Abstract: A system for tissue inspection is provided, comprising a console (50) with a light source (64), a spectrometer (66), an optical switch (65) and a processing unit. The system further comprises an elongated shaft (10), wherein an illumination fiber (40), a plug (50) in front of the illumination fiber (40), and a detection fiber (41) is provided in the elongated shaft (10). The illumination fiber (40) is capable of transmitting light from the light source (64) to its front surface and is capable of transmitting light being back-reflected from the plug (50) to the optical switch (65). The detection fiber (41) is capable of transmitting light reflected from tissue in front of the distal end surface of the elongated shaft (10) to the optical switch (65). The optical switch (65) is configured to provide the back-reflected light to the spectrometer (66) for generating a reference spectrum and to provide the light reflected from the tissue to the spectrometer (66) for generating a diffuse reflectance spectrum.

Abstract: A spectroscopic analysis device for analysis of a sample comprises an input for receiving light from the sample and a photonic integrated circuit. This photonic optical filter comprises one or more tunable bandpass filters arranged to filter the received light. Furthermore, the device comprises a controller that is arranged—to control the one or more tunable bandpass filters, to receive filter results obtained from the one or more tunable bandpass filters, and to provide spectroscopic analysis results based on the received filter results.

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 for tissue inspection is provided, comprising a console (50) with a light source (64), a spectrometer (66), an optical switch (65) and a processing unit. The system further comprises an elongated shaft (10), wherein an illumination fiber (40), a plug (50) in front of the illumination fiber (40), and a detection fiber (41) is provided in the elongated shaft (10). The illumination fiber (40) is capable of transmitting light from the light source (64) to its front surface and is capable of transmitting light being back-reflected from the plug (50) to the optical switch (65). The detection fiber (41) is capable of transmitting light reflected from tissue in front of the distal end surface of the elongated shaft (10) to the optical switch (65). The optical switch (65)) is configured to provide the back-reflected light to the spectrometer (66) for generating a reference spectrum and to provide the light reflected from the tissue to the spectrometer (66) for generating a diffuse reflectance spectrum.

Abstract: An electro-surgical system (100) with an optical feedback functionality for performing electro-surgery on tissue (200) of patient. An electro-surgical device (105) has an electrode portion (110) with an optical guide (114) integrated therein. An optical unit (160) performs optical characterization of tissue type and/or condition, and is arranged for performing an analysis of the tissue type and/or condition. A control unit (170) generates a feedback control signal (FEEDCON) based on the analysis of the tissue type and/or condition, optical guide allows inspecting the tissue that is e.g. just a few millimeters ahead of the electrode portion (110) performing e.g. the cutting. As a result of the fast and reliable analysis performed by the spectrometer in the optical unit according to the present invention, the system can proactively react to what kind of tissue is in front of the electro-surgical portion i.e. the ‘blade’ of the electro-surgical device or the electro-surgical ‘knife’.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical needle which comprises an elongate tube and at least one optical fiber, e.g. two fibers, arranged within the elongate tube, for making optical measurements at the distal end of the needle. The optical fibers(s) has a beveled distal end surface, wherein a plane touching the beveled distal end surface and a longitudinal extension axis of the optical fiber forms a bevel angle which is 30°-35°. Such needle is advantageous for providing a medical needle which is reliable and long term stable, can be manufactured in low cost using known optical fiber materials, thus allowing it to form part of disposable medical kits. Still, the bevel angle of 30°-35° provides a needle which is easy to insert and which provides a low tendency to cause tissue sticking. Especially, the elongate tube and the optical fiber end(s) have the same beveled angle within the range 30°-35°, thus allowing a smooth front surface of the needle.

Abstract: Skin monitoring device for application near the skin includes a processing circuit and at least one photosensor configured to detect at least one approximate wavelength of light reflected and/or emitted by the skin. A signal receiving circuit receives signals from the photosensor.

Abstract: A spectroscopic analysis device for analysis of a sample comprises an input for receiving light from the sample and a photonic integrated circuit. This photonic optical filter comprises one or more tunable bandpass filters arranged to filter the received light. Furthermore, the device comprises a controller that is arranged—to control the one or more tunable bandpass filters, to receive filter results obtained from the one or more tunable bandpass filters, and to provide spectroscopic analysis results based on the received filter results.

Abstract: A biopsy device for taking a 3D biopsy may comprise an outer sleeve, a hollow main shaft, a biopsy tube and a tube shaft. The hollow main shaft may have a distal end portion with a sideward facing notch, and the main shaft may be adapted to be accommodated within the outer sleeve. The biopsy tube may be provided for receiving cut and thus isolated tissue. A proximal end of the biopsy tube may be releasably attachable to a distal end of the tube shaft so that the biopsy tube is movable together with the tube shaft within the hollow main shaft between a proximal position in which the biopsy tube is not located in the notch, and a distal position in which the biopsy tube is located in the notch.

Abstract: The invention relates to an energy application planning apparatus for planning an application of energy to an object (3) like a tumor. An energy application element representation represents an energy application element (5) like an ablation needle including an energy application part for applying energy and a sensing part (7). An arrangement of the energy application element (5) with respect to the object (3) is determined depending on the positions of the energy application part and the sensing part (7) with respect to the energy application element (5) as defined by the energy application element representation and depending on the object representation. The application of energy can therefore not only be planned such that the application of energy is performed as desired, but also such that the object and/or a surrounding of the object are sensible as desired. In this way, the planning procedure can be improved.

