Abstract: An imaging apparatus and method are provided. The probe for an imaging apparatus includes a manually manipulable proximal portion; a straight distal portion with a distal tip for locating at a site to define an observational field; and a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The imaging method includes the steps of locating a distal tip of an imaging probe at a site to define an observational field; irradiating the observational field from the distal tip; and collecting a return signal at the distal tip; wherein the probe comprises a manually manipulable proximal portion. The apparatus and method provided herein are useful for various applications including but not limited to endomicroscopy and other microsurgical procedures performed under optical stereoscopic magnified visualization, such as neurosurgery, ENT/facial surgery and spinal surgery.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus and method are provided. The probe for an imaging apparatus includes a manually manipulable proximal portion; a straight distal portion with a distal tip for locating at a site to define an observational field; and a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The imaging method includes the steps of locating a distal tip of an imaging probe at a site to define an observational field; irradiating the observational field from the distal tip; and collecting a return signal at the distal tip; wherein the probe comprises a manually manipulable proximal portion. The apparatus and method provided herein are useful for various applications including but not limited to endomicroscopy and other microsurgical procedures performed under optical stereoscopic magnified visualization, such as neurosurgery, ENT/facial surgery and spinal surgery.

Abstract: A surgical microscope has an illuminating arrangement for illuminating light in an operating region to be examined with the surgical microscope. The arrangement contains a high-power light source which includes an intensity adjusting device. The device makes possible an adjustment of the intensity of the illuminating light, which is guided to the object region, between a maximum value and a minimum value. The microscope has a control unit for the illuminating arrangement which includes an operator-controlled module via which the illuminating arrangement can be activated and controlled. For adjusting the intensity of the illuminating light guided to the operating region, the control unit coacts with the adjustable filter unit. A signal generator outputs a warning signal when an intensity of the illuminating light is adjusted via the operator-controlled module which exceeds the safety limit value stored in a memory.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods are provided herein. An imaging system for imaging a surgical site, may include a macroscopic visualization system; and an imaging apparatus with a probe, the imaging apparatus being adapted to image the observational field and generate second image data; wherein the system is operable to control the macroscopic visualization system and the imaging apparatus to image the site and the observational field respectively at substantially the same time, and to associate the first image data and the second image data. Imaging methods provided herein may include the steps of: imaging the site with a macroscopic visualization system and generating first image data; imaging at substantially the same time an observational field with an imaging apparatus and generating second image data; and associating the first image data and the second image data.

Abstract: A surgical microscope (100) is especially suited for use in neurosurgery. The surgical microscope has an illuminating arrangement (101) for making available illuminating light in an operating region (117) to be examined with the surgical microscope (100). The illuminating arrangement (101) contains a high-power light source (102) which includes an intensity adjusting device (112). The intensity adjusting device (112) makes possible to adjust the intensity of the illuminating light (116), which is guided to the object region (117), between a maximum value and a minimum value. The surgical microscope (100) has a control unit (170) for the illuminating arrangement (101) which includes an operator-controlled module (172) via which the illuminating arrangement (101) can be activated and controlled. For adjusting the intensity of the illuminating light (116) guided to the operating region (117), the control unit coacts with the adjustable filter unit (112).

Abstract: An imaging apparatus and method are provided. The probe for an imaging apparatus includes a manually manipulable proximal portion; a straight distal portion with a distal tip for locating at a site to define an observational field; and a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The imaging method includes the steps of locating a distal tip of an imaging probe at a site to define an observational field; irradiating the observational field from the distal tip; and collecting a return signal at the distal tip; wherein the probe comprises a manually manipulable proximal portion. The apparatus and method provided herein are useful for various applications including but not limited to endomicroscopy and other microsurgical procedures performed under optical stereoscopic magnified visualization, such as neurosurgery, ENT/facial surgery and spinal surgery.

Abstract: A surgical microscope (100) is especially suited for use in neurosurgery. The surgical microscope has an illuminating arrangement (101) for making available illuminating light in an operating region (117) to be examined with the surgical microscope (100). The illuminating arrangement (101) contains a high-power light source (102) which includes an intensity adjusting device (112). The intensity adjusting device (112) makes possible to adjust the intensity of the illuminating light (116), which is guided to the object region (117), between a maximum value and a minimum value. The surgical microscope (100) has a control unit (170) for the illuminating arrangement (101) which includes an operator-controlled module (172) via which the illuminating arrangement (101) can be activated and controlled. For adjusting the intensity of the illuminating light (116) guided to the operating region (117), the control unit coacts with the adjustable filter unit (112).

