Abstract: Devices and methods for visibly highlighting areas of a region including an imager configured to image the region with a sensitivity to at least one of wavelength, light level, or contrast greater than the human eye, an overlay element configured to visibly highlight areas of the region and registered to the imager to produce alignment of imaged features with highlighted features at the same location on the region, and at least one of a controller executing a program or logic configured to process acquired images from the imager to identify areas of the region determined not visible to the human eye, and control the overlay element to visibly highlight those areas on the region.

Abstract: A system facilitating differentiation between parathyroid tissue and thyroid tissue of a subject comprises a light source for illuminating tissue in a target region in the neck area of the subject; a light delivery device that is optically coupled with the light source for delivering a beam of light from the light source to the tissue; a collection device for collecting optical signals emitted from the tissue responsive to the beam of light; and a detector for detecting the intensities of the optical signals emitted from the tissue, wherein differences in the detected intensities enable a user to differentiate between parathyroid tissue and thyroid tissue.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a method for intraoperative detection of parathyroid gland viability in a surgery, comprising obtaining speckle contrast images of a parathyroid gland of a patent; and displaying the speckle contrast images of the parathyroid gland in real-time.

Abstract: Aspects of this invention relate to a system and method of neural stimulation for intraoperative nerve monitoring for a living subject. The system includes an optical source configured to generate light; a delivering means coupled to the optical source to deliver the generated light to a target nerve of the living subject for stimulating the target nerve; and a detector coupled to the target nerve to record evoked signals responsive to the stimulation for intraoperatively monitoring of the target nerve.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a method for intraoperative detection of parathyroid gland viability in a surgery, comprising obtaining speckle contrast images of a parathyroid gland of a patent; and displaying the speckle contrast images of the parathyroid gland in real-time.

Abstract: A method for identification of biochemical markers associated with cervical remodeling over the course of pregnancy of humans includes obtaining Raman signals from the cervix of each of a group of humans with pregnancy at each phase of pregnancy; finding Raman signatures corresponding to each type of cervical tissue from the obtained Raman signals; and identifying biochemical markers associated with cervical remodeling at each phase of pregnancy corresponding to the Raman signatures.

Abstract: A method for intraoperatively determining a degree of parathyroid perfusion includes identifying parathyroid tissues of a living subject using autofluorescence detection with a fiber optic probe based fluorescence detection system; administering to the living subject a contrast agent with a dose; after a period of time of the administration, detecting fluorescence in an area of the parathyroid tissues with the fiber optic probe based fluorescence detection system, where the fluorescence is emitted from the contrast agent; and obtaining a detection level and/or a detection ratio for the parathyroid tissues from the detected fluorescence so as to determine a degree of parathyroid perfusion of each parathyroid. The method is not only unaffected by ambient light, but also has no need of images of the parathyroid tissues.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a method for intraoperative detection of parathyroid gland viability in a surgery, comprising obtaining speckle contrast images of a parathyroid gland of a patent; and displaying the speckle contrast images of the parathyroid gland in real-time.

Abstract: An apparatus for intraoperative nerve identification and/or visualization of a target of interest of a living subject comprises a light source; an imaging head configured to acquire a polarized diffuse reflectance spectral image from the illuminated target of interest; and a controller configured to control the imaging head and to process the acquired polarized diffuse reflectance spectral image.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a method for intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability in a surgery. The method includes diffusing a beam of light onto a tissue surface of a parathyroid gland of a patient to illuminate the tissue surface; acquiring images of the illuminated tissue surface, where each of the acquired images includes a speckle pattern; and processing the acquired images to obtain speckle contrast images for the intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability.

Abstract: A system for real-time assessment of systemic hydration includes a light source configured to operably emit light of first and second wavelengths; means for delivering the emitted light to a target site to excite at least one first spot at the target site, and collecting Raman scattering light scattered from the target site at a plurality of second spots; a detector coupled with said means for obtaining a plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra from the collected Raman scattering light, each spatially offset Raman spectrum corresponding to a respective second spot of the target site and associated with a depth of tissues at which the Raman scattering light is scattered; and a controller configured to process the plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra so as to identify spectral features from the plurality of spatially offset Raman spectra, and assess systemic hydration from the identified spectral features.