Abstract: A spectroscopic analysis device for analysis of a sample comprising: a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising: an input (DEF) for receiving light from the sample; and a demultiplexer (DEMUX) arranged to distribute the received light into at least a first optical chain (C1) and a second optical chain (C2); wherein each optical chain (C1, C2) of the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) further comprises a tunable bandpass filter (TBF1, TBF2) and a variable attenuator (ATT1, ATT2) and a photodetector (PD1, PD2) arranged respectively to filter and to attenuate and to detect the light distributed into its corresponding optical chain (C1, C2).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining a state of tissue sealing during a tissue sealing process. According to the disclosed method, an optical probe beam is used to irradiate a tissue region. A signal indicative of optical scattering in the tissue region is generated from a portion of the optical probe beam that has passed through or been returned by the tissue region. The onset of tissue sealing is indicated by the successive occurrence in time of a turning point and a point of inflection in the optical scattering signal. An energy-based tissue sealing or tissue-cutting device for use in accordance with the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector for mating a first group of one or more optical fibers (102) with one or more corresponding optical fibers in a second group of one or more optical fibers (103). The optical fiber connector in dudes a shutter (105), which prevents the ingress of debris into the connector, and provides an optical reference surface with which to calibrate optical fibers that are inserted into the connector. The optical fiber connector finds application in the general optical fiber field, and more particularly finds application in the medical field in which it may be used to connect optical fibers in a photonic needle application.

Abstract: A spectroscopic analysis device for analysis of a sample comprising: a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising: an input (DEF) for receiving light from the sample; and a demultiplexer (DEMUX) arranged to distribute the received light into at least a first optical chain (C1) and a second optical chain (C2); wherein each optical chain (C1, C2) of the photonic integrated circuit C(PIC) further comprises a tunable bandpass filter (TBF1, TBF2) and a variable attenuator (ATT1, ATT2) and a photodetector (PD1, PD2) arranged respectively to filter and to attenuate and to detect the light distributed into its corresponding optical chain (C1, C2).

Abstract: The present invention deals with discrimination of malignant tissue from normal and benign tissue in a single patient on the basis of optical spectroscopic measurements. Starting from spectroscopic measurements in normal tissue, reference values are obtained for the normal class. With spectroscopic measurements in other tissues data points can be assigned to new class(es) when the spectral characteristics fall outside a threshold defining the reference class. Thresholds between different classes can also be defined. Finding (the transition to) malignant tissue is based on comparing the spectroscopic values to the classification threshold discriminating normal and benign versus malignant tissue. Thus, the basis of normal spectroscopic measurements is tuned to the individual patient characteristic. Discriminating the normal plus benign and malignant from that reference is more efficient compared to the reference of the all patient database.

Abstract: A system and method to support exploring the interior of an object. The system 100, 200 includes a graphical user interface generator (GG) to generate a graphical user interface (GUI). The graphical user interface (GUI) includes an indicator (NC) of a current position of an interventional tool (IT) inside an object (OB). There is also an exploratory indictor (PC) to indicate material composition and/or type that surrounds the tool's tip (TP) at a current position in the object (OB). The exploratory indicator (PC) includes a pointer element for a current reading against a dial element for a range of possible values.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector arrangement that finds application in the general field of optical interconnection. The optical fiber connector arrangement (935) comprises a first optical fiber connector (922) including a first optical fiber (905) and a counterpart optical fiber connector (923) including a counterpart optical fiber (925); wherein the first optical fiber connector (922) is configured to mate with the counterpart optical fiber connector (923). The first optical fiber (905) of the first optical fiber connector (922) has a core diameter D1 and a Numerical Aperture NA1; and the counterpart optical fiber (925) of the counterpart optical fiber connector (923) has a counterpart core diameter D2 and a counterpart Numerical Aperture NA2. At least one of the ratio (D1/D2) or the ratio (NA1/NA2) either exceeds 1.15 or is less than 0.85.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector that finds application in the general field of optical inter-connection. The optical fiber connector (1a, 1b, c) includes a body (2) having a bore (3) configured to receive an optical fiber; an alignment sleeve (4) that is arranged coaxially with the bore (3); an optical fiber (5) having an end face (6); wherein the optical fiber (5) is arranged within the bore (3). At least at the end face (6) the optical fiber connector includes an optical signature component (50, 51, 52) having a predetermined optical signature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus, a method and a computer program for determining a lipid-water ratio and a scattering parameter of a sample. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus comprising a light source and a detector arranged to measure an optical parameter at various wavelengths, where the wavelengths are selected so that at two of the wavelengths the absorption coefficients for both water and lipids are substantially identical. This enables determination of a scattering parameter. A further measurement at a third wavelength enables determination of a water-lipid ratio. According to a specific embodiment, the light source and the detector are arranged in relation to an interventional device, so as to be able to examine a tissue in terms of lipid-water ratio and scattering during an intervention.

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.