Optical Adapter for Real-Time Dye-Free Endoscopic Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical imaging systems, such as endoscopes, often fail to provide real-time visualization of complex anatomical structures or critical features beneath the tissue surface, leading to incomplete or incorrect analysis during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
An optical adapter compatible with medical imaging technologies, featuring a housing with a scope and camera interface, an image sensor, and an optics assembly that reflects a portion of the light signals onto the image sensor or camera, allowing for real-time visualization without the need for dyes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional medical imaging systems use dyes to visualize internal processes, then blood flow visualization is improved, but the time frame for visualization is limited and additional resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the dye component from the imaging system, replacing it with an endogenous contrast mechanism that uses naturally occurring hemoglobin in blood to provide contrast. This eliminates the need for exogenous dyes and their associated time delays, allowing immediate real-time visualization of blood flow without waiting for dye circulation and distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the patient's own blood components (hemoglobin) as the contrast agent, making the system self-sufficient without requiring external dye administration. The hemoglobin naturally provides optical absorption contrast at specific wavelengths, enabling the imaging system to visualize blood flow using the subject's inherent physiological properties rather than requiring additional substances.
2Productivity
If endoscopy is used to capture images of internal features, then real-time visualization is achieved, but complex anatomy or critical structures beneath the tissue surface remain invisible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using wavelength-specific optical filtering to enhance contrast in particular spectral regions where hemoglobin absorption provides information about subsurface structures. By selecting specific wavelengths that penetrate tissue and are absorbed by hemoglobin, the system reveals blood flow patterns and vascular structures beneath the tissue surface that are invisible to standard white-light endoscopy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits the wavelength-dependent optical absorption properties of hemoglobin (color changes in the optical spectrum) to generate contrast. By illuminating tissue with specific wavelengths and detecting the absorbed versus transmitted light, the system creates images that reveal subsurface vascular structures based on the optical 'color' properties of blood rather than visible surface coloration.
3Measurement precision
If fluorescent dye-based angiography is used to visualize complex anatomy, then some subsurface structures become visible, but the procedure becomes costly, time-consuming, and may elicit allergic reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, potentially allergenic fluorescent dyes with a free, naturally abundant substance (hemoglobin) that requires no special preparation or disposal protocols. This eliminates the need for costly contrast agents while maintaining the ability to visualize subsurface structures, significantly reducing both material costs and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hemoglobin as an intermediary substance that naturally provides optical contrast without requiring the complex fluorescent dye molecules. This intermediary approach simplifies the imaging system by eliminating the need for expensive dye delivery systems, filtration equipment, and special imaging cameras required for fluorescent detection, while still achieving subsurface structure visualization.
4Measurement precision
If separate imaging tools for endoscopy and angiography are used, then comprehensive visualization is achieved, but surgical time is prolonged and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges endoscopy and angiography functions into a single integrated imaging system. By combining the endoscope with wavelength-specific illumination and detection capabilities for hemoglobin contrast, the system simultaneously provides both anatomical visualization and blood flow imaging through one device, eliminating the need for separate imaging tools and reducing surgical time and contamination risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system achieves multi-functionality by being capable of both standard endoscopic imaging and angiographic visualization using the same optical pathway and sensor. The system can operate in different spectral modes to provide comprehensive visualization of both tissue anatomy and subsurface vascular structures, replacing multiple specialized devices with a single universal tool.
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 real-time visualization of additional or multiple features of the target site, improving the accuracy of surgical procedures and reducing the risk of surgical complications by providing a dye-free imaging solution.
Implementation Method 1
an optics assembly disposed in the housing, wherein the optics assembly is configured to (i) receive light signals that are reflected from a target site within a subject's body and transmitted through the scope, and (ii) reflect a first portion of the light signals onto one of the image sensor or the camera, while permitting a second portion of the light signals to pass through to the other of the image sensor or the camera
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for medical imaging. The system may comprise an optical adapter. The optical adapter may comprise a housing that comprises (1) a first end configured to releasably couple to a scope and (2) a second end configured to releasably couple to a camera. The optical adapter may comprise an image sensor coupled to the housing. The optical adapter may comprise an optics assembly disposed in the housing. The optics assembly may be configured to (1) receive light signals that are reflected from a target site within a subject's body and transmitted through the scope, and (2) reflect a first portion of the light signals onto the image sensor while permitting a second portion of the light signals to pass through to the camera.