Abstract: Devices and methods for visibly highlighting areas of a region including an imager configured to image the region with a sensitivity to at least one of wavelength, light level, or contrast greater than the human eye, an overlay element configured to visibly highlight areas of the region and registered to the imager to produce alignment of imaged features with highlighted features at the same location on the region, and at least one of a controller executing a program or logic configured to process acquired images from the imager to identify areas of the region determined not visible to the human eye, and control the overlay element to visibly highlight those areas on the region.

Abstract: Devices and methods for visibly highlighting areas of a region including an imager configured to image the region with a sensitivity to at least one of wavelength, light level, or contrast greater than the human eye, an overlay element configured to visibly highlight areas of the region and registered to the imager to produce alignment of imaged features with highlighted features at the same location on the region, and at least one of a controller executing a program or logic configured to process acquired images from the imager to identify areas of the region determined not visible to the human eye, and control the overlay element to visibly highlight those areas on the region.

Abstract: The invention discloses systems and methods for providing anatomical guidance in surgery. The system includes a light source configured to emit light for illuminating tissues of a target region; means for obtaining autofluorescence signals emitted from the illuminated tissues in response to the illumination; and a controller configured to process the obtained autofluorescence signal to identify target tissues.

Abstract: A combined auto-fluorescence imaging and laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system to enable intra-operative parathyroid identification and viability assessment with the same tool. The system includes a light source for emitting a beam of light to illuminate a target of interest, and an imaging head positioned over the target of interest for individually acquiring auto-fluorescence images and LSCI images of light from the illuminated target of interest responsive to the illumination. Auto-fluorescence imaging helps identify the parathyroid, while LSCI helps assess its viability.

Abstract: The present application discloses a spectroscopy probe for a Raman spectroscopy system, and methods for preparing filters for the probe. A method for forming an SERS substrate which can optionally be used with the probe is also described. The spectroscopy probe is formed using a double-clad optical fibre probe tip, the double-clad optical fibre (DCF) having a single mode core, multimode inner cladding, and outer cladding, and a micro-filter fixed to the distal end of the optical fibre probe tip. The micro-filter has a short pass or band pass filter configured to align with the DCF core to filter silica Raman background generated by laser excitation in the single mode core, and a long pass filter configured to suppress Rayleigh scattering from the sample while allowing Raman scattered wavelengths to be transmitted through the inner cladding.

Abstract: Devices and methods for visibly highlighting areas of a region including an imager configured to image the region with a sensitivity to at least one of wavelength, light level, or contrast greater than the human eye, an overlay element configured to visibly highlight areas of the region and registered to the imager to produce alignment of imaged features with highlighted features at the same location on the region, and at least one of a controller executing a program or logic configured to process acquired images from the imager to identify areas of the region determined not visible to the human eye, and control the overlay element to visibly highlight those areas on the region.

Abstract: A method for identification of biochemical markers associated with cervical remodeling over the course of pregnancy of humans includes obtaining Raman signals from the cervix of each of a group of humans with pregnancy at each phase of pregnancy; finding Raman signatures corresponding to each type of cervical tissue from the obtained Raman signals; and identifying biochemical markers associated with cervical remodeling at each phase of pregnancy corresponding to the Raman signatures.

Abstract: The present application discloses a spectroscopy probe for a Raman spectroscopy system, and methods for preparing filters for the probe. A method for forming an SERS substrate which can optionally be used with the probe is also described. The spectroscopy probe is formed using a double-clad optical fibre probe tip, the double-clad optical fibre (DCF) having a single mode core, multimode inner cladding, and outer cladding, and a micro-filter fixed to the distal end of the optical fibre probe tip. The micro-filter has a short pass or band pass filter configured to align with the DCF core to filter silica Raman background generated by laser excitation in the single mode core, and a long pass filter configured to suppress Rayleigh scattering from the sample while allowing Raman scattered wavelengths to be transmitted through the inner cladding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identification and discrimination of bacteria and/or mutant bacterial strains in a biological fluid. The method includes illuminating the biological fluid with a beam of light; obtaining Raman data from light scattered from the illuminated biological fluid; and finding Raman signatures corresponding to each type of bacteria and/or mutant bacterial strains from the obtained Raman data, so as to identify and discriminate each type of bacteria and/or mutant bacterial strains in the biological fluid from the Raman signatures.