Imaging probe with combined ultrasound and optical means of imaging

An imaging probe, comprising:

• a hollow shaft;
• an imaging conduit at least partially residing within said hollow shaft, said imaging conduit including a fiber optic and an electrical conductor, wherein said imaging conduit is connectable, at a proximal end thereof, to a hardware image processing system, a source of light, and an ultrasound signal generator;
• an imaging assembly mechanically coupled to said imaging conduit at a location remote from a proximal portion of said imaging conduit, said imaging assembly including:
• an optical emitter/collector including an optical deflecting element, wherein said optical deflecting element is in optical communication with a distal end of said fiber optic for directing light imaging energy out of said distal end of said fiber optic and directing reflected light energy signals into said distal end of said fiber optic;
• and
• an ultrasound transducer for emitting ultrasound imaging energy and receiving reflected ultrasound imaging energy signals, said ultrasound transducer including an acoustic substrate and a backing, wherein said ultrasound transducer is connected to said electrical conductor;
• wherein said ultrasound transducer includes an optically transmissive channel having a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion resides at least partially within said backing, and wherein said second portion is in optical communication with said first portion, said second portion extending through said acoustic substrate of said ultrasound transducer and through an emitting surface of said ultrasound transducer, and wherein said optical deflecting element resides along said optically transmissive channel for deflecting an optical beam between said first portion and said second portion;
• wherein said imaging assembly is configured to deliver the light imaging energy from said optical emitter/collector and the ultrasound imaging energy from said ultrasound transducer out of said hollow shaft;
• and
• wherein said ultrasound transducer and said optical deflecting element are positioned and oriented relative to each other to enable co-registration of the reflected light energy signals and the reflected ultrasound imaging energy signals during scanning of a region of interest.

An imaging probe, comprising:

• a hollow shaft;
• an imaging conduit at least partially residing within said hollow shaft, said imaging conduit including a fiber optic and an electrical conductor, wherein said imaging conduit is connectable, at a proximal end thereof, to a hardware image processing system, a source of light, and an ultrasound signal generator;
• an imaging assembly mechanically coupled to said imaging conduit at a location remote from a proximal portion of said imaging conduit, said imaging assembly including:
• an optical emitter/collector including an optical deflecting element, wherein said optical deflecting element is in optical communication with a distal end of said fiber optic for directing light imaging energy out of said distal end of said fiber optic and directing reflected light energy signals into said distal end of said fiber optic;
• an ultrasound transducer for emitting ultrasound imaging energy and receiving reflected ultrasound imaging energy signals, wherein said ultrasound transducer is connected to said electrical conductor,
• said ultrasound transducer including an acoustic substrate and a backing, wherein at least a portion of said optical emitter/collector resides within a channel provided in said backing, and further including a deflecting feature configured to deflect ultrasound energy that would otherwise be reflected towards said acoustic substrate by said portion of said optical emitter/collector that resides within said channel;
• wherein said imaging assembly is configured to deliver the light imaging energy from said optical emitter/collector and the ultrasound imaging energy from said ultrasound transducer out of said hollow shaft;
• wherein said ultrasound transducer and said optical deflecting element are positioned and oriented relative to each other to enable co-registration of the reflected light energy signals and the reflected ultrasound imaging energy signals during scanning of a region of interest.