Method and apparatus for detecting electro-magnetic reflection from biological tissue

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source;

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a contrast enhancing element wherein said contrast enhancing element includes at least one bandpass filter which passes wavelengths around 800 nm;
• and
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure received from said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source:

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue:
• a contrast enhancing element wherein said contrast enhancing element includes a digital processor filter;
• and
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure received from said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source;

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target issue:
• a contrast enhancing element wherein said contrast enhancing element includes at least one collimator;
• and
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure received from said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source transmitted through biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element which includes a first polarizing optical element in the path of incident light between said light source and said biological tissue and a second polarizing optical element in the path of the transmitted light between the non-light source side of the tissue and said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element which includes polarizing optical element in the path of incident light between said light source and said biological tissue and a polarity selecting optical element in the path of the reflected light between the said biological tissue and said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source transmitted through biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element including a modulation source and a light phase modulator connected to said modulation source.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element including a modulation source and a light phase modulator connected to said modulation source.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element including an illumination intensity modulation source.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source wherein said light source comprises a dual-wavelength illumination source and said imaging apparatus further comprises an optical fiber bundle wherein said light source is coupled to said optical fiber bundle;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a contrast enhancing element;
• and
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure received from said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source wherein said light source comprises a dual-wavelength illumination source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a contrast enhancing element;
• and
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure received from said image detector wherein said monitor comprises a means to rapidly alternate the display of the image reflected at each respective wavelength.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source;

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a contrast enhancing element wherein said contrast enhancing element includes an exogenous dye adsorbed within the biological target tissue;
• and
• a digitizing frame grabber connected to said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source;

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a contrast enhancing element wherein said contrast enhancing element includes a monoclonal antibody attached to the target biological tissue;
• a digitizing frame grabber connected to said image detector;
• and
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure received from said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source;

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a contrast enhancing element wherein said contrast enhancing element includes a molecule collected on plaque within a blood vessel;
• a digitizing frame grabber connected to said image detector;
• and a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure received from said image detector.

A method for imaging an anatomical structure comprising illuminating a biological tissue;

• wherein said step of illuminating comprises illuminating with a wavelength of between 700-900 nm;
• detecting the reflected image from said biological target tissue;
• and
• displaying said reflected image on a monitor.

A method for imaging an anatomical structure comprising illuminating a biological target tissue;

• bandpass filtering the light of interest;
• detecting the reflected image from said biological target tissue;
• and
• displaying said reflected image on a monitor.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source wherein said light source comprises a monochromatic source within the infrared range and wherein said monochromatic light source within the infrared range comprises means for illumination within the range of 700-900 nm;

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure from said image detector;
• and
• a helmet comprising said light source and image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source wherein said light source comprises a monochromatic source within the infrared range and wherein said monochromatic light source within the infrared range comprises means for illumination within the range of 700-900 nm;

• an image detector which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure from said image detector;
• and
• a head piece attached to said monitor.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source;

• an image detector further comprising a video camera which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure from said image detector;
• and
• a helmet comprising said light source and image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source;

• an image detector further comprising a video camera which detects light from said light source after it has been reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which displays an image of an internal anatomical structure from said image detector;
• and
• a head piece attached to said monitor.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source transmitted through biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• a head piece attached to said monitor;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element which includes a first polarizing optical element in the path of incident light between said light source and said biological tissue and a second polarizing optical element in the path of the transmitted light between the non-light source side of the tissue and said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source in the infrared image:

• an image detector which detects light from said light source transmitted through biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• a head piece attached to said monitor;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element which includes a first polarizing optical element in the path of incident light between said light source and said biological tissue and a second polarizing optical element in the path of the transmitted light between the non-light source side of the tissue and said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an image detector which detects light from said light source reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• a head piece attached to said monitor;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element which includes a polarizing optical element in the path of incident light between said light source and said biological tissue and a polarizing selecting optical element in the path of the reflected light between the said biological tissue and said image detector.

An imaging apparatus comprising a light source in the infrared image:

• an image detector which detects light from said light source reflected from a biological target tissue;
• a monitor which receives and displays image information from said image detector;
• and
• a contrast enhancing element which includes a polarizing optical element in the path of incident light between said light source and said biological tissue and a polarizing selecting optical element in the path of the reflected light between the said biological tissue and said image detector.