IP Library Granted Patent US 9,615,748
Granted Patent B2
US 9,615,748 · App. 12/690,686 · Granted Apr 11, 2017

Endoscopic biopsy apparatus, system and method

Inventors: Guillermo J. Tearney (Cambridge, MA); Brett E. Bouma (Quincy, MA); Dongkyun Kang (Somerville, MA); Melissa J. Suter (Boston, MA)
Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
A61B5/0066A61B5/0068A61B5/0086A61B5/0075
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,615,748
App. No.
12/690,686
Granted
Apr 11, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of apparatus, method and system for determining a position on or in a biological tissue can be provided. For example, using such exemplary embodiment, it is possible to control the focus of an optical imaging probe. In another exemplary embodiment, it is possible to implement a marking apparatus together with or into an optical imaging probe. According to one exemplary embodiment, it is possible (using one or more arrangements) to receive information associated with at least one image of at least one portion of the biological tissue obtained using an optical imaging technique. Further, it is possible to, based on the information, cause a visible change on or in at least location of the portion(s) using at least one electro-magnetic radiation.

Claims (33)

1. An apparatus for affecting a biological tissue, comprising:

a radiation disperser arrangement which is configured to encode spatial information in an optical spectrum, and disperse first radiation and second radiation which have different spectral bands from one another;

at least one detector arrangement which is configured to receive and detect the first radiation; and

at least one structural computer arrangement which is configured to:

receive first data associated with at least one image of at least one portion of the biological tissue obtained using an optical imaging technique, wherein the optical imaging technique includes a confocal microscopy technique that encodes spatial information in an optical spectrum, and wherein the first data is associated with the first radiation,

based on the first data, forward the second radiation to the radiation disperser arrangement to cause a visible change that includes at least one endoscopically-visible marking on or in at least one location that is outside of and adjacent to the at least one portion, and

cause a removal or a destruction of at least part of the at least one portion using image second data for the visible change on or in the at least one location.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one image for which the first data is received includes a volumetric image of the at least one portion.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the volumetric image is a cylindrical image having a diameter of between about 10 mm to 100 mm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the volumetric image is a cylindrical image having an extension of at most about 1 m.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one structural computer arrangement is further configured to obtain data associated with the visible change, and guide a visualization to the at least one portion based on the data.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an ablation arrangement which is configured to ablate the at least one portion.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the ablation of the at least one portion is performed by irradiating the at least one portion with the at least one electro-magnetic radiation using the ablation arrangement.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer arrangement is situated in a probe, and further comprising an ablation arrangement provided in the probe which is controlled by the at least one computer arrangement to cause the visible change on or in the at least one portion.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one computer arrangement is configured to obtain the information via at least one wave-guiding arrangement, and the ablation arrangement provides the at least one electro-magnetic radiation via the at least one wave-guiding arrangement to cause the visible change.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical imaging technique includes an optical coherence tomography.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer arrangement is configured to cause a change to a superficial section of the at least one portion.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a biopsy arrangement which is configured to remove at least one section of the at least one portion that is substantially near or at a location of the visible change.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation disperser arrangement includes a grating.

14. A method for affecting a biological tissue, comprising:

encoding spatial information in an optical spectrum;

dispersing first radiation and second radiation which have different spectral bands from one another;

receiving and detecting the first radiation;

receiving first data associated with at least one image of at least one portion of the biological tissue obtained using an optical imaging technique, wherein the optical imaging technique includes a confocal microscopy technique that encodes spatial information in an optical spectrum, and wherein the first data is associated with the first radiation; and

based on the first data, forwarding the second radiation to be dispersed so as to cause a visible change that includes at least one endoscopically-visible marking on or in at least one location that is outside of and adjacent to of the at least one portion; and

using imaging second data for the visible change on or in the at least one location, causing a removal or a destruction of at least part of the at least one portion.

15. An apparatus for affecting a biological tissue, comprising:

a radiation disperser arrangement which is configured to encode spatial information in an optical spectrum, and disperse first radiation and second radiation which have different spectral bands from one another;

at least one detector arrangement which is configured to receive and detect the first radiation; and

at least one computer arrangement which is configured to:

receive first data associated with at least one image of at least one portion of the biological tissue obtained using an optical imaging technique, wherein the optical imaging technique includes a confocal microscopy technique that encodes spatial information in an optical spectrum, and wherein the first data is associated with the first radiation, and

based on the information, forward the second radiation to the dispersive arrangement to cause a visible change that includes at least one endoscopically-visible marking on or in at least one location that is outside of and adjacent to of the at least one portion.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the radiation disperser arrangement includes a grating.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Oct 30, 2015
From: MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 037019/0015 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2010
From: TEARNEY, GUILLERMO J.; BOUMA, BRETT EUGENE; KANG, DONGKYUN; SUTER, MELISSA J.
To: THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024347/0614 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 61145914 · Jan 20, 2009
Provisional Application 61184180 · Jun 4, 2009
Related Publication 20100210937A1 · Aug 19, 2010