MLA-OCT IMAGING CATHETER, MLA-OCT IMAGING SYSTEM AND MLA-OCT IMAGING METHOD

Abstract

Provided are an MLA-OCT imaging catheter (3), a calibration method of the MLA-OCT imaging catheter, an MLA-OCT imaging system and an imaging method thereof. The MLA-OCT imaging catheter (3) comprises an inner tube (5), an outer tube (4) and a multi-core catheter connector (6), wherein the inner tube (5) comprises an optical fiber bundle (21) and a microlens array (7). In the MLA-OCT imaging system, a light source (14) is divided into a sample light and a reference light by an interferometer (15), wherein the sample light enters a signal arm to reach human tissue, while the reference light enters a reference arm to reach an optical delay line; the light returned from said two locations is respectively a first optical signal and a second optical signal, and the reference arm is provided with an optical delay line device. The MLA-OCT imaging method includes: adjusting the position of an optical delay line by a data processing device according to the signal-to-noise ratio of the interference signal until the signal-to-noise ratio is the highest, at this time the value of the delay time for the optical delay line of each optical fiber is the calibration value of the optical delay line which is stored in an MLA-OCT system; automatically setting the arm length of a reference arm by the MLA-OCT system based on the calibration value of the optical delay line, so as to detect the interference signal; and actuating an MLA-OCT imaging catheter (3) to move axially by a retracement controller to perform axial scanning, so as to generate a three-dimensional image of human tissue.

Claims

1. An MLA-OCT imaging catheter, comprising an inner tube, an outer tube and a multi-core catheter connector, wherein the inner tube is located inside the outer tube; the inner tube comprises an optical fiber bundle and a microlens array, the optical fiber bundle comprises two or more optical fibers, the microlens array comprises two or more microlenses, and the microlens array is located at the distal end of the optical fiber bundle; the proximal end of the outer tube is connected to a retracement controller for driving the retracement of the MLA-OCT imaging catheter through a multi-core catheter connector.

2. The MLA-OCT imaging catheter according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the outer tube is provided with a quick exchange tip, and the quick exchange tip is provided with a developing ring and a guiding wire inlet and outlet.

3. The MLA-OCT imaging catheter according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the outer tube is provided with a transparent imaging window.

4. The MLA-OCT imaging catheter according to claim 1, wherein the multi-core catheter connector is provided with anti-slip lines.

5. An MLA-OCT imaging system, comprising: a host equipment, a retracement controller, and the MLA-OCT imaging catheter according to claim 1, wherein: the host equipment comprises an optical device and a data processing device, the optical device comprises a light source and an interferometer; the signal arm of the interferometer is provided with a retracement controller and an MLA-OCT imaging catheter, and the reference arm of the interferometer is provided with an optical delay line; the light source is divided into a beam of sample light and a beam of reference light by the interferometer, the sample light enters the signal arm of the interferometer to reach human tissue, and the multi-point scattered light returned from human tissue and collected by the MLA-OCT imaging catheter is a set of scanning optical signals, wherein each single-point scattered light is a first optical signal, and the scanning optical signal is a collection of the first optical signals of each single point; the reference light enters the reference arm of the interferometer to reach the optical delay line of the interferometer, and the light returned by the optical delay line is the second optical signal; wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal return to the interferometer to interfere to generate an interference signal which is then sent to the data processing device; the retracement controller comprises a stepping motor, a first high-speed optical switch, an optical fiber bundle, and an optical fiber array connector; the proximal end of the retracement controller is connected to the interferometer, and the distal end is connected to the MLA-OCT imaging catheter through a multi-core catheter connector, the MLA-OCT imaging catheter is activated by the retracement controller to move axially to perform axial scanning, so as to generate a three-dimensional image of the tissue.

6. The MLA-OCT imaging system according to claim 5, wherein the data processing device comprises: a photodetector, a data acquisition card, an imaging host, an image processor, and a display terminal.

7. The MLA-OCT imaging system according to claim 5, wherein the host equipment comprises a closed-loop monitoring device for retracement.

