Apparatus and method for ranging and noise reduction of low coherence interferometry LCI and optical coherence tomography OCT signals by parallel detection of spectral bands

An apparatus for optical imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a non-reflective
• at least one spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation and a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiation into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• wherein at least two of the detectors detect a common one of the frequency components, wherein a first one of the at least two of the detectors receives a first signal which has a first phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, and a second one of at least two of the detectors receives a second signal which has a second phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, the first and second phase differences being different from one another.

A method for optical imaging, comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a non-reflective reference;
• separating spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or a combination of the first and second light signals into frequency components;
• and
• causing at least one detection of at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components using a plurality of detectors,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

An apparatus for imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• at least one spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation and combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components, wherein at least two of the detectors detect a common one of the frequency components, wherein a first one of the at least two of the detectors receives a first signal which has a first phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, and a second one of at least two of the detectors receives a second signal which has a second phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, the first and second phase differences being different from one another,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

A method for imaging, comprising:

• receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• separating spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation and combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• causing at least one detection of at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components using a plurality of detectors, wherein at least two of the detectors detect a common one of the frequency components, wherein a first one of the at least two of the detectors receives a first signal which has a first phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, and a second one of at least two of the detectors receives a second signal which has a second phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, the first and second phase differences being different from one another,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

An apparatus for imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• at least one spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including at least three detectors, each of the detectors configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components, wherein the detection arrangement generates at least one signal based on the frequency components and reduces noise of the at least one signal,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

An apparatus for imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• at least one spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation and a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components, wherein the detection arrangement generates at least one signal based on the frequency components and reduces noise of the at least one signal,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• wherein at least two of the detectors detect the common one of the frequency components in an approximately simultaneous manner.

An apparatus for imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• at least one of spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components, wherein the detection arrangement is configured to receive at least two electro-magnetic radiations and detect a polarization state of at least one of the electro-magnetic radiations,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

An apparatus for imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• at least one of spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation and a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components, wherein the detection arrangement is configured to receive at least two electro-magnetic radiations and detect a polarization state of at least one of the electro-magnetic radiations,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• wherein at least two of the detectors detect the common one of the frequency components in an approximately simultaneous manner.

A method for imaging, comprising:

• receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• separating spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• causing at least one detection of at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components using at least one detection arrangement, wherein the detection arrangement is configured to receive at least two electro-magnetic radiations and detect a polarization state of at least one of the electro-magnetic radiations,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

An apparatus for imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a first arm and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a second arm;
• at least one first arrangement detecting a signal relating to the first and second electro-magnetic radiations, and determining a relative phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiations;
• at least one of spectral separating arrangement which separates spectrum of a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• at least one second arrangement controlling at least one of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations based on the relative phase difference so as to facilitate a generation of at least one image associated with at least one of the first and second arms,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

An apparatus for imaging, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a first arm and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a second arm;
• at least one first arrangement detecting a signal relating to the first and second electro-magnetic radiations, and determining a relative phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiations;
• at least one second arrangement controlling at least one of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations based on the relative phase difference so as to facilitate a generation of at least one image associated with at least one of the first and second arms, wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another;
• and
• a plurality of detectors detecting a common one of the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations in an approximately simultaneous manner.

A method for imaging, comprising:

• receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a first arm and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a second arm;
• detecting a signal relating to the first and second electro-magnetic radiations;
• separating spectrum of a combination of the first and second light signals into frequency components;
• determining a relative phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiations;
• and
• controlling at least one of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations based on the relative phase difference so as to facilitate a generation of at least one image associated with at least one of the first and second arms,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

A storage medium including executable instructions thereon for tracking a phase of at least one electro-magnetic signal so as to reduce an attenuation of the at least one signal due to its fringe instability, wherein, when the executable instructions are executed by a processing system, the executable instructions configure the processing system to perform the steps comprising of:

• a. obtaining first data associated with at least one first interferometric signal comprising a plurality of spectral bands separated from the at least one electro-magnetic signal;
• b. causing a modulation of the at least one first signal based on a modulating frequency of a modulating arrangement so as to generate at least one second signal;
• c. causing a mixing of the at least one first signal with the at least one second signal so as to generate a resultant signal;
• d. generating second data associated with an offset based on the resultant signal;
• e. controlling a phase of the at least one first signal based on the offset to generate further information;
• and
• f. generating an image based on at least a portion of the sample using the further information.

A probe for locating atherosclerotic plaque in a blood vessel, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a non-reflective reference;
• at least one spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiation into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector being configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

A probe for locating atherosclerotic plaque in a blood vessel, comprising:

• a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference;
• at least one of spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation and combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components;
• and
• at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector being configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components, wherein at least two of the detectors detect a common one of the frequency components, wherein a first one of the at least two of the detectors receives a first signal which has a first phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, and a second one of at least two of the detectors receives a second signal which has a second phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, the first and second phase differences being different from one another,
• wherein at least one of:
• a. the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• b. the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another.

An apparatus for delivering a therapeutic agent, comprising:

• a) a probe disposed in a housing and comprising:
• i. a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a non-reflective reference;
• ii. at least one spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or a combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiation into frequency components;
• and
• iii. at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector being configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components,
• wherein at least one of:
• (I) the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• (II) the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another;
• and
• b) a conduit cooperating with the probe, and comprising a proximal end for receiving the therapeutic agent and a distal end for delivering the therapeutic agent at a predetermined location, the location being determined by imaging an environment in proximity to the distal end using the probe.

An apparatus for delivering a therapeutic agent, comprising:

• a) a probe disposed in the housing and comprising:
• i. a device receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference,
• ii. at least one of spectral separating unit which separates spectrum of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation and combination of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations into frequency components, and
• iii. at least one detection arrangement including a plurality of detectors, each detector being configured to detect at least a portion of at least one of the frequency components, wherein at least two of the detectors detect a common one of the frequency components, wherein a first one of the at least two of the detectors receives a first signal which has a first phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, and a second one of at least two of the detectors receives a second signal which has a second phase difference between the first and second electro-magnetic radiation, the first and second phase differences being different from one another,
• wherein at least one of:
• (I) the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another, and
• (II) the frequency components of the first and second electro-magnetic radiations interfere with one another;
• and
• b) a conduit cooperating with the probe, and comprising a proximal end for receiving the therapeutic agent and a distal end for delivering the therapeutic agent at a predetermined location, the location being determined by imaging the environment in proximity to the distal end using the probe.