Abstract: An apparatus for providing a light output to an optical guide for illumination of an imaged object including a plurality of solid state light-emitting sources each of which are independently powered and independently controlled, each light-emitting source emitting light at a wavelength which is different from the wavelength emitted by the other light-emitting sources. The apparatus also includes a heat sink configured to thermally couple the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources and provide conduction of heat generated by the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources. The apparatus further includes an optical elements to collect, collimate, and combine the emissions from the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources into a combined beam of light to be optically coupled to the light guide.

Abstract: A method of determining the patency of a donor organ or at least one vessel to a donor organ in a donor subject includes administering a fluorescent dye to the donor subject, applying a sufficient amount of energy to the vessel such that the fluorescent dye fluoresces, obtaining a fluorescent image of the donor organ or the vessel attached to a donor organ, and observing the image to determine if a fluorescent signal is continuous through the vessel. A continuous fluorescent signal in the donor organ or vessel indicates the respective donor organ or vessel is patent.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a composition for imaging nerve cells. The composition includes a fluorescent dye; and a viral component including a neurotropic herpes varicellae unable to replicate in nerve cells, a viral protein of a neurotropic herpes varicellae unable to replicate in nerve cells, a capsid of a neurotropic herpes varicellae unable to replicate in nerve cells, or a combination thereof. The fluorescent dye is bound to the viral component to form a dye/viral component complex that is capable of penetrating nerve cells.

Abstract: An applicator suitable for converting a white-light endoscope into an endoscope for combined white-light/fluorescence imaging is disclosed. The applicator facilitates attachment of an optical element, for example an optical filter, to a distal optical port of an endoscope. The applicator engages with alignment feature on the endoscope's distal end and releasably supports the optical element in an opening that is aligned with the optical port. The optical element is released in a proximal direction by pressing down on an actuator.

Abstract: An imaging system for acquisition of NIR and full-color images includes a light source providing visible light and NIR light to an area under observation, such as living tissue, a camera having one or more image sensors configured to separately detect blue reflectance light, green reflectance light, and combined red reflectance light/detected NIR light returned from the area under observation. A controller in signal communication with the light source and the camera is configured to control the light source to continuously illuminate area under observation with temporally continuous blue/green illumination light and with red illumination light and NIR excitation light. At least one of the red illumination light and NIR excitation light are switched on and off periodically in synchronism with the acquisition of red and NIR light images in the camera.

Abstract: A method is described for computing a statistically significant difference between dysplasia and Barrett's esophagus (both with and without inflammatory component) using a discriminate function with diffuse reflectance measurements performed at a minimum of four different wavelengths of 485, 513, 598, and 629 nm. The discriminate function found depends both on local blood fraction volume THB and oxygenation SO2. A pull-back approach of spectral data acquisition is disclosed which takes into account tissue motility in esophagus and measurement geometry peculiarities. The pull-back approach provides a significant improvement of measurement reproducibility and reduction of data deviation by 75-100%, resulting in a better discrimination between different histological groups.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for imaging.

Abstract: An imaging system for acquisition of NIR and full-color images includes a light source providing visible light and NIR light to an area under observation, such as living tissue, a camera having one or more image sensors configured to separately detect blue reflectance light, green reflectance light, and combined red reflectance light/detected NIR light returned from the area under observation. A controller in signal communication with the light source and the camera is configured to control the light source to continuously illuminate area under observation with temporally continuous blue/green illumination light and with red illumination light and NIR excitation light. At least one of the red illumination light and NIR excitation light are switched on and off periodically in synchronism with the acquisition of red and NIR light images in the camera.

Abstract: A surgical marking pen may include a pen body, a first chamber within the pen body containing at least one powdered dye, a second chamber within the pen body and separated from the first chamber, and a tip in fluid communication with the first chamber or the second chamber. The second container contains a solvent, and the first chamber and the second chamber are selectively placeable into fluid communication with one another. The at least one powdered dye and the solvent, when mixed, form a dye solution which is disposable upon a skin or tissue surface and is able to be visualized simultaneously by a user in ambient light and with a fluorescence imager.