8. The MLA-OCT imaging system according to claim 5, wherein the reference arm is provided with a second high-speed optical switch and an optical delay line array comprising two or more optical delay lines; optionally, the reference arm is provided with one optical delay line.

9. A method for calibrating the MLA-OCT imaging catheter in the MLA-OCT imaging system according to claim 5, including: after connecting an MLA-OCT imaging catheter comprising an optical fiber bundle to a retracement controller, adjusting the position of the corresponding optical delay line on the reference arm for each optical fiber by a data processing device according to the signal-to-noise ratio of the received interference signal until the signal-to-noise ratio is the highest, at this time the value of the delay time for the optical delay line of each optical fiber is the calibration value of the optical delay line.

10. An MLA-OCT imaging method using the MLA-OCT imaging system according to claim 5, which includes the following steps: connecting the MLA-OCT imaging catheter to the retracement controller through a multi-core catheter connector; dividing the light source into a beam of sample light and a beam of reference light by an interferometer, wherein the sample light enters the signal arm of the interferometer to reach human tissue, and the multi-point scattered light returned from human tissue and collected by the MLA-OCT imaging catheter is a set of scanning optical signals, and wherein each single-point scattered light is a first optical signal, and the scanning optical signal is a collection of the first optical signals of each single point; the reference light enters the reference arm of the interferometer to reach the optical delay line of the interferometer, and the light returned by the optical delay line is the second optical signal; wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal return to the interferometer to interfere to generate an interference signal which is then sent to the data processing device; adjusting the position of the corresponding optical delay line on the reference arm for each optical fiber by a data processing device according to the signal-to-noise ratio of each received interference signal until the signal-to-noise ratio is the highest, at this time the value of the delay time for the optical delay line of each optical fiber is the calibration value of the optical delay line which is stored in the MLA-OCT imaging system; automatically setting the arm length of the reference arm by the MLA-OCT system based on the pre-stored calibration value of the optical delay line, so as to detect the interference signal, wherein the data processing device generates a two-dimensional lumen cross-section image of the human tissue based on all the detected interference signals; and actuating the MLA-OCT imaging catheter to move axially by the retracement controller to perform axial scanning, so as to generate a three-dimensional image of the human tissue.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1(a) is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an MLA-OCT imaging catheter according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 1(b) is a schematic diagram showing the quick exchange tip of an MLA-OCT imaging catheter according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an MLA-OCT imaging system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 3(a) is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the reference arm of the interferometer in an MLA-OCT imaging system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the signal arm of the interferometer in an MLA-OCT imaging system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the steps of an MLA-OCT imaging method according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

TABLE-US-00001 Symbol Description  1: Host equipment 12: First high-speed optical switch  2: Retracement controller 13: Optical delay line array  3: MLA-OCT imaging catheter 14: Light source  4: Outer tube 15: Interferometer  5: Inner tube 16: Photodetector  6: Multi-core catheter connector 17: Data acquisition card  7: Microlens array 18: Imaging host  8: Fast exchange tip 19: Image processor and display terminal  9: Guiding wire 20: Closed-loop monitoring device for retracement 10: Stepping motor 21: Optical fiber bundle 11: Optical fiber array connector 22: Second high-speed optical switch

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0038] In order to make the technical means of the present invention more clear and understandable to the extent that those skilled in the art may implement them in accordance with the content of the description, and to make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the particular embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] It should be noted that, certain words are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art should understand that, they may use different terms to refer to the same component. This specification and claims use the difference in function of the components as the criterion for distinguishing, instead of using the difference in the terms as a way to distinguish the components. For example, “comprise/include” or “comprising/including” mentioned in the entire specification and claims is an open term, it should be interpreted as “including but not limited to”. The following description of the specification are preferred embodiments for implementing the present invention, but the description is based on the general principles of the specification and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to those defined by the appended claims.

