US 10,517,483 B2 · System for detecting fluorescence and projecting a representative image

Abstract

A fluorescence imaging device detects fluorescence in parts of the visible and invisible spectrum, and projects the fluorescence image directly on the human body, as well as on a monitor, with improved sensitivity, video frame rate and depth of focus, and enhanced capabilities of detecting distribution and properties of multiple fluorophores. Direct projection of three-dimensional visible representations of florescence on three-dimensional body areas advantageously permits viewing of it during surgical procedures, including during cancer removal, reconstructive surgery and wound care, etc. A NIR laser and a human visible laser (HVL) are aligned coaxially and scanned over the operating field of view. When the NIR laser passes over the area where the florescent dye is present, it energizes the dye which emits at a shifted NIR frequency detected by a photo diode. The HVL is turned on when emission is detected, providing visual indication of those positions.

Claims51

Dependent claims

A fluorescence imaging device for detecting fluorescence in biological tissues and projecting a representative three-dimensional image onto the biological tissues, comprising:

(a) a source of excitation light at an excitation wavelength, and means of delivering said excitation light to the biological tissues containing fluorescent substances;
(b) a light collection system comprising a light detector configured to detect light emitted by the fluorescent substances at an emitted wavelength;
(c) means of analyzing said detected light and establishing a three-dimensional spatial distribution of intensity of said light emitted by the fluorescent substances in the biological tissues;
(d) means of generating a three-dimensional image representative of said three-dimensional spatial distribution of light intensity emitted by the fluorescent substances;
and
(e) means of projecting said three-dimensional representative image onto the biological tissues using a human-visible wavelength.

3 more elements

A device for acquiring a three-dimensional image of targeted biological tissues from fluorescent light emitted by fluorophores contained therein, and for projecting a three-dimensional visible representation of the acquired image onto the targeted biological tissues, said device comprising:

a first laser configured to emit a beam of visible light;
a second laser configured to emit a beam of fluorescence excitation light at an excitation wavelength to cause emission by the fluorophores of an emitted wavelength of light;
means for coaxially aligning the beams of visible light and fluorescence excitation light;
means for scanning the coaxially aligned light beams in a pattern onto the targeted biological tissues;
a processing unit configured to drive said second laser to emit two or more pulses of the fluorescence excitation light within a duration less than a duration of each of a plurality of pixels scanned by said means for scanning;
a scanning fluorescence detector configured to synchronously collect two or more corresponding pulses of light emitted by the fluorophores, within each of said scanned pixels;
said scanning fluorescence detector further configured to perform time domain analysis of multiple light emissions within the emitted light to distinguish fast-decaying fluorescent substances and slow-decaying florescent substances, each having identical emission spectra;
wherein said processing unit is further configured to analyze the collected light to determine a depth of the fluorophores in the targeted biological tissues for each of said scanned pixels to establish a three-dimensional intensity distribution of the light emitted by the fluorophores;
said processing unit further configured to generate a three-dimensional image representative of the spatial distribution;
and
wherein said first laser is configured to receive the representative three-dimensional image, and to project the three-dimensional image, using said means for scanning, onto the one or more outer surfaces of the targeted biological tissues to overlay and align with the spatial distribution of light emitted by the fluorophores.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for detecting fluorescence and projecting a representative image

Life of this patent

System for detecting fluorescence and projecting a representative image

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims51