An endoscope module including an annular prism, an annular lens, an annular stop, and an annular image sensor is provided. The annular prism has an annular reflective inclined surface, a light incident surface, and a light emitting surface. The light incident surface faces a side surface and the light emitting surface faces away from a front surface. The annular stop is disposed on a side of the light incident surface of the annular prism and surrounds the annular prism. The annular lens is disposed between the annular prism and the annular image sensor. A lateral light from the side surface is reflected to the annular lens by the annular reflective inclined surface after passing through the annular stop and then entering the annular prism, and is then condensed to the annular image sensor by the annular lens.

Disclosed herein are configurations for fiber optic endoscopes employing fixed distal optics and multicore optical fiber.

An intraluminal imaging catheter comprises an outer sheath of material that is efficiently transmissive of near infrared light, a guidewire lumen section extending distally from a distal end of the outer sheath, a terminal length section of the outer sheath extending proximally from the guidewire lumen section, a cable longitudinally and rotatably disposed lengthwise within the outer sheath and having an imaging tip located at its distal end including optical components for transmitting and receiving near infrared light, wherein the cable is longitudinally extendable to position the imaging tip at the terminal length section of the outer sheath, and reinforcement means for structurally reinforcing the terminal length section of the outer sheath against transverse bending or kinking.

A method of imaging a vessel with a catheter includes positioning an imaging tip in a reinforced terminal section of an outer sheath of the catheter, inserting the catheter into a vessel, and performing near infrared spectroscopy of the vessel by retracting the imaging tip to a retracted position proximally spaced from the reinforced terminal section of the outer sheath, transmitting near infrared light from the imaging tip to the vessel wall via the outer sheath, and collecting near infrared light from the vessel wall at the imaging tip via the outer sheath. Transmitting and collecting may be performed after retracting the cable and while the imaging tip is rotated and translated proximally from the retracted position along the outer sheath. Ultrasound energy may be transmitted to the vessel from a transducer on the imaging tip and received from the vessel at the transducer.

A light-scanning endoscope is provided with: a light-scanner that causes an optical fiber to be vibrated; a controller that causes light to be emitted from the optical fiber with the same phase as the vibrations; an adjusting unit that adjusts a distortion correction amount on the basis of a shape of a row of irradiation positions of the light on an imaging subject; and a phase correcting unit that corrects the phase in which the light is emitted on the basis of the adjusted distortion correction amount.

A scope (1) for examining or surgically treating ears comprising a probe (2); at least one visualiser (3) on the probe having an optical configuration (7), and a light source (42) wherein the visualiser (3) is articulatable about a visualiser articulation axis (3a) by an orienting mechanism (4) for optimal viewing of the ear.

An endoscope having an optical fiber scanning apparatus that includes an optical fiber a fixed end of which is fixed and a free end for emitting illumination light of which vibrates in a first direction and a second direction, a ferrule which includes a through hole including an opening on a distal end surface and fixes the optical fiber inserted through the through hole, a pair of first fixing members which sandwich and fix the optical fiber in the first direction, a pair of second fixing members which sandwich and fix the optical fiber in the second direction, and piezoelectric elements or a magnet configured to vibrate the optical fiber, in which a Young's modulus of the pair of first fixing members is smaller than a Young's modulus of the pair of second fixing members.

Systems and method for multiplexing and alternating light of different wavelengths in an ophthalmoscope are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, an imaging system includes an illumination system configured to generate and output light that alternates between at least two different wavelengths. The imaging system includes a multiplexer configured to receive the output light and to multiplex the light of different wavelengths onto a single optical channel. Further, the imaging system includes a scanning laser ophthalmoscope probe configured to operatively receive the multiplexed light, to apply the multiplexed light to a subject for imaging, and to receive light returning from the subject for generating an image of the subject.

An endoscope handpiece and system may include an angle of view selector, a depressible button, which may be connected to a lock disposed within a port of the endoscopic handpiece. The system may further provide an endoscope, which may be connected to the handpiece via the port and locked in place by the lock.

An oral scanner including a heating element, a reflecting element and a temperature difference generating element is provided. The temperature difference generating element has a high temperature end and a low temperature end. The high temperature end is connected to the reflecting element to heat the reflecting element, and the low temperature end is connected to the heating element to cool the heating element.