[0040] FIG. 1(a) is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 comprises an inner tube 5, an outer tube 4, and a multi-core catheter connector 6; wherein the inner tube 5 is located inside the outer tube 4 and comprises an optical fiber bundle 21 and a microlens array 7 at the distal end, the optical fiber bundle 21 comprises two or more optical fibers, and the microlens array 7 comprises two or more microlenses; the proximal end of the outer tube 4 is connected to a retracement controller 2 through the multi-core catheter connector 6, and the distal end of the outer tube 4 enters a lumen in human body.

[0041] In a particular embodiment, the optical fiber bundle 21 is a high-density optical fiber bundle, and the multi-core catheter connector 6 is a high-density multi-core catheter connector.

[0042] In a particular embodiment, the microlens array 7 is a high-density microlens array, and the microlens may be selected from a spherical lens, a cylindrical lens, or a silicon lens.

[0043] In a particular embodiment, the multi-core catheter connector 6 is provided with anti-slip lines.

[0044] In a particular embodiment, the distal end of the outer tube 4 is also provided with a transparent imaging window and a quick exchange tip 8, and the quick exchange tip 8 is provided with a developing ring. The transparent imaging window has a high transmittance to the light of a specific wavelength band, and mainly has the function of transmitting light; the developing ring cannot be penetrated by X-rays, and with the help of its function, the exact position of the catheter in the body may be shown.

[0045] FIG. 1(b) is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the quick exchange tip 8 of an MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention, wherein the quick exchange tip 8 has a guiding wire inlet, and the guiding wire 9 is put into the quick exchange tip 8, and the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 may be pushed along the guiding wire 9 to the target lesion area in the patient's lumen.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an MLA-OCT imaging system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the MLA-OCT imaging system comprises: a host equipment 1, an MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3, and a retracement controller 2; wherein the host equipment 1 comprises a light source 14, an interferometer 15, a photodetector 16, a data acquisition card 17, an imaging host 18, an image processor and a display terminal 19, and so on. The retracement controller 2 and the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 are located on the signal arm of the interferometer 15, and the reference arm of the interferometer 15 is provided with an optical delay line array 13. The proximal end of the retracement controller 2 is connected to the interferometer 15, and the distal end is connected to the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3. The left side of the interferometer 15 is connected to the light source 14, the right side is connected to the photodetector 16, and the output end of the photodetector 16 is connected to the data acquisition card 17, the output end of the data acquisition card 17 is connected to the imaging host 18, and the output end of the imaging host 18 is connected to the image processor and the display terminal 19.

[0047] Wherein the light source 14 is divided into a beam of sample light and a beam of reference light by the interferometer 15; the sample light enters a signal arm to reach human tissue, while the reference light enters a reference arm to reach an optical delay line of the interferometer 15, the multi-point backscattered light of the human tissue collected by the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 is a set of scanning optical signals, wherein each single-point scattered light is a first optical signal, i.e., the scanning optical signal is a collection of the first optical signals of each single point; and the light returned by the optical delay line is a second optical signal. The first optical signal returns to the interferometer 15 via the signal arm, and the second optical signal returns to the interferometer 15 via the reference arm. When the first optical signal and the second light interfere in the interferometer 15, the generated optical interference signal is detected by the photodetector 16. The photodetector 16 receives the optical interference signal and converts it into an electrical signal to output to the data acquisition card 17. The card 17 converts the automatically collected electrical signal into a digital signal, and the digital signal is stored in the imaging host 18, then the imaging host 18 analyzes and processes the digital signal, thereby obtaining corresponding images in the image processor and the display terminal 19. The data processing device generates a two-dimensional cross-section image of the lumen in human tissue according to the interference signals of all single points, and then the retracement controller 2 activates the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 to move axially for axial scanning, thereby generating a three-dimensional image of human tissue; wherein the interference may only occur when the optical paths of the reference arm and the sample arm match within the coherence length of the light source 14.

[0048] In a particular embodiment, the MLA-OCT imaging system further comprises a closed-loop monitoring device for retracement 20, which is electrically connected to the retracement controller 2, the photodetector 16, and the imaging host 18, so as to form the closed-loop control of the retracement of the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 and prevent the occurrence of forced retracement of the imaging catheter.

