A catheter system includes an electronic console; a catheter having a proximal end attachable to the console and a distal end configured to house therein an optical probe; an optical fiber configured to transmit from the console to the optical probe excitation radiation of a first wavelength, and configured to return to the console an optical response signal having a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength; a detector configured to detect intensity of the optical response signal; and a processor configured to determine, based on the detected intensity of the optical response signal, whether the catheter is properly connected to the console. The optical response signal is generated within the optical fiber itself in response to transmitting the excitation radiation therethrough. The optical response signal is an auto-fluorescence signal and/or Raman scattering signal generated from the optical fiber itself.

An imaging system for a patient is provided. The system includes an imaging probe having 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 is positioned within the lumen of the elongate shaft. An optical assembly is positioned proximate the distal end of the rotatable optical core and is configured to direct light to tissue and collect reflected light from the tissue. An imaging assembly is constructed and arranged to optically couple to the imaging probe and the imaging assembly is configured to emit light into the imaging probe and receive the reflected light collected by the optical assembly.

Systems, methods, and devices for directed to duplex imaging techniques for combining high-resolution surface images obtained with a Scanning Fiber Endoscope (SFE), and high-resolution penetrating OCT images obtained through Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), from a SFE, and interleaving frames to improve resolution and identify below surface information of biological structures.

A multicore fiber light transfer system includes a multicore fiber having a proximal end and a distal end and at least three optical cores. The multicore fiber transferring light from the proximal end to the distal end and collecting light from a target at the distal end and transferring the collected light to the proximal end. Distal optics is 3D printed near the distal end of the multicore fiber. The distal optics includes a first element having a surface that is aligned to one core of the multicore fiber with a first shape such that the first element projects the light transferred from the proximal end in a first desired direction with a first desired beam shape and having a second element comprising a surface that is aligned to another core of the multicore fiber with a second shape such that the second element collects light from a desired location on the target.

An image pickup apparatus for endoscope includes: an imager, an optical device, an optical module on which the optical device is mounted, an optical fiber optically coupled with the optical device, a ferrule having an insertion hole into which the optical fiber is inserted, and a wiring board including a first rigid board, a second rigid board and a flexible intermediate board. The ferrule is fixed to the second rigid board or a first principal surface of the optical module. A first side surface of the optical module is glued to the first rigid board, and the first principal surface is glued to the second rigid board.

An apparatus for inspecting a biological tissue uses a pH-sensitive coating material to determine whether the tissue is normal or cancerous. The coating materials placed in contact with the tissue to be excited by an excitation light. The coating material is arranged to provide a response signal indicative of the pH value of the tissue. Using a fiber bundle having a plurality of optical fibers forming a linear array or a two-dimensional array adjacent the coating material, the imaging of localized surface pH in the biological tissue can be achieved using the response signal through each of the optical fibers. The fiber bundle can be arranged as a probe to examine the tissue for providing direct mapping of the tumor margin via a display, so that a surgeon can inspect the tissue in real-time.

A light guide is provided that includes a fiber bundle, a jacket, a proximal end, a distal end, and a terminated end face. The fiber bundle has a plurality of optical fibers. The jacket encloses at least a part of the plurality of optical fibers and/or the fiber bundle. The jacket has a maximum outer lateral dimension that is greater than a maximum outer lateral dimension of the fiber bundle by at most 500 μm. The terminated end face is on the proximal end and/or the distal end. The terminated end face has a maximum lateral outer dimension that is not larger than the maximum outer lateral dimension of the jacket.

The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber article and a method for the production of the optical fiber article. The present disclosure in particular relates to the use of the optical fiber article in a fiber bundle as light guide and/or image guide, for example in an endoscope.

Multicore fibers and methods are provided to reduce crosstalk between cores of the multicore fibers. Multicore fibers comprise a plurality of coated and/or cladded cores, which comprise an absorbing and/or scattering coating over a cladding of the core; and/or multilayered cladding comprising at least two cladding layers having different refractive indices. Imaging endoscopes may comprise the multicore fibers and be used for medical imaging.

A method for mapping an internal structure of a patient with an elongate body is provided. The method includes detecting, at a plurality of instances, contact between a distal portion of an elongate body and an internal structure of the patient; determining a plurality of geometric configurations of the distal portion, the plurality of geometric configurations corresponding to the plurality of instances of contact between the distal portion and the internal structure; determining a plurality of positions of the distal portion, the plurality of positions corresponding to the plurality of geometric configurations; and generating a map of the internal structure based on the plurality of positions of the distal portion.