Abstract: An apparatus (and method) is for monitoring blood perfusion. A plurality of photoplethysmography, PPG, signals are acquired indicative of light detected in a region of interest of tissue at a plurality of respective locations within the region. The PPG signals are processed to determine an amplitude and preferably also a phase of each of the plurality of PPG signals, and a blood perfusion level is determined at the region of interest based on the amplitudes and preferably also the phases of the PPG signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection apparatus (30) for determining a state of tissue. The detection apparatus (30) comprises a fluorescence spectrum providing unit (2, 3) for providing a fluorescence spectrum of the tissue, a differentiation unit (4) for generating a derivative of the fluorescence spectrum, and a tissue state determination unit (5) for determining the state of the tissue from the derivative. This allows determining the state of the tissue, even if characteristics, which are related to the state of the tissue, are only hardly visible or not visible at all in the fluorescence spectrum. The reliability of determining the state of the tissue, for instance, whether the tissue is cancerous or not, can therefore be improved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for determining information relating to a suspected occluding structure. It is described to provide (210) a spectral resolving unit with at least one broadband radiation. The at least one broadband radiation comprises a first broadband radiation acquired from a region of interest within a vascular structure. An occluding structure is suspected to be located within the region of interest and wherein the first broadband radiation is associated with the suspected occluding structure. At least one spectrally resolved data set is determined (220) on the basis of the at least one broadband radiation, wherein the at least one spectrally resolved data set comprises a first spectrally resolved data set determined on the basis of the first broadband radiation. A processing unit is provided (230) with the at least one spectrally resolved data set on the basis of the at least one broadband radiation.

Abstract: An orthopedic pin is for optically analyzing a bone region. An optical fiber arrangement extends within an elongate shaft from a distal end to a proximal end. There is a coupling at an intermediate position along the shaft, and the optical fiber arrangement comprises a first portion on one side of the coupling and a second portion on the other side of the coupling. The coupling allows relative rotation between portions of the shaft at opposite sides of the coupling, while maintaining optical coupling between the first and second portions of the optical fiber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for determining information relating to a suspected occluding structure. It is described to provide (210) a spectral resolving unit with at least one broadband radiation. The at least one broadband radiation comprises a first broadband radiation acquired from a region of interest within a vascular structure. An occluding structure is suspected to be located within the region of interest and wherein the first broadband radiation is associated with the suspected occluding structure. At least one spectrally resolved data set is determined (220) on the basis of the at least one broadband radiation, wherein the at least one spectrally resolved data set comprises a first spectrally resolved data set determined on the basis of the first broadband radiation. A processing unit is provided (230) with the at least one spectrally resolved data set on the basis of the at least one broadband radiation.

Abstract: A hair cutting device for cutting hair on a body of a subject includes a light source for generating laser light at one or more specific wavelengths corresponding to wavelengths absorbed by one or more chromophores in hair; and a cutting element that has an optical waveguide that is coupled to the light source to receive laser light. A portion of a side wall of the optical waveguide forms a cutting face for contacting hair where, at least at the cutting face, the optical waveguide has a refractive index that is equal to or lower than the refractive index of hair and higher than the refractive index of skin.

Abstract: An orthopedic pin (100) for optically analyzing a bone region (110) includes an elongate shaft (101) and at least one optical fiber (105) The elongate shaft has a circular outer cross section with a first diameter (D1), a distal end (102) for insertion into bone, a proximal end (103), and an optical connector portion (104) disposed towards the proximal end (103). The at least one optical fiber (105) extends within the elongate shaft (101) between the optical connector portion (104), and the distal end (102) for transmitting optical radiation between the optical connector portion (104) and the bone region (110) when the distal end (102) is inserted into the bone region (110). The optical connector portion (104) comprises a reduced-diameter portion (106). The reduced-diameter portion (106) extends along at least a portion of the elongate shaft (101), and has an outer cross section comprising a width (Drd) perpendicularly with respect to the elongate shaft (101).

