Optical coherence tomography system
Inventors
AHMED, Yosuf Syed • CHUNG, Juhyun • Han, Jong Woo • Kim, Hyung Il
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11547314-B2
Publication Date
2023-01-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed is an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The OCT system may include: a light source unit generating light; an optical interferometer including an optical coupler splitting the light generated by the light source unit into first distribution light and second distribution light, a reference arm reflecting the first distribution light, a sample arm reflecting the second distribution light, and an optical detector detecting the light reflected by the reference arm and the sample arm; an OCT catheter including an optical fiber having a shape in which the optical fiber is insertable into at least a part of a human body and is rotatable and discharging the light to a tissue and collecting OCT data for the tissue; an OCT engine including a processor and a storage unit and processing the OCT data collected by the OCT catheter; and an OCT controller connected to a proximal end of the OCT catheter and controlling rotation of the OCT catheter.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system including a light source unit generating light and an optical interferometer. The optical interferometer includes an optical coupler that splits the light generated by the light source unit into first distribution light and second distribution light, with a reference arm reflecting the first distribution light and a sample arm reflecting the second distribution light. An optical detector detects the light reflected by the reference arm and the sample arm.
The OCT system includes an OCT catheter configured to collect OCT data and to discharge light to tissue. The OCT catheter has an optical fiber shaped such that the optical fiber is insertable into at least a part of a human body, and the OCT catheter is rotatable. The system further includes an OCT engine including a processor and a storage unit for processing the OCT data collected by the OCT catheter.
An OCT controller is connected to a proximal end of the OCT catheter and controls rotation of the OCT catheter. The OCT controller supports a rotating operation of at least one of the OCT catheter and the OCT controller by using air pressure, thereby supporting high-speed rotational scanning. The document further describes an OCT controller implemented with an air supply unit and an air bearing operation to support rotary motion.
The document also describes controller functions beyond rotation, including pull-back triggering and implementation. In particular, the OCT engine processor analyzes first OCT data to detect whether blood flow exists and automatically triggers a pull-back operation when blood flow does not exist. A pull-back structure is described using linear motion of an assembly structure via linear guide lines, linear bearing units, and a worm/worm gear conversion with a linear power providing unit.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim 1 defines the overall OCT system architecture, and its core inventive feature count is one: using air pressure to support rotation of the OCT catheter and/or the OCT controller. Dependent claims refine this with specific air-supply architectures, an air-bearing-supported controller rotation unit, blood-flow-based automatic pull-back triggering, and a worm/worm-gear-driven linear pull-back structure.
Air-pressure-supported rotation in the OCT controller
An OCT controller connected to a proximal end of an OCT catheter that controls rotation of the OCT catheter, wherein the OCT controller supports a rotating operation of at least one of the OCT catheter and the OCT controller by using air pressure.
Air supply unit providing air pressure via compressor and cylinder
An OCT system including an air supply unit connected to the OCT controller to provide air pressure to the OCT controller.
Air bearing-supported rotary motion within an OCT controller housing
An OCT controller housing that accommodates an assembly structure including a rotation unit detachably connected to the proximal end of an OCT catheter, and an air bearing unit that injects air to support rotary motion of the rotation unit.
Automatic pull-back triggering based on blood-flow detection
The OCT engine processor analyzes first OCT data to detect whether blood flow exists and automatically triggers a pull-back operation when blood flow does not exist.
Linear pull-back structure using linear guides and worm/worm gear conversion
An OCT controller having a pull-back structure that linearly moves an assembly structure via a linear guide and a linear bearing arrangement driven by a linear power unit coupled to a worm and worm gear that converts rotary motion into linear motion.
Across the independent OCT system claim and its dependents, the claim set centers on air-pressure-supported rotation for an OCT catheter/controller, with refinements for air-supply configuration, air-bearing-supported rotary motion, and pull-back mechanisms including blood-flow-based automatic triggering and a worm/worm-gear-to-linear-motion pull-back structure.
Stated Advantages
Reduced scanning time.
Reduced image distortion.
Reduced Saw artifact.
Documented Applications
High-speed rotational scanning using a rotatable OCT catheter insertable into at least a part of a human body.
Pull-back operation support using automatic triggering when blood flow does not exist.
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