Patent Application
20080275305
The present invention is related generally to medical equipment, and more particularly to a medical scanned beam imager and to components associated therewith.
An example of an endoscope application of a medical scanned laser beam imager having an optical dome is given in US Patent Application Publication 2005/0020926. The scanned laser beam imager includes a two-dimensional MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) scanner. The MEMS scanner is a dual-resonant-mirror scanner. The mirror scanner scans, about substantially orthogonal first and second axes, one or more light beams (such as light beams from red, green and blue lasers) through an optical dome at high speed in a pattern that covers an entire two-dimensional field of view or a selected region of a two-dimensional field of view. The scanned laser beam imager uses at least one light detector in creating a pixel image from the reflected light for display on a monitor. It is noted that FIG. 1 of US Patent Application Publication 2005/0020926 shows a schematic diagram of a scanned beam imager without an optical dome and that FIGS. 12 and 26 of US Patent Application Publication 2005/0020926 show a non-schematic side-elevational view of a portion of a scanned beam imager including the scanner and the optical dome. The scanned laser beam imaging endoscope of US Patent Application Publication 2005/0020926 may be described as a front-view endoscope.
Conventional (non-scanning) endoscopes include front-view endoscopes and side-view endoscopes.
What is needed is an improved medical scanned beam imager and components associated therewith.
A first expression of a first embodiment of the invention is for apparatus including a medical scanned beam imager. The medical scanned beam imager includes an optical dome and a scanner. The scanner is adapted to scan a beam of light through the optical dome. The optical dome has a variable optical power distribution.
A first expression of a second embodiment of the invention is for apparatus including a sleeve assembly for a medical scanned beam imager. The medical scanned beam imager includes a tube having a distal end insertable into a patient and includes an optical dome supported by the tube proximate the distal end of the tube. The sleeve assembly includes a sleeve having a distal end portion and includes an objective element attached to the distal end portion of the sleeve. The sleeve assembly is surroundingly attachable to the tube. The objective element covers and is positioned distal the optical dome when the sleeve is attached to the tube.
A second expression of a second embodiment of the invention is for apparatus including a sleeve assembly and a medical scanned beam imager. The medical scanned beam imager includes a tube having a distal end insertable into a patient and includes an optical dome supported by the tube proximate the distal end of the tube. The sleeve assembly includes a sleeve having a distal end portion and includes an objective element attached to the distal end portion of the sleeve. The sleeve is surroundingly attached to the tube. The objective element covers and is positioned distal the optical dome.
A first expression of a third embodiment of the invention is for apparatus including an objective element and a medical scanned beam imager. The medical scanned beam imager includes a tube having a distal end insertable into a patient and includes an optical dome supported by the tube proximate the distal end of the tube. The objective element covers the optical dome and is attached to the distal end of the tube distal the optical dome.
Several benefits and advantages are obtained from one or more of the embodiments of the invention. In one example of the first embodiment, the medical scanned beam imager displays an image of the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract of a patient which allows the user to use the image portion from a (e.g., zero-optical-power) first region of the optical dome for navigation within the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract and allows the user to use the (e.g., magnified) image portion from a surrounding (e.g., positive-optical-power) second region of the optical dome for identification of pathologies in the wall of the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract.
In one example of the second embodiment, the sleeve assembly is removably attachable or attached to the medical scanned beam imager and is disposable, and different sleeve assemblies having different variable optical power distributions for the objective element may be used with the same reusable medical scanned beam imager. In the same or different example of the second embodiment and/or an example of the third embodiment, the objective element has a (e.g., substantially flat) distal end surface having a smaller total crevice area than the distal end surface of the medical scanned beam imager which makes cleaning or sterilization easier.
In the same or different example of the second and/or third embodiment, the objective element has a circular first region and a surrounding annular second region of different optical power wherein a beam of light from the scanner of the medical scanned beam imager is scanned through the optical dome and through the first region of the objective element, and wherein light returned from the patient passes through the second region of the objective element and is collected by an annular array of optical fibers of the medical scanned beam imager. In one variation, the first region increases or decreases the scanning field of view of the medical scanned beam imager, and the second region functions to extend or modify the pattern of sensitivity of the collecting fibers. In the same or different example of the third embodiment, a standardized medical scanned beam imager is individualized for a particular customer by a manufacturer attaching a customized objective element to the tube of the standardized medical scanned beam imager.
Before explaining the several embodiments of the present invention in detail, it should be noted that each is not limited in its application or use to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and description. The illustrative embodiments of the invention may be implemented or incorporated in other embodiments, variations and modifications, and may be practiced or carried out in various ways. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the terms and expressions employed herein have been chosen for the purpose of describing the illustrative embodiments of the present invention for the convenience of the reader and are not for the purpose of limiting the invention.
It is further understood that any one or more of the following-described embodiments, examples, etc. can be combined with any one or more of the other following-described embodiments, examples, etc.
A first embodiment of the invention is shown in
In one construction, not shown, of the first expression of the embodiment of
In one implementation of the first expression of the embodiment of
In one elaboration, the plurality of regions 20, 22 and 24 includes a first region 20 and a second region 22, wherein the first region 20 is an at-least-partially-circular region, and wherein the second region 22 is an at-least-partially-annular region and at least partially surrounds the first region 20. In one modification, the first region 20 is a fully circular region and the second region 22 is a fully annular region completely surrounding the first region 20. In one extension, the plurality of regions 20, 22 and 24 includes a third region 24, wherein the third region 24 is an at-least-partially-annular region and at least partially surrounds the second region 22. In one illustration, the third region 24 is a fully annular region completely surrounding the second region 22. In one arrangement, the optical dome 14 has a dome central axis 26, and the first region 20 has a center 28 aligned with the dome central axis 26.
Other numbers and configurations of constant or variable optical power regions of the optical dome, including an optical dome whose optical power varies with the surface distance from a reference point on a surface of the optical dome, are left to the artisan.
In one endoscopic employment of the medical scanned beam imager 12, the medical scanned beam imager 12 displays an image (not shown) of the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract of a patient which allows the user to use the image portion from the (e.g., zero-optical-power) first region 20 of the optical dome 14 for navigation within the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract and allows the user to use the (e.g., magnified) image portion from the surrounding (e.g., positive-optical-power) second region 22 of the optical dome 14 for identification of pathologies in the wall of the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract.
A second embodiment of the invention is shown in
It is noted that in the first expression of the embodiment of
In one enablement of the first expression of the embodiment of
A second expression of the embodiment of
It is noted that the enablements, etc. of the first expression of the embodiment of
In one implementation of the embodiment of
In one example of the embodiment of
A third embodiment of the invention is shown in
It is noted that the discussion of the optical power of the objective element 240 of the embodiment of
In one employment of the first expression of the embodiment of
While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of several expressions of embodiments, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or limit the spirit and scope of the appended claims to such detail. Numerous other variations, changes, and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It will be understood that the foregoing description is provided by way of example, and that other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended Claims.
