Insert imaging device for surgical procedures

Abstract

Insertable imaging devices, and methods of use thereof in minimally invasive medical procedures, are described. In some embodiments, insertable imaging devices are described that can be introduced and removed from an access port without disturbing or risking damage to internal tissue. In some embodiments, imaging devices are integrated into an access port, thereby allowing imaging of internal tissues within the vicinity of the access port, while, for example, enabling manipulation of surgical tools in the surgical field of interest. In other embodiments, imaging devices are integrated into an imaging sleeve that is insertable into an access port. Several example embodiments described herein provide imaging devices for performing imaging within an access port, where the imaging may be based one or more imaging modalities that may include, but are not limited to, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, optical imaging such as hyperspectral imaging and optical coherence tomography, and electrically conductive measurements.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An imaging system for performing intraoperative imaging during a minimally invasive medical procedure involving an access port, the imaging system comprising at least one of at least one imaging sleeve and at least one imaging probe, each at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe comprising:
 a hollow cylindrical body configured to be slidably and removably received within an inner lumen of the access port;   at one imaging element integrated with, and supported by, said hollow cylindrical body, the at one imaging element positioned for imaging through the access port, the at one imaging element comprising at least one ultrasound transducer, and the at one imaging element configured to image by a modality comprising ultrasound imaging;   at least one externally accessible connector disposed near a proximal region of the hollow cylindrical body; and   at least one connection channel integrated with the hollow cylindrical body for supporting signal transmission between the at least one externally accessible connector and the at one imaging element.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at one imaging element comprises an imaging array. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at one imaging element is oriented to perform lateral imaging through at least one side wall of the access port. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow cylindrical body has a distal end and further comprises a window, the window enclosing the distal end, and wherein the at one imaging element is integrated with the window for imaging a distal region of interest. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at one imaging element further comprises at least one of: at least one magnetic resonance imaging coil; at least one optical focusing element; at least one optical imaging element; and at least one other ultrasound imaging element. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at one imaging element is configured to image by at least one other imaging modality of optical coherence tomography, hyper-spectral imaging, polarized light imaging, Raman Imaging, fluorescence Imaging, electrophysiology, computerized tomography, spectral x-ray, photo-acoustic imaging, positron emission tomography, thermal imaging. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one tracking marker. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each at least one imaging sleeve is configured to slidably and removably receive another at least one imaging sleeve, and wherein each at least one imaging sleeve is contemporaneously nestable in relation to receive another at least one imaging sleeve within the access port during a medical procedure. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the access port comprises an inner lumen, and wherein the inner lumen is configured to slidably and removably receive the at least one imaging sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing an imaging system for performing intraoperative imaging during a minimally invasive medical procedure involving an access port, the imaging system comprising at least one of at least one imaging sleeve and at least one imaging probe, the method comprising:
 providing at least one of at least one imaging sleeve and at least one imaging probe, providing the at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe comprising providing each at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe with:   a hollow cylindrical body configured to be slidably and removably received within an inner lumen of the access port;   at one imaging element integrated with, and supported by, said hollow cylindrical body, the at one imaging element positioned for imaging through the access port, the at one imaging element comprising at least one ultrasound transducer, and the at one imaging element configured to image by a modality comprising ultrasound imaging;   at least one externally accessible connector disposed near a proximal region of the hollow cylindrical body; and   at least one connection channel integrated with the hollow cylindrical body for supporting signal transmission between the at least one externally accessible connector and the at one imaging element.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing the at one imaging element comprises providing an imaging array. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing the at one imaging element comprises orienting the at one imaging element to perform lateral imaging through at least one side wall of the access port. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing each at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe with the hollow cylindrical body comprises: providing the hollow cylindrical body with a distal end and a window; and enclosing the distal end with the window, and wherein providing the at one imaging element comprises integrating the at one imaging element with the window for imaging a distal region of interest. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing the at one imaging element further comprises providing at least one of: at least one magnetic resonance imaging coil; at least one optical focusing element; at least one optical imaging element; and at least one other ultrasound imaging element. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing the at one imaging element comprises configuring the at one imaging element to image by at least one other imaging modality of optical coherence tomography, hyper-spectral imaging, polarized light imaging, Raman Imaging, fluorescence Imaging, electrophysiology, computerized tomography, spectral x-ray, photo-acoustic imaging, positron emission tomography, thermal imaging. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing each at least one imaging sleeve comprises configuring each at least one imaging sleeve to slidably and removably receive another at least one imaging sleeve, and wherein providing each at least one imaging sleeve comprises configuring each at least one imaging sleeve to contemporaneously nest in relation to receive another at least one imaging sleeve within the access port during a medical procedure. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing each at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe with the hollow cylindrical body comprises providing the access port with an inner lumen, and wherein providing the access port with the inner lumen comprises configuring with the inner lumen to slidably and removably receive the at least one imaging sleeve. 
     
     
         18 . A method of performing intraoperative imaging during a minimally invasive medical procedure involving an access port by way of an imaging system, the imaging system comprising at least one of at least one imaging sleeve and at least one imaging probe, the method comprising:
 providing the imaging system, providing the imaging system comprising providing at least one of at least one imaging sleeve and at least one imaging probe, providing at least one of at least one imaging sleeve and at least one imaging probe, providing the at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe comprising providing each at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe with:
 a hollow cylindrical body configured to be slidably and removably received within an inner lumen of the access port; 
 at one imaging element integrated with, and supported by, said hollow cylindrical body, the at one imaging element positioned for imaging through the access port, the at one imaging element comprising at least one ultrasound transducer, and the at one imaging element configured to image by a modality comprising ultrasound imaging; 
 at least one externally accessible connector disposed near a proximal region of the hollow cylindrical body; and 
 at least one connection channel integrated with the hollow cylindrical body for supporting signal transmission between the at least one externally accessible connector and the at one imaging element; and 
   intraoperatively imaging at least one portion of a patient by employing at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein providing the at one imaging element comprises at least one of: providing an imaging array; orienting the at one imaging element to perform lateral imaging through at least one side wall of the access port; configuring the at one imaging element to image by at least one other imaging modality of optical coherence tomography, hyper-spectral imaging, polarized light imaging, Raman Imaging, fluorescence Imaging, electrophysiology, computerized tomography, spectral x-ray, photo-acoustic imaging, positron emission tomography, thermal imaging, integrating the at one imaging element with the window for imaging a distal region of interest,   wherein providing each at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe with the hollow cylindrical body comprises at least one of: providing the hollow cylindrical body with a distal end and a window; and enclosing the distal end with the window, configuring each at least one imaging sleeve to slidably and removably receive another at least one imaging sleeve; and configuring each at least one imaging sleeve to contemporaneously nest in relation to receive another at least one imaging sleeve within the access port during a medical procedure, and   wherein providing the at one imaging element further comprises integrating the at one imaging element with the window for imaging a distal region of interest,   wherein providing each at least one of the at least one imaging sleeve and the at least one imaging probe with the hollow cylindrical body comprises providing the access port with an inner lumen, and   wherein providing the access port with the inner lumen comprises configuring with the inner lumen to slidably and removably receive the at least one imaging sleeve.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein providing the at one imaging element further comprises providing at least one of: at least one magnetic resonance imaging coil; at least one optical focusing element; at least one optical imaging element; and at least one other ultrasound imaging element.