Abstract: A biopsy device is provided comprising a tubular member, a hollow shaft and an elongated fiber body. The hollow shaft may have a distal end and a shaft, wherein a laterally (sidewardly) facing notch is formed in the distal portion of the shaft. The elongated fiber body may include at least one optical fiber, preferably at least two optical fibers, with a distal end. The tubular member is movable relative to the shaft, between a first position in which the notch is covered by the tubular member, and a second position in which the notch is not covered by the tubular member. The fiber body is movable within the shaft, between a first position in which the distal end of the optical fiber is located at the distal end of the shaft with the elongated fiber body extending through the notch, and a second position in which the distal end of the at least one optical fiber is located proximally to the notch.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an intravascular device (10). The device comprises an elongate member (20), an optical fiber (30), and at least one optical interaction element (40). At least a part of the elongate member is configured to be inserted into a part of a vascular system of a patient. At least a part of the optical fiber is located within the elongate member. The optical fiber is configured to transmit optical wavelength radiation. The intravascular device is configured to emit optical wavelength radiation out of the elongate member in at least two optical radiation beams for being scattered and/or reflected by a portion of the vascular system. The emission of the at least two optical radiation beams comprises interaction of the transmitted optical wavelength radiation with the at least one optical interaction element.

Abstract: A hair cutting device for cutting hair on a body of a subject includes a light source for generating laser light at one or more specific wavelengths corresponding to wavelengths absorbed by one or more chromophores in hair; and a cutting element that has an optical waveguide that is coupled to the light source to receive laser light. A portion of a side wall of the optical waveguide forms a cutting face for contacting hair where, at least at the cutting face, the optical waveguide has a refractive index that is equal to or lower than the refractive index of hair and higher than the refractive index of skin.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for determining a property of a tissue, particularly cancer of cervical tissue. A light providing unit (7, 8, 9) provides light for illuminating the tissue (6) and a light detection unit (10) detects light from the tissue, wherein a first signal being indicative of light (11) having been influenced by an epithelium region (R1), a second signal being indicative of light (12) having been influenced by a boundary region (R2) and a third signal being indicative of light (13) having been influenced by a stroma region (R3) are generated, and wherein a tissue property is determined based on the first, second and third signals. This allows for an determination of a tissue property, which is based on a combination of optical properties measured in the three different regions, resulting in an improved determination of the tissue property, in particular in improved cancer detection.

Abstract: The invention provides an ultrasound data processing method (30) for detecting presence of an intravascular object in a vessel lumen based on analysis of acquired intravascular ultrasound data of the lumen. The method comprises receiving (32) data comprising multiple frames, and each frame containing data for a plurality of radial lines, corresponding to different circumferential positions around the IVUS device body, and reducing (34) the data to a single representative value for each radial line in each frame. These representative values are subsequently processed to derive (36) values for at least each frame representative of a probability of presence of an object within the given frame. Based on the probability values, a region within the data occupied by an intravascular object, for instance a consecutive set of frames occupied by an object, is determined (38).

Abstract: A system for detection of optically anisotropic tissue is provided. The system comprises an optical source, an optical detector, a processing unit and a probe. The probe has a shaft with a longitudinal axis and a front end, and a plurality of optical fibers; wherein an end of each of the optical fibers is arranged at the front end of the shaft, and at least one of the optical fibers is a source optical fiber adapted to transmit optical radiation emitted from the optical source to a tissue adjacent to the front end of the shaft. Another one of the optical fibers is a detector optical fiber adapted to transmit optical radiation reflected from the tissue to the optical detector, so that an optical path through the tissue is defined, wherein the optical paths differ from each other with respect to their spatial orientation, and wherein the optical paths cross each other.

