Imaging method and apparatus

Abstract

An imaging apparatus and method are provided. The probe for an imaging apparatus includes a manually manipulable proximal portion; a straight distal portion with a distal tip for locating at a site to define an observational field; and a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The imaging method includes the steps of locating a distal tip of an imaging probe at a site to define an observational field; irradiating the observational field from the distal tip; and collecting a return signal at the distal tip; wherein the probe comprises a manually manipulable proximal portion. The apparatus and method provided herein are useful for various applications including but not limited to endomicroscopy and other microsurgical procedures performed under optical stereoscopic magnified visualization, such as neurosurgery, ENT/facial surgery and spinal surgery.

1 . A probe for an imaging apparatus, comprising:
 a manually manipulable proximal portion;   a straight distal portion with a distal tip for locating at a site to define an observational field; and   a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion;   
       wherein the straight portion has a length of between 75 mm to 205 mm, the curved portion provides an angle between the proximal portion and the 10 distal portion of between 120° and 150°, and the probe has a working length of between 125 mm to 300 mm. 
     
     
         2 . A probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the curved portion provides an angle between the proximal portion and the distal portion of between 130° and 140°. 
     
     
         3 . A probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the probe is an endoscopic probe. 
     
     
         4 . A probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the probe is a neurological probe, an ENT probe, an ultrasound probe, an OCT probe or a CARS probe. 
     
     
         5 . A probe as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising an orientation marking that allows identification of an orientation of the probe. 
     
     
         6 . A probe as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the orientation marking comprises one or more dots, strips, radial markings or near radial markings. 
     
     
         7 . A probe as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the orientation marking comprises a plurality of portions of different colours. 
     
     
         8 . An imaging apparatus, comprising the probe of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising an endomicroscopic apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , configured to orient an image collected with the probe so as to correspond to a normal field of view of a macroscopic visualization apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , configured to orient a rotate an image collected with the probe so as to correspond to a field of view of a macroscopic visualization apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , configured to orient a rotate an image collected with the probe so as to correspond to a field of view of a macroscopic visualization apparatus by transforming input signals for a scanning mechanism of the apparatus to rotate x and y axes of the scanning mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . An imaging method, comprising:
 locating a distal tip of an imaging probe at a site to define an observational field;   irradiating the observational field from the distal tip; and   collecting a return signal at the distal tip;   
       wherein the probe comprises a manually manipulable proximal portion, a straight distal portion including the distal tip, and a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion, and wherein the straight portion has a length of between 75 mm to 205 mm, the curved portion provides an angle between the proximal portion and the distal portion of between 120° and 150°, and the probe has a working length of between 125 mm to 300 mm. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , including providing an angle between the proximal portion and the distal portion of between 130° and 140°.