| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080262314 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING VIBRATIONS USING SPECTRALLY-ENCODED ENDOSCOPY - An apparatus and method according to an exemplary embodiment of to the present invention can provide imaging information associated with at least one portion of a sample. For example, at least two first different wavelengths of at least one first electromagnetic radiation within a first wavelength range may be provided on the portion of the sample so as to determine at least one first transverse location of the portion. At least two second different wavelengths of at least one second electromagnetic radiation may also be provided within a second wavelength range provided on the portion so as to determine at least one second transverse location of the portion. It is possible to obtain a relative phase between at least one third electromagnetic radiation electromagnetic radiation being returned from the sample and at least one fourth electromagnetic radiation returned from a reference to determine a motion of the portion or of particles within or on the portion, whereas the motion is effectuated by at least one of a sound wave. Further, the imaging information of the portion can be provided based on the first transverse location, the second transverse location and the motion. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080262359 | SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING INTRACORONARY LASER SPECKLE IMAGING FOR THE DETECTION OF VULNERABLE PLAQUE - Apparatus and method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be provided for analyzing tissue. For example, the apparatus can include at least one first arrangement configured to illuminate at least one anatomical structure with at least one of at least one electro-magnetic radiation. The apparatus can also include at least one second arrangement that may include at least two wave-guiding arrangements associated with one another that are configured to receive a further electro-magnetic radiation reflected from the tissue and transmit at least one speckle pattern associated with the further electro-magnetic radiation. The wave-guiding arrangements may be structured so as to reduce crosstalk therebetween. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080287808 | APPARATUS, PROBE AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DEPTH ASSESSMENT IN AN ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE - Apparatus and method can be provided for obtaining information regarding at least one portion of an anatomical structure. For example, using at least one first arrangement, it is possible to forward at least one first electromagnetic radiation to the at least one portion. In addition, using at least one second arrangement, it is possible to detect at least one second electromagnetic radiation from the sample, the second electromagnetic radiation being related to the first electromagnetic radiation. The second arrangement can be used to obtain data associated with the second electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of integration times. Further, with at least one third arrangement, it is possible to determine at least one motion characteristic as a function of depth within the portion using the second electromagnetic radiation. The motion characteristic can be determined by obtaining data associated with the second electromagnetic radiation. The data can be speckle data detected by the second arrangement. In addition, using the third arrangement, it is possible to determine optical properties of the portion based on the data. Furthermore, with a fourth arrangement, it is possible to receive the first electromagnetic radiation and generate a plurality of third electromagnetic radiations to irradiate multiple points on the portion. The second arrangement can be used to detect the second electromagnetic radiation from the sample based on the third electromagnetic radiations, and the third arrangement can also be used to determine a plurality of motion characteristics as a function of depth for a plurality of location of the at least one portion as a function of the second electromagnetic radiation. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080297806 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RANGING DEPTH IN OPTICAL FREQUENCY DOMAIN IMAGING - Exemplary embodiments of an apparatus are provided. For example, the exemplary apparatus can include at least one first arrangement providing at least one first electro-magnetic radiation to a sample, at least one second electro-magnetic radiation to a first reference and at least one third electro-magnetic radiation to a second reference. A frequency of radiation provided by the first arrangement generally varies over time. The exemplary apparatus may also include at least one second arrangement which is configured to detect a first interference between at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation associated with the first electro-magnetic radiation and at least one fifth electro-magnetic radiation associated with the second radiation. The second arrangement is also configured to detect a second interference between at least one sixth electro-magnetic radiation associated with the first electro-magnetic radiation and at least one seventh electro-magnetic radiation associated with the third radiation. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20090027689 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING OPTICAL IMAGING USING FREQUENCY-DOMAIN INTERFEROMETRY - An apparatus and method are provided. In particular, at least one first electro-magnetic radiation may be provided to a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation can be provided to a non-reflective reference. A frequency of the first and/or second radiations varies over time. An interference is detected between at least one third radiation associated with the first radiation and at least one fourth radiation associated with the second radiation. Alternatively, the first electro-magnetic radiation and/or second electro-magnetic radiation have a spectrum which changes over time. The spectrum may contain multiple frequencies at a particular time. In addition, it is possible to detect the interference signal between the third radiation and the fourth radiation in a first polarization state. Further, it may be preferable to detect a further interference signal between the third and fourth radiations in a second polarization state which is different from the first polarization state. The first and/or second electro-magnetic radiations may have a spectrum whose mean frequency changes substantially continuously over time at a tuning speed that is greater than 100 Tera Hertz per millisecond. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090036770 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINATION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE TYPE BY MEASUREMENT OF TISSUE OPTICAL PROPERTIES - Methods for diagnosing vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque using optical coherence tomography to measure tissue optical properties, including backreflectance of heterogeneous layers, such as plaque cap, lipid pool composition and macrophage presence. Methods also include measurement of spatially and temporally dependent reflectance, measurement of multiple wavelength reflectance, low coherence interferometry, polarization and quantification of macrophage content. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090043192 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINATION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE TYPE BY MEASUREMENT OF TISSUE OPTICAL PROPERTIES - Methods for diagnosing vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque using optical coherence tomography to measure tissue optical properties, including backreflectance of heterogeneous layers, such as plaque cap, lipid pool composition and macrophage presence. Methods also include measurement of spatially and temporally dependent reflectance, measurement of multiple wavelength reflectance, low coherence interferometry, polarization and quantification of macrophage content. