Flexible intraoperative radiation imaging camera

A surgical apparatus for removing or exploring beta ray emitting radioactively labelled cancerous tissue in a body, comprising:

• an imaging apparatus further comprising a scintillator means for receiving radiation and for converting radiation into light signals, a flexible bundle of optical fibers and a position sensitive detector means for receiving the light signals and for producing images of the radiation emitting tissue such that the flexible bundle of optical fibers is optically connected to the scintillator means, the scintillator means being moveable inside the body and the flexible bundle of optical fibers is optically connected to the position sensitive detector means, the position sensitive detector means adapted to be located outside the body;
• a surgical instrument further comprising a first instrument means for removing and/or exploring tissue within the body and a second instrument means located outside the body for controlling the first instrument means;
• a surgical conduit removably connected to the surgical instrument and the flexible bundle of optical fibers;
• such that the scintillator means and the first instrument means are adapted to be moved about inside the body in tandem while maintaining one of a plurality of relative positions to each other.

An imaging apparatus for creating images of beta radiation emitting objects from within a patient during surgical operations, comprising:

• a plastic scintillator film means for receiving beta rays and for converting the beta rays into light signals at a first position located within the patient;
• a flexible bundle of optical fibers optically connected to the plastic scintillator film means, the flexible bundle of optical fibers channelling the light signals from the first position to a second position location outside the patient;
• a position sensitive photomultiplier tube means optically connected to the flexible bundle of optical fibers for receiving the light signals, for covering the light signals into electrons, for multiplying the electrons and for producing analog signals indicative of the relative position of the received light;
• an electronic circuit means for receiving the analog signals, for converting the analog signals into digital signals which correspond to the positions where beta rays impact the plastic scintillator film means and for transmitting the digital signals;
• and
• a computer means for receiving, accumulating, manipulating and displaying the digital signals.