Tunable laser-based infrared imaging system and method of use thereof

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems for imaging tissue and other samples or samples using infrared (IR) transmissions from coherent transmission sources, such as a wide range, tunable, quantum cascade laser (QCL) designed for the rapid collection of infrared microscopic data for medical diagnostics across a wide range of discrete spectral increments. The infrared transmissions are transmitted through, reflected from, and/or transreflected through a sample, and then magnified and/or focused prior to being detected by a detector. After detection, the sample related image data is used to assess the sample. Such methods, devices, and systems may be used to detect abnormalities in tissue, for example, before such abnormalities can be diagnosed using art cytopathological methods. The methods, devices and systems may also optionally include a visible light detection subsystem and/or a motion control subsystem to assist in control and processing of imaging.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A system for obtaining imaging information, comprising:
 a coherent or non-coherent source for producing infrared radiation that is directed to at least a portion of a sample to be imaged, wherein the infrared radiation is reflected or transflected from or transmitted through the sample;   a magnifying and focusing device for receiving the reflected or transmitted infrared radiation and for magnifying and focusing the reflected or transmitted infrared radiation; and   a room-temperature infrared detector comprising a plurality of detector elements for receiving the magnified and focused infrared radiation for transmission to a processing device for analysis.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coherent or non-coherent source is configured to generate a power density sufficient to illuminate the sample for detection by each of the plurality of detector elements 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared detecting device is a room-temperature array detector. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared detecting device is a microbolometer array detector. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coherent or non-coherent source is incrementally variable by wavelength across the infrared spectrum. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coherent source comprises a non-linear optical device producing tunable infrared laser radiation by sum or difference frequency generation. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coherent source comprises a quantum cascade laser. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared radiation produced by the coherent or non-coherent source is radiation in at least one discrete wavelength between about 5 and 10 μm. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising magnifying or focusing optics for directing the infrared radiation to at least a portion of the sample to be imaged. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the infrared magnifier comprises a source Cassegrain. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the magnifying and focusing device comprises a Cassegrain objective. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an infrared reflector for redirecting infrared radiation magnified by an infrared magnifier to the magnifying and focusing device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a secondary detection subsystem, including:
 a visible light emission source; 
 a visible light magnifier for receiving and magnifying visible light output from the visible light emission source for transmission to a portion of the sample to be imaged, wherein the visible light is reflected from or transmitted through the sample; 
 a lens for focusing the reflected or transmitted visible light; and 
 a visible light detection device for receiving the reflected or transmitted visible light output; and 
   a control subsystem, including:
 a processing device; and 
 a motion control device operatively coupled to the processing device; 
 the processing device configured to:
 move at least a portion of the secondary detection subsystem relative to the sample to be imaged to a position located between the sample and the infrared imaging subsystem thereby enabling alignment of the visible light detection device and the infrared detecting device; and 
 receive data from the infrared detecting device and the visible light detection device corresponding to portion of the sample to be imaged and to process the data for analysis of the composition of the sample to be imaged. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the visible light emission source is a light emitting diode. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the magnifier for magnifying the reflected or transmitted visible light is a visible light objective. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the visible light detection device comprises a charge-coupled device. 
     
     
         17 . A system for obtaining imaging information, comprising:
 a coherent or non-coherent source for producing infrared radiation that is directed to at least a portion of a sample to be imaged, wherein the infrared radiation is reflected or transflected from or transmitted through the sample;   a magnifying and focusing device for receiving the reflected or transmitted infrared radiation and for magnifying and focusing the reflected or transmitted infrared radiation; and   an un-cooled infrared detector comprising a plurality of detector elements for receiving the magnified and focused infrared radiation for transmission to a processing device for analysis.   
     
     
         18 . A method for obtaining imaging information, comprising:
 transmitting infrared radiation from a coherent or non-coherent source to a sample to be imaged, wherein the infrared radiation is reflected or transflected from or transmitted through the sample;   transmitting the reflected or transmitted radiation to a focusing device;   focusing the radiation; and   transmitting the focused radiation to an uncooled detector to produce a data output corresponding to the sample to be imaged, wherein the infrared detecting device comprises a plurality of detector elements.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 assessing the sample imaged based on the received data via a processor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the infrared radiation has sufficient power density to illuminate the sample for detection by each detector element in the detector.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the detector comprises a microbolometer array detector.