Forward Scanning-Optical Probes, Circular Scan Patterns, Offset Fibers

An optical imaging system, comprising:

• an Optical Coherence Tomography engine, comprising
• an imaging light source, and
• an OCT image detector-processor;
• and
• an imaging probe, comprising
• a handle, and
• a cannula, protruding from a distal portion of the handle with an outer diameter smaller than 20 gauge;
• and
• an optical fiber with a distal fiber-portion off a probe-axis, configured to guide a light from the imaging light-source;
• a fixed beam forming unit, disposed at a distal portion of the cannula, configured to deflect the guided light toward a target;
• and
• a fiber actuator, housed at least partially in the handle, configured to move the distal fiber-portion to scan the deflected light along a scanning curve in a target region, wherein
• the probe-axis is one of a cannula-axis and a beam forming unit-axis.

A method of imaging with an imaging probe that comprises a handle;

• a cannula, protruding from the handle with an outer diameter smaller than 20 gauge;
• an optical fiber with a distal fiber-portion off a probe-axis;
• and a fixed beam forming unit at a distal portion of the cannula;
• the method comprising:
• receiving a light by the fiber from an imaging light-source at a proximal fiber-portion;
• emitting the received light by the fiber at the distal fiber-portion towards the fixed beam forming unit;
• deflecting the emitted light by the fixed beam forming unit;
• and
• moving the distal fiber-portion by a fiber-actuator, housed at least partially in the handle of the imaging probe to scan the deflected light along a scanning curve in a target region, wherein
• the probe-axis is one of a cannula-axis and a beam forming unit-axis.