Self-calibrating optical imaging system

An optical imaging system configured to generate images of target areas of a physiological medium, said images representing distribution of chromophores or properties thereof in said target areas, said system including at least one wave source configured to irradiate electromagnetic waves into said medium and at least one wave detector configured to detect electromagnetic waves from said medium and to generate output signal in response thereto, said system comprising:

• a signal analyzer configured to receive a first output signal from said wave detector, to analyze amplitudes of said first output signal, and to select a plurality of points of said first output signal having substantially similar amplitudes, wherein said first output signal is representative of said distribution in a first target area of said medium;
• a signal processor configured to calculate a first baseline predominantly from said first output signal and to provide a self-calibrated first output signal by manipulating both of said first output signal and its first baseline, where said first baseline corresponds to a representative amplitude of said similar amplitudes;
• and
• an image processor configured to construct said images of said distribution of at least one of said chromophores and said properties thereof from said self-calibrated first output signal.

An optical imaging system configured to generate images of target areas of a physiological medium, said images representing distribution of chromophores or properties thereof in said target areas, said system including at least one wave source configured to irradiate electromagnetic waves into said medium and at least one wave detector configured to detect electromagnetic waves from said medium and to generate output signal in response thereto, said system comprising:

• a movable member including at least one of said wave source and detector, said wave detector configured to generate a first output signal from a first target area of said medium, wherein said first output signal is representative of said distribution in a first target area of said medium;
• an actuator member configured to generate at least one movement of said movable member;
• a signal analyzer configured to receive said first output signal, to analyze amplitudes of said first output signal, and to select a plurality of points of said first output signal having substantially similar amplitudes;
• a signal processor configured to calculate a first baseline predominantly from said first output signal and to provide a self-calibrated first output signal by manipulating both of said first output signal and its first baseline, wherein said first baseline corresponds to a representative amplitude of said similar amplitudes;
• and
• an image processor configured to construct said images of said distribution of at least one of said chromophores and said properties thereof from said self-calibrated first output signal.

An optical imaging system configured to generate images of target areas of a physiological medium, said images representing distribution of one of chromophores and their properties in said target areas, said system comprising:

• an optical probe having at least wave source and at least one wave detector, wherein said wave source is configured to irradiate electromagnetic waves into a first target area of said physiological medium and wherein said wave detector is configured to detect said electromagnetic waves from said first target area of said medium and to generate a first output signal in response thereto;
• a signal analyzer which is configured to receive said first output signal, to analyze amplitudes of said first output signal, and to select a plurality of points of said first output signal having substantially similar amplitudes;
• and
• a signal processor which is configured to calculate a first baseline from said first output signal and to provide a self-calibrated first output signal by manipulating both of said first output signal and its first baseline, wherein said first baseline is a representative amplitude of said similar amplitudes.

A method for obtaining a calibrated output signal from an optical imaging system having an optical probe with at least one wave source configured to irradiate near-infrared electromagnetic waves into target areas of a physiological medium and at least one wave detector configured to generate output signal in response to said near-infrared electromagnetic waves detected thereby, the method comprising:

• positioning said optical probe on a first target area of said medium;
• generating a first output signal without displacing said optical probe from said first target area;
• identifying at least one first portion of said first output signal, wherein the signal in said first portion has substantially similar first amplitudes;
• and
• obtaining a first baseline of said first output signal as a representative value of said substantially similar first amplitudes.

A method for obtaining a calibrated output signal from an optical imaging system including an optical probe with at least one wave source and at least one wave detector, said wave source configured to irradiate near-infrared electromagnetic waves into target areas of a physiological medium which includes a normal region and an abnormal region, said wave detector configured to generate output signal in response to said near-infrared electromagnetic waves detected thereby, said method comprising:

• positioning said optical probe on a first target area of said medium;
• generating a first output signal without displacing said optical probe from said first target area;
• identifying at least one first portion of said first output signal attributed to said normal region of said target area;
• and
• obtaining a first baseline of said first output signal from a representative value of said first portion of said first output signal, wherein said first portion attributed to said normal region is characterized by substantially flat profile and by substantially similar first amplitudes.

A method for calibrating an optical imaging system having an optical probe with at least one wave source for irradiating near-infrared electromagnetic waves into target areas of a physiological medium and at least one wave detector for generating output signals in response to near-infrared electromagnetic waves detected thereby, said method comprising:

• positioning said optical probe on a first target area of said medium;
• generating a first output signal without displacing said optical probe from said first target area;
• identifying at least one first portion of said first output signal having substantially similar first amplitudes before displacing said optical probe from said first target area;
• and
• obtaining a first baseline of said first output signal from a representative value of said substantially similar amplitudes before displacing said optical probe from said first target area.