Luminescence probe for in vivo temperature measurement and control

#The present disclosure generally relates to both surgical probes for treatment of various anatomical areas, and endoscopes for imaging and/or providing passage of therapeutic devices toward various anatomical portions, including gastrointestinal tract (e.g., esophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreaticobiliary duct, intestines, colon, and the like), renal area (e.g., kidney(s), ureter, bladder, urethra) and other internal organs (e.g., reproductive systems, sinus cavities, submucosal regions, respiratory tract), and the like.

#Monitoring of such surgical probes and endoscope during treatment can be desired. Specifically, the internal anatomical site(s) being treated may be subject to temperature changes during treatment. Monitoring the temperature of those internal sites can be beneficial.

#Discussed herein are methods and systems for monitoring and detecting temperature at an endoscopic or other internal procedure site within a patient's body, such as by monitoring temperature-dependent luminescence therein. The luminescence can be analyzed to determine temperature, for example, by detecting or monitoring parameters of luminescence itself, or determining a chance of monitored luminescence. Luminescence detection can be compared with stored information about luminescence related to temperature, such as to determine temperature or temperature changes. The stored information about the relationship between luminescence and temperature can take various forms, such as a lookup table, a fitted function, or other data.

#In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document.

#FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate an example of a surgical probe.

#FIG. 2 illustrates schematic view of a surgical probe temperature measurement system including a luminescent mark.

#The present disclosure describes, among other things, the use of one or more luminescent marks on a medical probe such as to allow for monitoring and control of temperature at or near a working region of such a medical probe or endoscope.

#Luminescence is a spontaneous emission of light by a substance in response to excitation energy, as opposed to heating. Examples of luminescence can include fluorescence and phosphorescence. Both organic and inorganic substances can exhibit luminesce. For example, phosphors convert energy into electromagnetic radiation in the visible light range and produce luminescence.

#Luminescence can be sensitive to temperature, such as phosphor thermometry, which can leverage optical methods for temperature measurement. In some cases, such luminescence can be used to control and measure temperature indirectly, such as by measuring temperature-dependent light emitting parameters of luminescent materials, including light intensity, emission spectra range and shape, rise and decay times, and other parameters. The emission decay time or afterglow parameters can be used for temperature measurement.