[0049] In a particular embodiment, the light source 14 may be a high-coherence light source such as a laser, or a low-coherence light source such as a superluminescent diode.

[0050] In a particular embodiment, the optical delay line array 13 is a high-density optical delay line array.

[0051] FIG. 3(a) is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the reference arm of the interferometer 15 in an MLA-OCT imaging system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention, wherein the reference arm is provided with a second high-speed optical switch 22 and an optical delay line array 13 comprising two or more optical delay lines.

[0052] In a particular embodiment, the optical fiber bundle 21 comprises N (N is an integer greater than 1) optical fibers, the second high-speed optical switch 22 is a 1×N high-speed optical switch, and the optical delay line array 13 comprises N optical delay lines. The 1×N high-speed optical switch is a functional switch with the function of switching optical paths, wherein 1 represents the number of input optical signal channels, N represents the number of output optical signal channels, and 1×N represents that the input signal from 1 channel may be switched to N output signal channels.

[0053] In an alternative embodiment, if the adjustment speed of the optical delay line may exceed the speed of the second high-speed optical switch 22, only one optical delay line may be provided, and the second high-speed optical switch 22 does not need to be provided, thereby simplifying the configuration of the reference arm.

[0054] FIG. 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the signal arm of the interferometer 15 in an MLA-OCT imaging system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the retracement controller 2 located on a signal arm comprises: a stepping motor 10, a first high-speed optical switch 12, an optical fiber bundle 21 and an optical fiber array connector 11; wherein the proximal end of the retracement controller 2 is connected to the interferometer 15, and the optical fiber array connector 11 at the distal end of the retracement controller 2 is connected to a multi-core catheter connector 6, so that the retracement controller 2 is connected to an MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3.

[0055] In a particular embodiment, the optical fiber bundle 21 comprises N (N is an integer greater than 1) optical fibers, the first high-speed optical switch 12 is a 1×N high-speed optical switch, and the optical fiber array connector 11 is an N-optical fiber array connector.

[0056] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the steps of an MLA-OCT imaging method according to a particular embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the MLA-OCT imaging method includes the following steps:

[0057] S1: connecting the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 to the retracement controller 2 through a multi-core catheter connector 6, to be ready for calibration;

[0058] S2: dividing the light source 14 into a beam of sample light and a beam of reference light by an interferometer 15, wherein the sample light enters the signal arm of the interferometer 15 to reach human tissue, and the multi-point scattered light returned from human tissue and collected by the MLA-OCT imaging catheter is a set of scanning optical signals, and wherein each single-point scattered light is a first optical signal, and the scanning optical signal is a collection of the first optical signals of each single point; the reference light enters the reference arm of the interferometer 15 to reach the optical delay line of the interferometer 15, and the light returned by the optical delay line is the second optical signal; wherein the first optical signal and the second optical signal return to the interferometer 15 for coherent detection to generate an interference signal which is then sent to the data processing device;

[0059] S3: adjusting the position of the corresponding optical delay line on the reference arm for each optical fiber by a data processing device according to the signal-to-noise ratio of each received interference signal until the signal-to-noise ratio of the interference signal is the highest, at this time the value of the delay time for the optical delay line of each optical fiber is the calibration value of the optical delay line which is stored in the MLA-OCT imaging system;

[0060] S4: automatically setting the arm length of the reference arm by the MLA-OCT system based on the pre-stored calibration value of the optical delay line, so as to detect the interference signal, wherein the imaging host 18 generates a two-dimensional lumen cross-section image of the human tissue based on all the detected interference signals;

[0061] S5: actuating the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 to move axially by the retracement controller 2 to perform axial scanning, then a series of two-dimensional lumen cross-section images of the human tissue are generated by the imaging host 18, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional image of the human tissue.

