An intraoral optical probe is provided that includes a distal elongate optical waveguide for interrogating dental tissue. In some example embodiments, the elongate optical waveguide has dimensions suitable for the insertion of the waveguide into an exposed root canal. According to various example embodiments, the elongate optical waveguide, when inserted into an internal region of a tooth, can direct incident optical radiation from the intraoral optical probe directly onto an inner surface, such as an internal surface of a root canal, such that status of the root canal can be interrogated directly. The intraoral optical probe may be employed to provide intraoperative feedback regarding internal dental tissue, such as interoperative feedback pertaining to the interior of the root canal during an endodontic procedure, location of secondary or lateral root canals, location of the apex or tip of the root canal system and or detection of the pulp chamber roof or floor.

The invention relates to a device for analyzing a substance, comprising: —a measurement body (1, 1a), which has a measurement surface (2) and is to be brought at least in part into contact with the substance (3) in the region of the measurement surface for the purpose of measuring; a laser device (4), particularly having a quantum cascade laser (QCL), a tunable QCL and/or a laser array, preferably an array of QCLs, in order to generate one or more excitation beams (10) at different wavelengths, preferably in the infrared or medium infrared spectral range, which is directed to the substance (3); and a detection apparatus (5, 6, 7) which is integrated at least in part in the measurement body (1, 1a) or connected thereto and comprises the following: •a source (5) for coherent detection light (11) and •a first optical waveguide structure (6) which can be or is connected to the source for the detection light, which guides the detection light, and has a refractive index which is dependent at least in portions on the temperature and/or pressure, wherein the first optical waveguide structure has at least one portion (9) in which the light intensity depends on a phase shift of detection light in at least one part of the first optical waveguide structure (6) due to a change in temperature or pressure.

Systems and methods are provided for performing thermophotonic imaging using cross-correlation and subsequent time-gated truncation. Photothermal radiation is detected with an infrared camera while exciting a sample with a chirped set of incident optical pulses and time-dependent photothermal signal data is processed using a method that involves performing cross-correlation and subsequent time-gated truncation. The post-cross-correlation truncation method results in depth-resolved images with axial and lateral resolution beyond the well-known thermal-diffusion-length-limited, depth-integrated nature of conventional imaging modalities. An axially resolved photothermal image sequence can be obtained, capable of reconstructing three-dimensional visualizations of photothermal features in wide classes of materials.

An electroactive photonic polymer sensing device includes an imaging component that uses photonic energy to generate a photocurrent that represents a molecular parameter, wherein the imaging component includes a photosensitive material and at least one of a laser diode and/or photodiode; and a memory component that stores a representation of the molecular parameter, wherein the memory component includes at least one of a protein, vitamin, lipid, carbon allotrope, carbon tetra fluoride. A method of sensing polymers using an electroactive photonic sensing device includes converting, using an imaging component, photonic energy into electrochemical energy to generate a photocurrent that represents a molecular parameter, wherein the imaging device includes a photosensitive material and at least one of a laser diode and/or photodiode; and storing, using a memory component, a representation of the molecular parameter, wherein the memory component includes at least one of a vitamin, lipid, carbon allotrope, carbon tetra fluoride.

A multi-modality fatty tissue mimicking material for phantoms for use with thermoacoustic imaging, ultrasound imaging and magnetic resonance imaging, which includes: an aqueous mixture of a 3% to 18% thickening agent, a 1% to 30% protein powder, a 0.1% to 2% ionic salt, a 30% to 85% water, and a 0% to 60% oil by weight, wherein the oil percentage corresponds to the fat percentage in tissue, further wherein the ionic salt percentage corresponds to an imaginary part of complex permittivity in tissue, and further wherein the water, oil and protein powder percentages correspond to the real part of complex permittivity in tissue.

An excitation force (internal or external) and phase-sensitive optical coherence elastography (OCE) system, used in conjunction with a data analyzing algorithm, is capable of measuring and quantifying biomechanical parameters of tissues in situ and in vivo. The method was approbated and demonstrated on an example of the system that combines a pulsed ultrasound system capable of producing an acoustic radiation force on the crystalline lens surface and a phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for measuring the lens displacement caused by the acoustic radiation force. The method allows noninvasive and nondestructive quantification of tissue mechanical properties. The noninvasive measurement method also utilizes phase-stabilized swept source optical coherence elastography (PhS-SSOCE) to distinguish between tissue stiffness, such as that attributable to disease, and effects on measured stiffness that result from external factors, such as pressure applied to the tissue. Preferably, the method is used to detect tissue stiffness and to evaluate the presence of its stiffness even if it is affected by other factors such as intraocular pressure (TOP) in the case of cornea, sclera, or the lens. This noninvasive method can evaluate the biomechanical properties of the tissues in vivo for detecting the onset and progression of degenerative or other diseases (such as keratoconus).

An RF applicator has an open-ended waveguide having an aperture and a dielectric cone extending through the aperture and is electrically connected to an RF source that is configured to generate RF energy pulses. A top fin is mounted to an inner top surface of the waveguide and comprises a conductive material, is electrically connected to the RF source, and has dimensions configured to optimize a bandwidth that the RF applicator applies to tissue. A bottom fin is mounted to an inner bottom surface of the waveguide and comprises a conductive material electrically isolated from the RF source, with dimensions configured to optimize a bandwidth that the RF applicator applies to tissue. A dielectric cone is inserted into the waveguide. A filler material between inner surfaces of the waveguide and the solid dielectric cone can fill gaps and has a dielectric constant similar to the dielectric cone.

An impedance reflector apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for detecting a marker implanted within tissue that includes a switch for changing a configuration of an antenna of the marker. The apparatus includes a set of transmit electrodes coupled to a signal generator for transmitting a drive current into tissue to generate an electromagnetic field around the marker, a set of receive electrodes configured to detect voltage signals within the tissue corresponding to the electromagnetic field, and a light source for delivering light pulses into the body to open and close the switch to change the configuration of the antenna of the marker. A processor coupled to the receive electrodes processes the detected voltage signals to identify changes in the electromagnetic field that are synchronized with the light pulses to determine whether the marker is operating properly.

A method and system for optimizing RF energy delivery to a tissue ROI with a thermoacoustic system includes directing with a RF applicator, RF energy pulses into the tissue ROI having an object of interest and a reference separated by a boundary; detecting with a thermoacoustic transducer, a multi-polar thermoacoustic signal generated at the boundary in response to the RF energy pulses and processing the multi-polar acoustic signal to determine a peak-to-peak amplitude; detecting with the thermoacoustic transducer, an artifact multi-polar thermoacoustic signal generated at a location other than the boundary and processing it to determine a peak-to-peak amplitude; utilizing an electromagnetic model coupled with a model of patient anatomy to place dielectric or conducting materials near the thermoacoustic transducer or the RF applicator to optimize a signal-to-noise ratio of the multi-polar thermoacoustic signal generated at the boundary or minimize the artifact multi-polar thermoacoustic signal generated at a location other than the boundary; and directing with the RF applicator, RF energy pulses into the ROI for a thermoacoustic measurement and determine a parameter of the object of interest.

A sensor device is described herein. The sensor device includes a multi-dimensional optical sensor and processing circuitry, wherein the multi-dimensional optical sensor generates images and the processing circuitry is configured to output data that is indicative of hemodynamics of a user based upon the images. The sensor device is non-invasive, and is able to be incorporated into wearable devices, thereby allowing for continuous output of the data that is indicative of the hemodynamics of the user.