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090131801 | SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES FOR OPTICAL IMAGING OF LUMINAL ANATOMIC STRUCTURES - Exemplary embodiments of an apparatus for obtaining data for at least one portion within at least one luminal or hollow sample can be provided. For example, the exemplary apparatus can include a first optical arrangement configured to transceive at least one electromagnetic radiation to and from the portion. A second arrangement may be provided that can at least partially enclose the first arrangement. At least one third arrangement may be provided which is configured to be actuated so as to expand, at least in part, beyond a periphery of the second arrangement. Such exemplary third arrangement can be structured to facilitate a fluid flow and/or a gas flow therethrough. Further, a fourth arrangement may be provided which can be structured to (i) actuate a particular number of the third arrangement and/or (ii) adjust a distance between at least two outer portions of the third arrangement. According to one exemplary embodiment, the third arrangement can be a plurality of the third arrangements. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20100094576 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RANGING AND NOISE REDUCTION OF LOW COHERENCE INTERFEROMETRY LCI AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY OCT SIGNALS BY PARALLEL DETECTION OF SPECTRAL BANDS - Apparatus and method for increasing the sensitivity in the detection of optical coherence tomography and low coherence interferometry (“LCI”) signals by detecting a parallel set of spectral bands, each band being a unique combination of optical frequencies. The LCI broad bandwidth source is split into N spectral bands. The N spectral bands are individually detected and processed to provide an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of N. Each spectral band is detected by a separate photo detector and amplified. For each spectral band the signal is band pass filtered around the signal band by analog electronics and digitized, or, alternatively, the signal may be digitized and band pass filtered in software. As a consequence, the shot noise contribution to the signal is reduced by a factor equal to the number of spectral bands. The signal remains the same. The reduction of the shot noise increases the dynamic range and sensitivity of the system. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100157309 | SPECKLE REDUCTION IN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY BY PATH LENGTH ENCODED ANGULAR COMPOUNDING - Speckle, a factor reducing image quality in optical coherence tomography (“OCT”), can limit the ability to identify cellular structures that are important for the diagnosis of a variety of diseases. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can facilitate an implementation of an angular compounding, angular compounding by path length encoding (“ACPE”) for reducing speckle in OCT images. By averaging images obtained at different incident angles, with each image encoded by path length, ACPE maintains high-speed image acquisition and implements minimal modifications to OCT probe optics. ACPE images obtained from tissue phantoms and human skin in vivo demonstrate a qualitative improvement over traditional OCT and an increased signal-to-noise ratio (“SNR”). Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of an apparatus probe catheter and method can be provided for irradiating a structure. In particular, an interferometer may forward forwarding an electromagnetic radiation. In addition, a sample arm may receive the electromagnetic radiation, and can include an arrangement which facilitates a production of at least two radiations from the electromagnetic radiation so as to irradiate the structure. Such exemplary arrangement can be configured to delay a first radiation of the at least two radiations with respect to a second radiation of the at least two radiations. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100309477 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING OPTICAL IMAGING USING FREQUENCY-DOMAIN INTERFEROMETRY - An apparatus and method are provided. In particular, at least one first electro-magnetic radiation may be provided to a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation can be provided to a non-reflective reference. A frequency of the first and/or second radiations varies over time. An interference is detected between at least one third radiation associated with the first radiation and at least one fourth radiation associated with the second radiation. Alternatively, the first electro-magnetic radiation and/or second electro-magnetic radiation have a spectrum which changes over time. The spectrum may contain multiple frequencies at a particular time. In addition, it is possible to detect the interference signal between the third radiation and the fourth radiation in a first polarization state. Further, it may be preferable to detect a further interference signal between the third and fourth radiations in a second polarization state which is different from the first polarization state. The first and/or second electro-magnetic radiations may have a spectrum whose mean frequency changes substantially continuously over time at a tuning speed that is greater than 100 Tera Hertz per millisecond. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110058178 | ARRANGEMENTS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING MULTIMODALITY MICROSCOPIC IMAGING OF ONE OR MORE BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURES - Method and apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be provided. For example, first data associated with a first signal received from at least one region of at least one sample can be provided based on a first modality, and second data associated with a second signal received from the at least one sample can be provided based on a second modality which is different from the first modality. Third data associated with a reference can be received. Further data can be generated based on the first, second and third data. In addition, third data associated with a second signal received from the at least one sample can be obtained. Each of the third data can be based on a further modality which is different from the first modality and the second modality, and the further data can be further determined based on the third data. Further, the first modality can be a spectral-encoded modality, and the second modality can be a non-spectral-encoding modality. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110144504 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTICAL IMAGING VIA SPECTRAL ENCODING - Method, apparatus and arrangement according an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be provided for generating an image of at least one portion of an anatomical structure. For example, the portion can have an area greater than about 1 mm2, and the image can have a resolution a transverse resolution that is below about 10 μm. For example, light can be scanned over such portion so as to generate first information which is related to the portion, where the light may be provided through a diffraction arrangement to generate a spectrally dispersed line. Method, apparatus and arrangement according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be provided for positioning a radiation or optical beam within an anatomical structure based on signals generated by scanning a portion of the structure using the same or a different beam. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110149296 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTICAL IMAGING VIA SPECTRAL ENCODING - Exemplary method, apparatus and arrangement can be provided for obtaining information associated with a sample such as a portion of an anatomical structure. The information can be generated using first data, which can be based on a signal obtained from a location on the sample, and second data, where the second data can be obtained by combining a second signal received from the sample with a third reference signal. An image of a portion of the sample can also be generated based on the information. For example, the first data can be associated with spectral encoding microscopy data, and the second data can be associated with optical coherence tomography data. | 06-23-2011 |
