Endoscope with traced raster and elemental photodetectors
AssigneeUniversity of Connecticut
InventorSol Nudelman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An endoscope is adapted for operation in association with an optical scanner which generates a beam of radiation tracing out a raster. The endoscope employs at least one optical channel comprising a bundle of coherent flexible optical fibers. Elemental photodetectors which may be mounted at either the distal end of the endoscope probe or the proximal end of the endoscope probe are employed for sensing reflected radiation and generating a video signal. The optical channel may also be employed for transmission of a high-energy therapy beam. The endoscope is capable of obtaining multispectral-multidimensional (e.g. stereo) images of the tissue under examination.
Claims10
An endoscope adapted for operation in association with an optical scanner which generates a beam of radiation tracing out a raster comprising:
- probe means for forming an elongated flexible endoscopic tube having a proximal end and a distal end;
- an optical channel enclosed in said probe means comprising a bundle of coherent optical fibers extending from a channel proximal end to a channel distal end;
- at least one elemental photodetector mounted at the distal end of said probe means;
- electrical wire means for providing electrical communication between said at least one photodetector and the proximal end of said probe means,
- so that a raster from said scanner projected on said proximal end of said optical channel traverses said channel and is projected through said optical channel distal end for illumination of the surface of an object to be examined and reflected radiation from said surface is sensed by said at least one photodetector which generates a corresponding electrical signal for transmission through said electrical wire means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.