Fluorescence imaging endoscope

US7235045B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US
• The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Thomas D. Wang · Lexington, US
• Michael S. Feld · Newton, US
• Yang Wang · Plainsboro, US
• Jacques Van Dam · Redwood City, US
• Stephen Fulghum · Marblehead, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 20, 2003
• Grant date: Jun 26, 2007
• Expiry date: Mar 20, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/6484
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An endoscope having an optical guide that is optically coupled to a first broadband light source and a second laser light source that emits light at a wavelength in a range of 350 nm to 420 nm. The endoscope has an image sensor at a distal end and collects a reflectance image including red, green and blue components with the image sensor in response to illumination by said broadband light source. The image sensor also collects an autofluorescence image having a blue component, a green component and a red component. A processor processes the fluorescence image by determining a ratio of the fluorescence image and the reflectance image to provide a processed fluorescence image.