Segmented Optical Filter for Simultaneous Fluorescence and Color Observation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical microscopes using fluorescence observation modes struggle to provide a natural color impression of non-fluorescent regions, making it difficult for surgeons to distinguish healthy and tumor tissues without switching between fluorescence and normal light modes, which is demanding and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
An optical system with a first illumination light filter and a first observation light filter, configured to allow fluorescent light to pass while blocking non-fluorescent light, enabling simultaneous fluorescence observation and natural color perception by using non-overlapping transmitting and blocking regions in the filters, allowing for improved color impression and reduced contrast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an illumination light filter blocks significant amount of spectrum to enable fluorescence observation, then fluorescence detection capability is improved, but natural color impression of non-fluorescent regions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The observation light filter is segmented into multiple transmitting regions with different wavelength ranges. Each transmitting region allows passage of specific wavelength bands, enabling simultaneous transmission of fluorescent light (for detection) and visible light (for natural color perception). This segmentation resolves the contradiction by dividing the filter's function into multiple wavelength-specific channels.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the observation light filter have different optical properties - some regions transmit fluorescent wavelengths while others transmit visible wavelengths for natural color perception. The filter applies local quality variation across its wavelength spectrum, allowing fluorescent regions to be detected with high contrast while non-fluorescent regions maintain natural color appearance.
2Measurement precision
If surgical microscope operates in fluorescence observation mode, then tumor tissue visualization is improved, but details of healthy tissue become invisible
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system segments the observation spectrum into fluorescent wavelength channels and visible wavelength channels. The fluorescence observation mode captures tumor tissue information through fluorescent channels while the same system preserves visible light transmission for healthy tissue details, eliminating the need to switch modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The observation light filter performs multiple functions simultaneously - it acts as a fluorescence bandpass filter for tumor detection while also serving as a visible light window for healthy tissue observation. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making a single optical path capable of both tumor visualization and healthy tissue detail preservation.
3Loss of information
If surgeon switches between fluorescence observation mode and normal light observation mode, then both tumor visualization and healthy tissue details become visible, but surgical efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges fluorescence observation and normal light observation into a single integrated optical path. The observation light filter combines multiple transmitting regions that simultaneously pass fluorescent light and visible light, allowing the surgeon to view both tumor fluorescence and healthy tissue details through one continuous view without mode switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical microscope system achieves multi-functionality by enabling simultaneous fluorescence imaging and natural light imaging through a single optical configuration. The illumination and observation filters work together to provide both tumor-specific fluorescence contrast and general anatomical detail in one operational mode, maximizing surgical efficiency.
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 surgeons to visualize fluorescent regions and non-fluorescent regions with an unaltered natural color impression, improving surgical precision by allowing for the identification of tumor boundaries without switching modes, thus facilitating more accurate tumor removal.
Implementation Method 1
The illumination light filter allows light having wavelengths suitable for exciting a fluorescence in the object to traverse the filter and to reach the object
Implementation Method 2
The observation light filter allows fluorescent light emanating from the object to traverse the filter and reach the observing eye or camera
Data Source
AI summary
An optical system for fluorescence observation comprises optics including an ocular 17, a camera 55, a display 69, a light source 71, an illumination light filter 84, an observation light filter 57 and a controller 35. The observation filter has multiple transmitting regions which allows light which was generated by a fluorescence to traverse for observation. The transmitting ranges are divided by blocking ranges. At the wavelength ranges at which the observation filter has a transmitting region the illumination filter has a blocking region and the other way round. The multiple transmitting regions of the illumination filter enable an improved color impression under normal light observation. The controller is configured to process a fluorescent light image obtained by the camera by identifying a contiguous fluorescent region in the fluorescent light image, generating an image including a representation of the boundary of the contiguous fluorescent region, and supplying the generated image to the display.