Surgical Microscopy OCT Beam Path Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical microscopy systems face challenges in integrating optical coherence tomography (OCT) with optical microscopy without impairing the performance of either system, particularly in ophthalmologic surgeries where precise imaging and structural information are crucial.
Innovation Solution
A surgical microscopy system is designed with an OCT facility that includes microscopy optics, an OCT system with a beam path, a reflector, imaging optics, and a beam scanner, allowing the OCT-measuring light to traverse the objective lens and be directed onto the object region while maintaining the performance of the optical microscopy system. This configuration uses refractive and diffractive optical elements, collimating optics, and a beam scanner with pivotable deflecting surfaces to ensure the OCT beam path is independent of the microscopy system's light path, reducing vignetting and maintaining lateral resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the OCT beam path is integrated with the microscopy system, then structural information and wavefront data can be obtained simultaneously, but the performance of the microscopy system may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the OCT beam path from the microscopy light path by using independent optical pathways. The OCT measuring light traverses the objective lens through a dedicated beam path that includes a beam scanner and reflector, while the microscopy light path remains separate. This segmentation allows both systems to operate simultaneously without interfering with each other's performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The objective lens serves as an intermediary component that both the OCT measuring light and microscopy light utilize. By designing the OCT beam path to traverse through the objective lens while maintaining independence from the microscopy light path, the system allows the objective lens to serve dual purposes without compromising either system's performance.
2Measurement precision
If the OCT-measuring light beam is directed through the objective lens, then lateral resolution is maintained, but vignetting may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system resolves the vignetting issue by changing the spatial arrangement of the optical components. The beam scanner and reflector are positioned to direct the OCT measuring light through the objective lens from a different angular direction than the microscopy light path. This dimensional change in the beam path geometry allows the OCT light to traverse the objective lens without being blocked by the microscope's optical components, thereby maintaining lateral resolution while avoiding vignetting.
3Ease of operation
If a reflector is arranged to deflect the OCT-measuring light beam, then the beam can be guided through the objective lens, but the arrangement becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector is designed to perform multiple functions within the OCT beam path. It not only deflects the OCT measuring light beam to guide it through the objective lens but also maintains the beam's optical properties and ensures proper alignment with the beam scanner. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional optical components, thereby managing system complexity while achieving effective beam guidance.
4Loss of information
If the beam scanner is used to scan the OCT-measuring light across the object, then three-dimensional representation is obtained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines the beam scanner functionality with the existing microscopy platform. The beam scanner is integrated into the optical train in a way that shares mechanical and control infrastructure with the microscopy system. By merging the scanning mechanism with the existing system architecture, the patent reduces the incremental complexity that would otherwise be added by a completely separate scanning system, while still achieving comprehensive three-dimensional structural information.
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
The system enables simultaneous microscopic examination, OCT imaging, and wavefront measurement, providing high-resolution structural information and wavefront data without compromising the performance of either the OCT or microscopy components, making it suitable for ophthalmologic surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
a reflector, wherein the reflector is configured and arranged to reflect a beam of OCT-measuring light
Implementation Method 2
a beam scanner disposed between the OCT-measuring light source and the imaging optics
Implementation Method 3
The imaging optics may be configured and arranged such that a second object region located near the beam scanner is optically imaged into an image region located near the reflector
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4A
AI summary
A surgical microscopy system has an optical coherence tomography, OCT, facility, the system comprising microscopy optics for generating an image of a first object region, the microscopy optics comprising an objective lens; an OCT system providing an OCT beam path and comprising a OCT-measuring light source, a reflector, imaging optics disposed between the OCT-measuring light source and the reflector, and a beam scanner disposed between the OCT-measuring light source and the imaging optics, wherein the reflector is configured and arranged to reflect a beam of OCT-measuring light, supplied from the imaging optics, such that it traverses the objective lens and is directed onto the first object region, and wherein the imaging optics comprises an afocal system, and a magnification, β, of the imaging optics is changeable.