Microscopy system, microscopy method, and a method of treating an aneurysm

Abstract

A microscopy system and a microscopy method are provided for observing a fluorescent substance accumulated in a tissue. The microscopy system comprises a filter allowing to observe the tissue at a same time both with visible light and with fluorescent light. It is possible to observe a series of previously recorded fluorescent light images in superposition with the visible light images. An end of the series of images may be automatically determined. A thermal protective filter may be inserted into a beam path of an illuminating system at such automatically determined end of the series. Further, the fluorescent light image may be analyzed for identifying a coherent fluorescent portion thereof. A representation of a periphery line of the coherent portion may be generated, and depths profile data may be obtained only from the coherent portion. An illuminating light beam for exciting the fluorescence may be modulated for improving a contrast of fluorescent images.

1 - 40 . (canceled)  
     
     
         41 . A microscopy system for inspecting an object, the microscopy system comprising: 
 a microscopy optics having a first beam path for optically imaging an object region onto a light detecting component of a first camera for generating first image data representing images of the object region;    an illumination system for providing at least one illuminating light beam directed onto the object region, wherein the illumination system comprises a first filter which is positionable at a first position in which the first filter is disposed within a beam path of the illumination system, wherein the first filter eliminates light with wavelengths higher than a predetermined wavelength from the illuminating light beam, and wherein the illuminating system comprises an actuator for displacing the first filter from a second position in which the first filter is not positioned within the beam path to the first position; and    a controller configured for controlling the actuator for displacing the first filter from its second position to its first position based on an analysis of intensities of images represented by the first image data.    
     
     
         42 . The microscopy system according to  claim 41 , wherein the predetermined wavelength is in a range of one of 690 nm to 720 nm,  720  nm to 750 nm, 750 nm to 780 nm, and 780 nm to 800 nm.  
     
     
         43 . The microscopy system according to  claim 41 , wherein the first image data represent images of the object region with light including wavelengths of a first wavelength range comprising a fluorescent emission wavelength of a fluorescent substance accumulated in the object.  
     
     
         44 . The microscopy system according to  claim 43 , wherein the fluorescent emission wavelength of the fluorescent substance is higher than the predetermined wavelength.  
     
     
         45 . The microscopy system according to  claim 41 , wherein the microscopy optics further comprises a second beam path for providing a magnified first representation of the object region, wherein the first representation represents images of the object region with light including wavelengths of a second wavelength range comprising at least visible light.  
     
     
         46 . The microscopy system according to  claim 45 , further comprising a display system for displaying a second representation generated on the basis of the first image data superimposed with the first representation for observation by a user.  
     
     
         47 . The microscopy system according to  claim 41 , wherein the first beam path comprises at least one ocular for representing the images.  
     
     
         48 . The microscopy system according to  claim 47 , further comprising a display system for displaying a second representation generated on the basis of the first image data superimposed with the first representation for observation by a user, wherein the display system is configured to superimpose the second representation with the first beam path directed to the ocular.  
     
     
         49 . The microscopy system according to  claim 41 , wherein the first beam path comprises at least one light detecting component of a second camera for generating second image data representing images of the object region with visible light, and wherein the second representation is displayed by a display system.  
     
     
         50 . A microscopy method of visualizing an object to be inspected, the method comprising: 
 illuminating the object with light including wavelengths higher than a predetermined wavelength, and recording a series of images of the object during the illumination of the object with the light of wavelengths higher than the predetermined wavelength;    terminating the illumination of the object with the light of wavelengths higher than the predetermined wavelength, based on an analysis of the recorded images, and illuminating the object with light only including wavelengths smaller than the predetermined wavelength; and    displaying a representation of the object illuminated with the light only including the wavelengths smaller than the limiting wavelengths for an observation by the user, and displaying a representation generated in dependence of an analysis of the recorded series of images for the observation by the user.    
     
     
         51 . The microscopy method of  claim 50 , wherein a fluorescent substance is applied to the object when the object is illuminated with the light of the wavelengths higher than the predetermined wavelength.  
     
     
         52 . The microscopy method of  claim 51 , wherein the predetermined wavelength is between a maximum of an excitation spectrum of the fluorescent substance and a maximum of a fluorescent emission spectrum of the fluorescent substance.  
     
     
         53 . The microscopy method of  claim 50 , wherein the terminating the illumination of the object with light including wavelengths higher than the predetermined wavelength includes positioning a first filter at a first position in a beam path of an illumination system, the first filter eliminating the light with wavelengths higher than the predetermined wavelength.  
     
     
         54 . The microscopy method of  claim 53 , wherein the positioning a first filter includes driving an actuator to displace the first filter from a second position in which the first filter is not positioned in the beam path of the illumination system to the first position.  
     
     
         55 . The microscopy method of  claim 53 , wherein the analysis of the recorded images includes analyzing intensities of the recorded images.  
     
     
         56 . The microscopy method of  claim 54 , wherein the analysis of the recorded images includes analyzing intensities of the recorded images.  
     
     
         57 . The microscopy method of  claim 50 , wherein the displaying the representation of the object illuminated with the light only including the wavelengths smaller than the limiting wavelengths, and the displaying the representation generated in dependence of the analysis of the recorded series of images, includes superimposing both the representations for the observation by the user.  
     
     
         58 . The microscopy method of  claim 50 , wherein the predetermined wavelength is in a range of one of 690 nm to 720 nm, 720 nm to 750 nm, 750 nm to 780 nm, and 780 nm to 800 nm.  
     
     
         59 . The microscopy method of  claim 50 , further comprising providing a magnified first representation of a region of the object, wherein the first representation represents images of the object region with light including wavelengths of a second wavelength range comprising at least visible light.  
     
     
         60 . The microscopy system according to  claim 59 , further comprising displaying a second representation generated on the basis of first image data, superimposed with the first representation for observation by a user.