Abstract: An endoscopic video system and method using a camera with a single color image sensor, for example a CCD color image sensor, for fluorescence and color imaging and for simultaneously displaying the images acquired in these imaging modes at video rates in real time is disclosed. The tissue under investigation is illuminated continuously with fluorescence excitation light and is further illuminated periodically using visible light outside of the fluorescence excitation wavelength range. The illumination sources may be conventional lamps using filters and shutters, or may include light-emitting diodes mounted at the distal tip of the endoscope.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a functional optical coherent imaging (fOCI) platform comprising at least one active camera unit (ACU) comprising a coherent and/or a partially coherent light source, and means for spectral filtering and imaging a selected body area of interest; an image processing unit (IPU) for pre-processing data received from an ACU; at least one stimulation unit (STU) transmitting a stimulation to a subject; at least one body function reference measurement unit (BFMU); a central clock and processing unit (CCU), with interconnections to the ACU, the IPU, the STU, for collecting pre-processed data from the IPU, stimuli from the STU body function reference data from the BFMU in a synchronized manner; a post-processing unit (statistical analysis unit, SAU); and an operator interface (HOD.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a light output to an optical guide for illumination of an imaged object including a plurality of solid state light-emitting sources each of which are independently powered and independently controlled, each light-emitting source emitting light at a wavelength which is different from the wavelength emitted by the other light-emitting sources. The apparatus also includes a heat sink configured to thermally couple the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources and provide conduction of heat generated by the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources. The apparatus further includes an optical elements to collect, collimate, and combine the emissions from the plurality of solid state light-emitting sources into a combined beam of light to be optically coupled to the light guide.

Abstract: Vessel perfusion and myocardial blush are determined by analyzing fluorescence signals obtained in a static region-of-interest (ROI) in a collection of fluorescence images of myocardial tissue. The blush value is determined from the total intensity of the intensity values of image elements located within the smallest contiguous range of image intensity values containing a predefined fraction of a total measured image intensity of all image elements within the ROI. Vessel (arterial) peak intensity is determined from image elements located within the ROI that have the smallest contiguous range of highest measured image intensity values and contain a predefined fraction of a total measured image intensity of all image elements within the ROI. Cardiac function can be established by comparing the time differential between the time of peak intensity in a blood vessel and that in a region of neighboring myocardial tissue both pre and post procedure.

Abstract: A fluorescence endoscopy video system includes a multimode light source that produces light for color and fluorescence imaging modes. Light from the light source is transmitted through an endoscope to the tissue under observation. The system also includes a compact camera for color and fluorescence imaging. Images obtained through the endoscope are optically divided and projected onto one or more image sensors by a fixed beam splitter in the camera. The fixed beam splitter eliminates the need for inserting a movable mirror into the light path between the endoscope and the image sensors. Image signals from the camera are processed in the system processor/controller where a contrast enhancement function can be applied. The contrast enhancement function increases the color contrast between normal tissue and tissue suspicious for early cancer. Finally, the system also includes a calibration feature whereby the system performance can be maintained when used with different endoscopes.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for preoperative identification of a perforator vessel in a flap to be used in reconstructive surgery. The tissue area suitable for a flap is identified by injecting a bolus of ICG into the bloodstream, illuminating the tissue area with excitation light and observing ICG fluorescence through the skin. The location of the perforator vessel in the tissue area is marked on the patient's skin. An incision is made in the tissue area and the flap is harvested only after a suitable perforator vessel has been identified.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, kits, and compositions for medical imaging relating to fluorescent dyes entrapped in erythrocytes. Also disclosed therein are methods, and compositions further comprising erythrocytes entrapping at least one therapeutically active agent, as well as methods for releasing the entrapped therapeutically active agent(s). Disclosed herein also are methods for preparation of the cells entrapping dye and therapeutically active agent(s) in a freeze-dried form that makes them readily available and easy to use in a clinical environment.

Abstract: A method of determining the patency of a donor organ or at least one vessel to a donor organ in a donor subject includes administering a fluorescent dye to the donor subject, applying a sufficient amount of energy to the vessel such that the fluorescent dye fluoresces, obtaining a fluorescent image of the donor organ or the vessel attached to a donor organ, and observing the image to determine if a fluorescent signal is continuous through the vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to map the body habitus, without the use of ionizing radiation, and to simultaneously track the position of an ionizing radiation imaging detector with respect to the body habitus map so that the radiotracer distribution of the patient can be fused with the body habitus map and thus provide an anatomical reference for the radiotracer distribution within the patient. A depth camera, capable of imaging a 3-dimensional surface, is attached to an ionizing radiation imaging detector where the relative position between the two is known.

Abstract: A virtual-reality method for surgical training simulates the task of detecting sentinel lymph nodes using a nuclear uptake probe. The simulator can be used with lymphoscintigraphic clinical imaging data to provide patient-specific training scenarios. In yet another embodiment, the apparatus can use a database representing mathematical phantoms to simulate different patient sizes, node distributions, node uptakes, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: An optical system, in particular for endoscopic applications, is disclosed which uses wavelength-compensating optical components, in particular prisms, made of materials with different inter-element coatings and refractive indices to image significantly different wavelength-ranges (VIS and NIR) onto the same image plane of an image acquisition device, such as a CCD sensor.