem for detection, wherein the distal lens assembly and/or the imaging lens assembly and/or the optical coherence tomography beam delivery assembly comprises a variable focal length lens configured to variably adjust a distance between the distal lens assembly and the distal object plane along the optical exit axis, wherein a focal length of the variable focal length lens is variable within a predefined focal length range.