Imaging system producing multiple registered images of a body lumen

A system for producing registered images of a body cavity, comprising:

• an endoscope extending along a central longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends;
• a first imaging device positioned within the endoscope and extending along a longitudinal axis that is offset from the central longitudinal axis, the first imaging device having an imager that extends through an opening in the distal end of the endoscope, the first imaging device being configured to produce a first image of the body cavity;
• a shaft positioned within the endoscope and extending through the opening, the shaft being coaxial with the central longitudinal axis;
• a second imaging device disposed in the shaft, the second imaging device comprising an imager configured to produce a second image of the body cavity;
• and
• a balloon coupled to the shaft, the balloon comprising a first marker configured to produce registration information in the first image and the second image.

A system for producing registered images of a body cavity, comprising:

• an endoscope extending along a central longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends;
• a first imaging device positioned within the endoscope and comprising a first lens extending along a first longitudinal axis that is offset from the central longitudinal axis and a second lens extending along a second longitudinal axis that is offset from the central longitudinal axis and the first longitudinal axis, the lenses each extending through an opening in the distal end of the endoscope, the first imaging device being configured to produce a first image of the body cavity;
• a shaft positioned within the endoscope and extending through the opening, the shaft being coaxial with the central longitudinal axis;
• a second imaging device disposed in the shaft, the imager of the second imaging device comprising an optical coherence tomography imaging device that is translatable in opposite first and second direction along the central longitudinal axis and rotatable about the central longitudinal axis, the second imaging device comprising an imager configured to produce a second image of the body cavity;
• and
• a balloon coupled to the shaft, the balloon comprising a first marker configured to produce registration information in the first image and the second image.

A system for producing registered images of a body cavity, comprising:

• an endoscope extending along a central longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends;
• a first imaging device positioned within the endoscope and extending along a longitudinal axis that is offset from the central longitudinal axis, the first imaging device having an imager that extends through an opening in the distal end of the endoscope, the imager of the first imaging device comprising a camera that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis, the first imaging device being configured to produce a first image of the body cavity;
• a shaft positioned within the endoscope and extending through the opening, the shaft being coaxial with the central longitudinal;
• a second imaging device disposed in the shaft, the second imaging device comprising an imager configured to produce a second image of the body cavity;
• a balloon coupled to the shaft, the balloon comprising a first marker configured to produce registration information in the first image and the second image, the first marker extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and the central longitudinal axis, the first marker being wrapped around a proximal end of the balloon so as to be viewed by the first imaging device while being axially aligned with a major axis of the balloon;
• and
• a third imaging device configured to produce a third image containing registration information produced by the first marker, the third imaging device being coaxial with the central longitudinal axis, the third imaging device comprising an ultrasound imaging device,
• wherein the balloon comprises a second marker configured to produce second registration information in the first image and the second image, the second marker extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis such that the second marker is positioned 180 degrees from the first marker.