A video endoscope that includes a handle with a housing and an interface portion rotatably mounted relative to the housing, and an elongate shaft with one or more electronic image sensors, wherein a proximal end section of the shaft is detachably connected to the interface portion of the handle, where the interface portion includes a first connector element electrically connected to an electric transmission element of the interface portion and the shaft includes a second connector element electrically connected to the one or more electronic image sensors, the first and second connector elements co-operating to form a detachable electrical connection, and where the handle includes an electrical connection assembly arranged at an exterior of the interface portion forming an electrical connection to at least one stationary electric and/or electronic component of the handle in a multiplicity of rotational positions of the interface portion relative to the housing.

A stylet assembly and method of forming an in vivo image acquiring stylet assembly. The stylet assembly includes an elongate flexible body and an image acquiring device that is supported at a location that is offset from an in vivo facing terminal end of the stylet assembly. A terminal end portion of the stylet assembly is defined by a manipulator that is oriented to extend in a crossing direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate body. The terminal end portion of the stylet assembly is steerable relative to the elongate body and is operable to manipulate positions or adjacent anatomy and/or effectuate guidance of the imaging device relative thereto during use.

A surgical instrument navigation system is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient. The surgical instrument navigation system includes: a surgical instrument; an imaging device which is operable to capture scan data representative of an internal region of interest within a given patient; a tracking subsystem that employs electro-magnetic sensing to capture in real-time position data indicative of the position of the surgical instrument; a data processor which is operable to render a volumetric, perspective image of the internal region of interest from a point of view of the surgical instrument; and a display which is operable to display the volumetric perspective image of the patient.

A stereo-endoscope for observation and analysis of an object, comprising a shaft with distal and proximal ends, illuminating means for illuminating the object, and stereoscopic imaging means which transfer light radiated by the object from the distal end to the proximal end. Light of a first imaging channel is fed into a first sensor, and light of a second imaging channel is fed into a second sensor. Both sensors contain mutually different beam splitters, which split the light into four light beams. One light beam from each of the sensors is deflected onto one sensor each; these two sensors are identical. The signals detected there are assembled to form a stereoscopic image. The stereo-endoscope comprises mutually different manipulating means for the other two light beams; by means of suitably-tuned image-processing algorithms, two different monoscopic images containing information complementary to each other and to the stereoscopic image are generated.

This disclosure relates to instruments and methods of performing an endoscopy. An endoscope for producing images of a surgery in vivo may include a hub and an imaging rod extending from the hub, the imaging rod being configured to receive light and direct the light to an imaging sensor located adjacent to a distal end of the imaging rod, the hub and the imaging rod being attached to form an assembly having a center of mass established distally of the hub. In other implementations, the hub may be omitted.

Provided herein are imaging systems for a patient including an imaging probe and an imaging assembly. The imaging probe includes: an elongate shaft with a proximal end, a distal portion, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal portion; a rotatable optical core with a proximal end and a distal end, and at least a portion of the rotatable optical core is positioned within the lumen of the elongate shaft; and an optical assembly positioned proximate the distal end of the rotatable optical core, the optical assembly configured to direct light to tissue to be imaged and collect reflected light from the tissue to be imaged. The imaging assembly is constructed and arranged to optically couple to the imaging probe. The imaging assembly is configured to emit light into the imaging probe and receive the reflected light collected by the optical assembly.

Presented herein is a method of using a manually-operated light plane generating module to make accurate measurements of the dimensions of an object seen in an image taken by an endoscopic camera. The method comprises: providing the light plane generating module with distinctive features, introducing the light plane generating module until the distinctive features are visible in the image, aligning the light plane across the object, and providing a processor device and software configured to analyze the camera images. Also described are diagnostic or therapeutic endoscopic tools that comprise an attached light plane generating module to provide the tool with integrated light plane measurement capabilities, wherein the tool is configured to be used in the described method.

An endoscope includes an image pickup module, and the image pickup module includes: an image pickup device an external electrode being disposed on a back surface of the image pickup device; a wiring element provided with a through-hole passing through a first main surface and a second main surface, a first electrode on the first main surface being bonded with the external electrode; a signal cable bonded with a second electrode on the second main surface of the wiring element; and a first resin that seals a first bump bonding the first electrode and the external electrode and a second bump bonding the second electrode and the signal cable, and fills the through-hole.

There is described an apparatus comprising a first optical element, a second optical element and a spacing element for use with a mobile user device. The first optical element is configured to provide an image of an object to an intermediate image plane and the second optical element magnifies the image to provide a final image in a final image plane in which a camera aperture of the device is supported. The spacing element maintains a fixed separation between the object and the first optical element. Image magnification is achieved while also providing a space for tool access. Mirrors may be used to divert the optical path, allowing the optical path to be folded for more compact apparatus. A third optical element disposed at the intermediate image plane may be used to reduce vignetting effects in the final image.

An image capturing apparatus includes: a columnar main body having proximal and distal ends, and having a predetermined length therebetween so as to enable insertion of at least the distal end into an oral cavity; at least one light source provided on the proximal or distal end side of the main body, or to the main body, configured to emit light having a predetermined frequency band; a diffuser plate provided on the proximal or distal end side of the main body, or to the main body, configured to diffuse the emitted light toward the oral cavity; and a camera provided on the proximal or the distal end side of the main body, or to the main body, configured to capture an object image based on reflected light which has been diffused by the diffuser plate and reflected from the oral cavity.