Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography System with Pressure Monitoring Interface and Accessories

Abstract

An optical coherence tomography system and method with integrated pressure measurement. In one embodiment the system includes an interferometer including: a wavelength swept laser; a source arm in communication with the wavelength swept laser; a reference arm in communication with a reference reflector; a first photodetector having a signal output; a detector arm in communication with the first photodetector, a probe interface; a sample arm in communication with a first optical connector of the probe interface; an acquisition and display system comprising: an A/D converter having a signal input in communication with the first photodetector signal output and a signal output; a processor system in communication with the A/D converter signal output; and a display in communication with the processor system; and a probe comprising a pressure sensor and configured for connection to the first optical connector of the probe interface, wherein the pressure transducer comprises an optical pressure transducer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical coherence tomography system with integrated pressure measurement comprising:
 an interferometer comprising:
 a wavelength swept laser, 
 a source arm in optical communication with the wavelength swept laser; 
 a reference arm in optical communication with a reference reflector; 
 a first photodetector having a signal output; 
 a detector arm in optical communication with the first photodetector; 
 a probe interface; 
 a sample arm in optical communication with a first optical connector of the probe interface; 
   an acquisition and display system comprising:
 an analog to digital converter having a signal input in electrical communication with the first photodetector signal output and a signal output; 
 a processor system in electrical communication with the analog to digital converter signal output; and 
 a display in electrical communication with the processor system; and 
 a probe comprising a pressure sensor, the probe configured for optical connection to the first optical connector of the probe interface, 
   wherein the pressure transducer comprises an optical pressure transducer.   
     
     
         2 . The optical coherence tomography system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the analog to digital converter further comprises a sample clock input and a trigger input, and   wherein the optical coherence tomography system further comprises:
 a power splitter having a first arm in optical communication with the wavelength swept laser, a second arm in optical communication with the source arm of the interferometer, and having a third and forth arm; 
 a trigger generator in optical communication with the third arm of the power splitter, and having a trigger output; and 
 a sample clock generator in optical communication with the forth arm of the power splitter and having a sample clock output, 
   wherein the trigger output of the trigger generator and the sample clock output of the sample clock generator are in electrical communication trigger input and sample clock input of the analog to digital computer, and   wherein the analog to digital converter converts a signal from the first photo detector in response to a trigger signal from the trigger generator and a sample clock signal from the sample clock generator.   
     
     
         3 . The optical coherence tomography system of  claim 2  further comprising an optical switch in optical communication between the reference arm and the reference reflector. 
     
     
         4 . The optical coherence tomography system of  claim 1  wherein the probe further comprises an OCT imaging optical system. 
     
     
         5 . The optical coherence tomography system of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a second light source; 
 a spectrometer having an optical input and an electrical signal output; 
 an optical circulator having a first arm in communication with the second light source, a second arm in optical communication with the spectrometer optical input, and a third arm; and 
 a wavelength division multiplexer in optical communication between the sample arm of the interferometer and the probe interface and having a third arm in optical communication with the third arm of the optical circulator, and 
 wherein the electrical signal output of the spectrometer is in electrical communication with the processor system. 
 
     
     
         6 . The optical coherence tomography system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the analog to digital converter has a second signal input;   wherein the power splitter further comprises a fourth arm;   wherein the probe interface further comprises a second optical connector, and   wherein the optical coherence tomography system further comprises:
 a second photodetector, the second photodetector comprising an electrical signal output and a optical signal input; 
 a circulator comprising:
 a first arm in optical communication with the fourth arm of the power splitter; 
 a second arm in optical communication with the optical input of the second photodetector, and 
 a third arm in optical communication with the second optical connector of the probe interface, 
 
 wherein the electrical signal output of the second photodetector is in electrical communication with the second signal input of the analog to digital converter. 
   
     
     
         7 . The optical coherence tomography system of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the circulator is a multimode circulator and the third arm of the circulator is a multimode fiber; and   wherein the optical coherent tomography system further comprises:   a single mode to multimode converter optically connected between the power splitter and the multimode circulator, and   wherein the fourth arm of power splitter is comprises a single mode optical fiber, and the first arm of the circulator comprises a multimode optical fiber.   
     
     
         8 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An optical coherence tomography system comprising:
 an interferometer comprising:
 a source arm in optical communication with a wavelength swept laser, 
 a reference arm in optical communication with a reference reflector; 
 a photodetector; 
 a detector arm in optical communication with the photodetector and the sample arm; 
 a probe interface in optical communication with the photodetector, the photodetector positioned to receive optical time dependent interference signals from an optical pressure sensor, 
 a sample arm in optical communication with the probe interface and positioned to transmit the optical time dependent interference signals; 
 an acquisition and display system comprising:
 an analog to digital converter in electrical communication with the photodetector, wherein the analog to digital converter samples electrical time-dependent interference signals received from the photodetector; 
 a processor system in electrical communication with the analog to digital converter and positioned to receive sampled electrical time-dependent interference signals; and 
 a display in electrical communication with the processor system. 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  further comprising a probe comprising
 an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis; 
 a beam director, the beam director diverting a first portion of light emitted from the optical fiber at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber, and 
 the optical pressure sensor, wherein the optical pressure sensor is positioned to receive a second portion of light emitted from the optical fiber, 
 wherein the probe is configured for optical connection to the probe interface.