White Excitation Light Device for Fluorescent Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgeons face difficulties in accurately viewing lesions during procedures due to continuous white light, which can hinder the visualization of fluorescent light and overlap with the wavelength of fluorescent cameras, making it challenging to distinguish lesions from normal tissues, especially when using fluorescent materials like indocyanine green (ICG) or 5-Aminolevulinic Acid.
Innovation Solution
A white excitation light generating device that combines fluorescent excitation light with two monochromatic lights of different wavelengths, using a controller and sensors to adjust illuminance and chromaticity values to produce white light, allowing for accurate visualization of lesions by mixing monochromatic lights of specific wavelengths (e.g., blue, green, and near-infrared) to avoid overlap with fluorescent light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If white light is used to illuminate the incised portion, then the surgeon can view the field in natural color, but the continuous wavelengths of white light overlap with fluorescent light wavelengths and hinder the fluorescent camera from acquiring fluorescent light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous spectrum of white light into discrete monochromatic light sources with specific wavelengths. By using multiple LEDs emitting at distinct wavelengths (e.g., 450nm blue, 530nm green, 630nm red, 780nm near-infrared), the system separates the illumination spectrum from the fluorescent emission spectrum, allowing simultaneous white light visualization and fluorescent imaging without wavelength overlap interference
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spectral parameters of the illumination light by selecting specific monochromatic wavelengths that do not overlap with fluorescent emission bands. The controller adjusts the intensity and combination of these monochromatic lights to synthesize white light appearance while maintaining spectral gaps that allow fluorescent camera operation, thus changing the illumination parameters to resolve the contradiction
2Reliability
If red-based fluorescent excitation light is used, then ICG fluorescent light can be excited, but the incised portion appears red making it difficult for surgeons to distinguish lesions from normal tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple monochromatic light sources including the red-based fluorescent excitation light (780nm near-infrared LED) with other monochromatic LEDs (450nm blue, 530nm green, 630nm red) to create a composite illumination system. This combination provides both the necessary fluorescent excitation and supplemental visible light that restores color information for the surgeon's visual field, allowing simultaneous achievement of fluorescent excitation and color visualization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces additional monochromatic light sources as intermediaries that bridge the gap between fluorescent excitation requirements and color visualization needs. These intermediary light sources (blue, green, red LEDs) provide the visible spectrum components that are missing when using only near-infrared excitation light, thereby mediating between the conflicting requirements of fluorescent excitation and color information preservation
3Reliability
If blue-based or green-based fluorescent excitation light is used, then fluorescent light can be excited, but the incised portion still appears in a color different from the original color
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the blue-based (450nm) or green-based (530nm) fluorescent excitation light with red monochromatic light sources (630nm red LED, 780nm near-infrared LED) to create a composite illumination system. This merging provides both the necessary blue or green excitation for fluorescent emission and supplemental red light components that restore the red color information in the visual field, thereby maintaining original color perception while enabling fluorescent excitation
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 lesions in their original color, improving surgical accuracy by separating the wavelength bands of monochromatic and fluorescent excitation lights, allowing for effective identification and imaging without interfering with the fluorescent camera's acquisition of fluorescent light.
Implementation Method 1
a fluorescent excitation light source that generates fluorescent excitation light
Implementation Method 2
a spectrophoto sensor that measures tristimulus values of at least one of the fluorescent excitation light, the first monochromatic light, and the second monochromatic light
Data Source
AI summary
In general aspect, a white excitation light generating device can include a fluorescent excitation light source that generates fluorescent excitation light, a first light source that generates first monochromatic light of a first wavelength different from a wavelength of the fluorescent excitation light, a second light source that generates second monochromatic light of a second wavelength different from the wavelength of the fluorescent excitation light and the first wavelength, a spectrophoto sensor that measures tristimulus values of at least one of the fluorescent excitation light, the first monochromatic light, and the second monochromatic light, and a controller that adjusts an output of at least one of the fluorescent excitation light source, the first light source, and the second light source on the basis of the measured tristimulus values.