Hyperspectral Microscope Off-Axis Illumination Real-Time Tissue Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical diagnostics for tissue evaluation are limited by time-consuming processes and lack of real-time capabilities, making it difficult for surgeons to receive clinically relevant information during surgery, especially for identifying suspect lesions.
Innovation Solution
A high-resolution optical imaging method utilizing off-axis illumination and long working distance objectives for hyperspectral/multimodal imaging, which enhances image contrast and visibility of tissue structures, allowing for real-time monitoring of microstructures and cells with high signal sensitivity and spatial resolution down to 0.5 μm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional histological evaluation (fixation, sectioning, staining) is used, then high contrast tissue images are obtained, but the process is time-consuming and cannot provide real-time information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical histological processing (fixation, sectioning, staining) with optical spectroscopic techniques (autofluorescence and light scattering) that can be performed on intact tissue in real-time, eliminating the need for physical sample preparation while providing comparable diagnostic information
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes endogenous tissue properties (autofluorescence from natural fluorophores and intrinsic light scattering) to generate contrast without requiring external stains or dyes, allowing real-time imaging of intact tissue with minimal intervention
2Productivity
If frozen section analysis is used, then real-time information is provided, but it can be used only for readily identifiable lesions
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the detection parameters by using multiple excitation wavelengths and analyzing both autofluorescence emission and light scattering properties, enabling detection of subtle biochemical and structural changes that indicate early or subtle lesions beyond what frozen section morphology can identify
Solution Approach 2:
The optical spectroscopic system provides multiple diagnostic functions simultaneously (autofluorescence imaging, light scattering imaging, spectral analysis) that can detect various types of lesions including early cancer, precancerous changes, and subtle tissue abnormalities, making it more versatile than frozen section analysis
3Measurement precision
If confocal microscopy is used for microscopic tissue imaging, then spatial resolution is improved, but light collection efficiency is reduced due to photo-bleaching and limited excitation energy
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses ultrashort pulsed laser excitation with durations in the picosecond to nanosecond range, delivering high peak power in brief intervals that minimize cumulative photo-bleaching while maintaining sufficient excitation energy for high-resolution imaging and spectral detection
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameters of laser excitation from continuous wave to ultrashort pulses, and optimizes pulse duration and repetition rate to maximize signal collection efficiency while minimizing photo-bleaching damage to tissue fluorophores
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 fast and sensitive imaging of tissues, suitable for in vivo applications, facilitating real-time surgical guidance, tumor margin delineation, and disease diagnosis, while providing simpler and cost-effective instrumentation for clinical use.
Implementation Method 1
a micro-scale instrument that utilizes autofluorescence emission and/or polarized elastic light scattering for real-time monitoring of microstructures and cells in tissues
Implementation Method 2
a micro-scale instrument that utilizes autofluorescence emission and/or polarized elastic light scattering for real-time monitoring of microstructures and cells in tissues
Data Source
AI summary
An optical hyperspectral/multimodal imaging method and apparatus is utilized to provide high signal sensitivity for implementation of various optical imaging approaches. Such a system utilizes long working distance microscope objectives so as to enable off-axis illumination of predetermined tissue thereby allowing for excitation at any optical wavelength, simplifies design, reduces required optical elements, significantly reduces spectral noise from the optical elements and allows for fast image acquisition enabling high quality imaging in-vivo. Such a technology provides a means of detecting disease at the single cell level such as cancer, precancer, ischemic, traumatic or other type of injury, infection, or other diseases or conditions causing alterations in cells and tissue micro structures.