Abstract: A system SY for determining a tissue type TY of a tissue region TR is provided in which the distal ends OFDE1 . . . n of at least three optical fibers define a plurality of intersecting optical paths IOP1 . . . k within the tissue region TR. A tissue signal Q1 . . . k indicative of a tissue type TY for the respective optical path IOP1 . . . k is generated from said spectral measurement data SMD corresponding to each of the plurality of intersecting optical paths IOP1 . . . k. Each tissue signal Q1 . . . k is compared with a reference threshold QRT for the tissue type, and with an average of the tissue signals QMA. At least a portion of the tissue region is identified as the tissue type TY if i) every tissue signal Q1 . . . k in the tissue region TR indicates that its corresponding tissue is not the tissue type TY in the comparison with the N reference threshold QRT and ii) at least one of the tissue signals Q1 . . . k in the tissue region TR lies between the average QMA of the tissue signals Q1 . . .

Abstract: An invasive medical device (10) is disclosed comprising a device portion (15) for inserting into a patient, said device portion including a functional module (20); an electrically conductive path (40) extending through the invasive medical device and connecting to the functional module; and a deformable switch (30) within the device portion arranged to alter the electrical impedance of said conductive path as a function of a degree of deformation of the switch, said deformation being caused by a blood parameter of the patient's blood that varies during the cardiac cycle of said patient.

Abstract: A system for determining a pulse wave velocity comprises a body lumen insertable device with an actuator for providing a pulse in the vicinity of a vessel wall and a sensor for sensing arrival of the pulse. A pulse wave velocity is obtained from the time difference between actuation of the actuator and sensing of the pulse. This system is used to create an artificial pulse which is transmitted along a vessel by a known distance before detection by a sensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical link, comprising an optical converter circuit (16) having an optoelectronic device (18) and circuitry (20) connected to the optoelectronic device (18). The optoelectronic device (18) has a plurality of individual optoelectronic segments (18a-18i). The optical link further comprises an elongated optical guide (14) having a single optical fiber optically connected at a first end to the optoelectronic device (18) and configured to transmit light away from the optoelectronic device (18), wherein the individual optoelectronic segments (18a-18i) have different positions relative to the first end of the optical fiber so that light beams emitted by the optoelectronic segments (18a-18i) are coupled into the optical fiber under different angles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical link, comprising an optical converter circuit (16) having an optoelectronic device (18) and circuitry (20) connected to the optoelectronic device (18). The optoelectronic device (18) has a plurality of individual optoelectronic segments (18a-18i). The optical link further comprises an elongated optical guide (14) having a single optical fiber optically connected at a first end to the optoelectronic device (18) and configured to transmit light away from the optoelectronic device (18), wherein the individual optoelectronic segments (18a-18i) have different positions relative to the first end of the optical fiber so that light beams emitted by the optoelectronic segments (18a-18i) are coupled into the optical fiber under different angles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical transceiver, comprising an optical converter circuit (24) comprising an optoelectronic device (26), an electronic appliance (30) generating data, and circuitry (28) configured to control the optoelectronic device (26) and the electronic appliance (30). The optoelectronic device (26) is configured to, upon receiving an incoming optical beam, convert the optical beam into electrical energy. The optoelectronic device (26) is further configured to emit optical pulses, wherein emission of the optical pulses is induced by the incoming optical beam through photo-induced electro-luminescence (PIEL), wherein the optical pulses based on photo-induced electro-luminescence comprise the data generated by the electronic appliance (30).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical link, comprising an optical converter circuit (16) having an optoelectronic device (18) and circuitry (20) connected to the optoelectronic device (18). The optoelectronic device (18) has a plurality of individual optoelectronic segments (18a-18i). The optical link further comprises an elongated optical guide (14) having a single optical fiber optically connected at a first end to the optoelectronic device (18) and configured to transmit light away from the optoelectronic device (18), wherein the individual optoelectronic segments (18a-18i) have different positions relative to the first end of the optical fiber so that light beams emitted by the optoelectronic segments (18a-18i) are coupled into the optical fiber under different angles.