[0062] In a particular embodiment, step S1 is: inserting a multi-core catheter connector 6 at the proximal end of the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 into the optical fiber array connector 11 on the retracement controller 2 to be ready for calibration;

[0063] In a particular embodiment, step S3 is: the first high-speed optical switch 12 and the second high-speed optical switch 22 are both 1×N high-speed optical switches, and the two are synchronously driven, i.e., the first output signal channel of the first high-speed optical switch 12 and the first output signal channel of the second high-speed optical switch 22 are opened synchronously, and the second output signal channel of the first high-speed optical switch 12 and the second output signal channel of the second high-speed optical switch 22 are opened synchronously, by analogy, the Nth output signal channel of the first high-speed optical switch 12 and the Nth output signal channel of the second high-speed optical switch 22 are opened synchronously. The position M of each two corresponding output signal channels corresponds to a microlens M in the microlens array at the tip of the inner tube 5 of the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3, an optical fiber M in the optical fiber bundle 21 and the optical fiber array connector 11, an optical delay line M of the optical delay line array 13, wherein the imaging host 18 adjusts the position of the optical delay line M according to the signal-to-noise ratio of the received interference signal and the imaging quality until the signal-to-noise ratio is the highest and the imaging quality is the best; at this time the value of the delay time for the optical delay line M is set as the calibration value CV-M of the microlens M/optical fiber M/optical delay line M of the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3. The output signal channels of the first high-speed optical switch 12 are opened from 1 to N, and the output signal channels of the second high-speed optical switch 22 are also opened synchronously from 1 to N, and the calibration values CV-1, CV-2, . . . , CV-N corresponding to all lenses/fibers/optical delay lines are obtained; all optical delay lines are set at their calibration values, and the calibration values are stored in the MLA-OCT imaging system.

[0064] In an optional embodiment, if the adjustment speed of the optical delay line may exceed the speed of the second high-speed optical switch 22, one optical delay line may be used to correspond to N microlenses/N optical fibers in real time, and the reference arm does not need to be provided with a second high-speed optical switch 22. At this time, step S3 is: adjusting the position of the optical delay line on the reference arm by the data processing device according to the signal-to-noise ratio of the received interference signal until the signal-to-noise ratio is the highest, at this time the value of the delay time for the optical delay line is the calibration value of the optical delay line. The same as the above operation, for each optical fiber, the position adjustment of the optical delay line is respectively performed once, so as to obtain the calibration value of the corresponding optical delay line, finally N calibration values of the optical delay lines corresponding to N lenses/N optical fibers are stored in the MLA-OCT imaging system.

[0065] In a particular embodiment, step S4 is: sending the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 along the PCI guiding catheter and the guiding wire 9 to a site of 5 mm-10 mm away from the distal end of the luminal lesion, and automatically setting the arm length of the reference arm by the MLA-OCT system based on the pre-stored calibration value of the optical delay line; subsequently, if the lumen is blood vessel, a contrast agent is injected to flush out the blood, and the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 starts to retreat while imaging; if it is a nonvascular lumen, the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 may directly retreat while imaging. During imaging, the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 does not need to make any rotational movement, wherein the first high-speed optical switch 12 and the second high-speed optical switch 22 are both 1×N high-speed optical switches, and the emission and collection of the first optical signal and the second optical signal are performed by the synchronously driven first high-speed optical switch 12 and the second high-speed optical switch 22, sequentially connecting the microlens M at the distal end of the inner tube 5, the optical fiber M in the optical fiber bundle 21, and the optical delay line M in the optical delay line array 13. The output signal channel of the first high-speed optical switch 12 and the output signal channel of the second high-speed optical switch 22 are opened synchronously from 1 to N to obtain N the first optical signals of the scanned human tissues, i.e., a set of scanning optical signals, so that the imaging host 18 generates a two-dimensional lumen cross-section image. Subsequently, in step S5, the retracement controller 2 actuates the MLA-OCT imaging catheter 3 to move axially for axial scanning, then a series of two-dimensional lumen cross-section images of the human tissue are generated by the imaging host 18, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional image of the human tissue.

[0066] Although the embodiments of the present invention are described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above particular embodiments and application fields. The above particular embodiments are only illustrative, instructive, and not restrictive. Under the enlightenment of this specification and without departing from the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the art may also make many modifications, which all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.