Fiber optic needle probes for optical coherence tomography imaging

A two-channel needle assembly comprising:

• a first housing defining a first channel and comprising an extracting device;
• a second housing defining a second channel, said second housing in close juxtaposition to said first housing, said first and second housing being sized and shaped for nonintraluminal insertion into a specimen;
• a single substantially single-mode optical fiber positioned substantially within said second channel of the second housing;
• and
• a beam director and focusing element in optical communication with said single substantially single-mode optical fiber and being capable of directing light from said single substantially single-mode optical fiber to a segment of said specimen and directing light received from said segment to said optical fiber,
• wherein said specimen is in proximity to said extracting device,
• wherein said single substantially single-mode optical fiber transmits light from a light source to illuminate said segment of said specimen, and
• wherein said single substantially single-mode optical fiber transmits said light received from said segment of said specimen to an optical coherence tomography imaging device.

An optical imaging system for use in optical coherence tomography, the optical imaging system comprising:

• a needle having a wall defining a bore, said needle being sized and shaped for nonintraluminal insertion into a specimen;
• a single substantially single-mode optical fiber substantially positioned within said bore;
• a focusing element and beam director in optical communication with said optical fiber and being capable of directing light from said optical fiber to an internal structure within said specimen and collecting and directing light received from said internal structure to said optical fiber;
• and
• an actuating device in communication with at least one of said needle, said optical fiber, and said beam director, said actuating device being capable of moving at least one of said needle, said optical fiber and said beam director, so as to scan said internal structure of said specimen and produce a measurement thereof,
• wherein said single substantially single-mode optical fiber transmits light from a light source to said internal structure to illuminate said internal structure,
• wherein said single substantially single-mode optical fiber transmits said light received from said internal structure to an imaging apparatus utilizing optical coherence tomography.

A method for guiding a biopsy instrument using a fiber optic needle probe, said method comprising the steps of:

• nonintraluminally introducing a fiber optic needle probe into a tissue, said needle probe including a single, single-mode optical fiber adapted to direct light to and from said tissue;
• measuring optical properties of a portion of said tissue based on the light directed by said optical fiber from said tissue;
• and
• guiding a biopsy instrument into said portion of said tissue based on said optical properties measured.