Granted Patent B2

US 12,672,781 · App. 18/662,484 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Inventors: John Josef Paul Fengler (North Vancouver, CA); Robert Anthony Stead (North Vancouver, CA)

Assignee: Stryker Corporation

A61B5/0071A61B1/00186A61B1/043A61B1/051A61B1/0638A61B1/0684G01J1/00G01J1/58G01J3/0205G01J3/0208G01J3/021G01J3/0248G01J3/10G01J3/36G01J3/4406G02B21/16G02B27/1013G02B27/106H04N23/11H04N23/16H04N23/56H04N23/60H04N23/667H04N23/74H04N23/75H04N25/11A61B5/0035A61B5/0084H04N13/204H04N2209/049

Abstract

Claims (44)

1 . A system for fluorescence imaging of an object, comprising:

an image sensor assembly comprising at least one image sensor; and

an illuminator configured to emit excitation light in a plurality of excitation wavebands for causing the object to emit fluorescence light, wherein the plurality of excitation wavebands comprises a plurality of visible light wavebands, the illuminator comprising:

at least one first fluorescence excitation light emitter configured to emit fluorescence excitation light having a first waveband of the plurality of visible light wavebands,

at least one second fluorescence excitation light emitter configured to emit fluorescence excitation light having a second waveband of the plurality of visible light wavebands, the second waveband being different than the first waveband, wherein the illuminator is configured to activate the at least one first fluorescence excitation light emitter independently of the at least one second fluorescence excitation light emitter, and

at least one imaging light emitter configured to emit imaging light for reflected light imaging of the object; and

an optical assembly configured to transmit imaging light reflected from the object and fluorescence light emitted from the object to the image sensor assembly, the optical assembly comprising at least one notch filter configured to block light in the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands while transmitting the fluorescence light and imaging light reflected from the object that is not in the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands,

wherein the optical assembly is configured to project the fluorescence light and the imaging light reflected from the object that is not in the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands onto the at least one image sensor of the image sensor assembly, wherein at least a portion of the fluorescence light and at least a portion of the imaging light reflected from the object that is not in the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands are projected onto the same image sensor of the image sensor assembly.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch filter comprises a single multi-band notch filter configured to block the light in the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands are non-overlapping.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch filter comprises a plurality of single-notch blocking filters placed in series, each single-notch blocking filter configured to block light in a selected waveband of the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands comprises one or more of an ultraviolet (UV) waveband and a near-infrared (NIR) waveband.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands comprises one or more of: 405 nm, 470-480 nm, 660 nm, 760-780 nm, and 750-810 nm.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch filter has an optical density of 4-6.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch filter has a transmission rate of at least 90% in transmitting light in at least one waveband other than the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least waveband other than the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands comprises at least a portion of a visible light spectrum.

10 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one notch filter has a transition width of less than 10 nm between a transmitted portion and a blocked portion of a light spectrum.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch filter comprises at least one substrate comprising one or more dielectric coatings configured to block light in at least one waveband of the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one substrate comprises a glass substrate.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one notch filter comprises a multi-band notch filter that comprises a plurality of dielectric coatings with alternating high and low refractive indexes on the glass substrate.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one notch filter comprises a plurality of single-notch blocking filters, each single-notch blocking filter comprising a different dielectric coating configured to block a selected waveband of the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical assembly is configured to project a plurality of fluorescence images onto the at least one image sensor, each fluorescence image projected onto a different portion of the at least one image sensor.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch filter is located in a portion of an optical imaging path between the object and the image sensor assembly in which light rays of the fluorescence light emitted by the object have a minimum cone angle.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical assembly is configured to reduce an image size of the fluorescence light, spectrally separate the fluorescence light, and project the spectrally separated fluorescence light onto the at least one image sensor.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging light reflected from the object that is not in the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands comprises white light.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein, the optical assembly is configured to project the transmitted white light as a white light image onto the at least one image sensor of the image sensor assembly.

20 . The system of claim 1 wherein the illuminator is configured to generate white light simultaneously with at least one of the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands.

21 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a surgery-specific component configured to direct the light in the plurality of fluorescence excitation wavebands to the object and to receive the light emitted from the object.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the surgery-specific component is an interchangeable component comprising a surgical microscope, a laparoscope, an endoscope, an open field illumination and imaging module, a stereoscopic videoscope, or a scintigraphy module.

23 . The system of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the image sensor assembly and the optical assembly are integrated into the surgery-specific component.

24 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to selectively control a fluorescence mode of the system.

25 . The system of claim 1 , comprising an image processor configured to generate a fluorescence emission image based on image signals received from the image sensor assembly and associated with the fluorescence light emitted from the object.

26 . A method for fluorescence imaging, comprising:

generating, by at least one first fluorescence excitation light emitter of an illuminator of an imaging system, light in a first excitation waveband to cause a first fluorescence light emission from a first target, wherein the first excitation waveband is a first visible light waveband;

blocking, by at least one notch filter of the imaging system, the light in the first excitation waveband while transmitting the first fluorescence light emission to at least one image sensor of the imaging system;

generating, by at least one second fluorescence excitation light emitter of the illuminator, light in a second excitation waveband to cause a second fluorescence light emission from a second target, wherein the second excitation waveband is a second visible light waveband, the second waveband being different than the first waveband, and wherein activation of the at least one second fluorescence excitation light emitter is independent of activation of the at least one first fluorescence excitation light emitter;

blocking, by the at least one notch filter of the imaging system, the light in the second excitation waveband while transmitting the second fluorescence light emission to the at least one image sensor of the imaging system;

generating, by an imaging light emitter of the illuminator, imaging light that reflects from the first target; and

transmitting, by the at least one notch filter of the imaging system, the imaging light reflected from the first target that is not in the first excitation waveband or in the second excitation waveband onto the at least one sensor of the imaging system, wherein at least a portion of the first fluorescence light emission and at least a portion of the imaging light reflected from the first target that is not in the first excitation waveband or in the second excitation waveband are projected onto the same image sensor of the imaging system.

27 . The method of claim 26 , comprising switching a fluorescence mode of the illuminator to cause the illuminator to switch from generating the light in the first excitation waveband to generating the light in the second excitation waveband.

28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the at least one notch filter comprises a single multi-band notch filter.

29 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the first excitation waveband and the second excitation waveband are non-overlapping.

30 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the at least one notch filter comprises a plurality of single-notch blocking filters positioned in series.

31 . The method of claim 26 , comprising transmitting white light by the at least one notch filter.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (6)

References Cited (400)