Abstract: A microscopy assembly comprises a stand, a stereo microscope supported by the stand, and a mouth switch assembly mounted to a holder, the mouth switch assembly including a mouth piece grippable by a user's teeth, and with a force sensor actuatable by the exertion of pressure by a user's lip while the mouth piece is held by the user's teeth, the force sensor including an actuating element arranged at a side of the mouth piece, wherein an actuating area of the actuating element located next to a front end of the mouth piece is spaced apart from the front end of the mouth piece by a distance larger than 4 mm and smaller than 35 mm.

Abstract: A method for the quantitative representation of the blood flow in a tissue or vascular region is based on the signal of a contrast agent injected into the blood. In the method, several individual images of the signal emitted by the tissue or vascular region are recorded at successive points in time and are stored. Based on the respective signal, a quantity characteristic for the blood flow and a quantity characteristic for the position of the blood vessels are determined for image areas of individual images. These quantities are represented superimposed for the respective image areas such that both the blood flow quantity and the position of the fine blood vessels become clearly visible in the representation and can be differentiated from the tissue.

Abstract: A method for the quantitative representation of the blood flow in a tissue or vascular region is based on the signal of a contrast agent injected into the blood. Several individual images of the signal emitted by the tissue or vascular region are recorded and stored at successive points in time. For image areas of the individual images, the respective intensities of different points in time are compared and the maximum intensities of the signals are determined for these image areas. The maximum intensities are represented for these image areas.

Abstract: A method for the quantitative representation of the blood flow in a tissue or vascular region based on the signal of a contrast agent injected into the blood. In the process, several individual images of the signal emitted by the tissue or vascular region are recorded at successive points in time and are stored. For image areas of stored individual images the respective point in time is determined at which the signal has exceeded a certain threshold value and this point in time is represented for each of the image areas.

Abstract: A coherence microscope has a divider (3) that divides light emitted by a light source (1) into measurement light, which is supplied to and reflected by a specimen (13), and reference light. A superimposition device (25, 31) superimposes the measurement light reflected by the specimen (13) with the reference light. A short sensor array (41) detects the light resulting from the superimposition and permits a read-out rate of at least about 60 kHz. The superimposition device has an emission device (25, 31) for emitting the measurement light and the reference light arranged to effect extensive irradiation of the sensor array (41) with superimposed light. The ratio of distances covered by the measurement light and the reference light from the emission device (25, 31) to impingement points on the sensor array (41) varies in the portion of the sensor array (41) that is irradiated with superimposed light.

Abstract: An image sensor and a circuitry associated with the image sensor is used for recording a series of fluorescence images. The image sensor comprises a plurality of pixels for accumulating charges generated by incident radiation, and the circuitry converts the charges accumulated in the pixels into binary numbers. A gain of the circuitry is adjustable. The gain is set to a suitable maximum value at the beginning of a recording procedure. The gain is reduced if it is determined during the recording procedure that one or more brightness values of the recorded image exceed a suitably chosen maximum brightness value.

Abstract: A surgical microscope (100) is especially suited for use in neurosurgery. The surgical microscope has an illuminating arrangement (101) for making available illuminating light in an operating region (117) to be examined with the surgical microscope (100). The illuminating arrangement (101) contains a high-power light source (102) which includes an intensity adjusting device (112). The intensity adjusting device (112) makes possible to adjust the intensity of the illuminating light (116), which is guided to the object region (117), between a maximum value and a minimum value. The surgical microscope (100) has a control unit (170) for the illuminating arrangement (101) which includes an operator-controlled module (172) via which the illuminating arrangement (101) can be activated and controlled. For adjusting the intensity of the illuminating light (116) guided to the operating region (117), the control unit coacts with the adjustable filter unit (112).

Abstract: A microscopy assembly comprises a stand, a stereo microscope supported by the stand, and a mouth switch assembly mounted to a holder, the mouth switch assembly including a mouth piece grippable by a user's teeth, and with a force sensor actuatable by the exertion of pressure by a user's lip while the mouth piece is held by the user's teeth, the force sensor including an actuating element arranged at a side of the mouth piece, wherein an actuating area of the actuating element located next to a front end of the mouth piece is spaced apart from the front end of the mouth piece by a distance larger than 4 mm and smaller than 35 mm.

Abstract: An image sensor and a circuitry associated with the image sensor is used for recording a series of fluorescence images. The image sensor comprises a plurality of pixels for accumulating charges generated by incident radiation, and the circuitry converts the charges accumulated in the pixels into binary numbers. A gain of the circuitry is adjustable. The gain is set to a suitable maximum value at the beginning of a recording procedure. The gain is reduced if it is determined during the recording procedure that one or more brightness values of the recorded image exceed a suitably chosen maximum brightness value.

Abstract: An optical imaging system, for example, for a surgical microscope (100) has a beam deflecting unit in order to cast light rays out of an object region (112) into an image plane (104) with an optical beam path. An optical phase plate (107) is mounted in the optical beam path. In the optical imaging system, a unit for generating a geometric image of the image plane is provided, for example, an ocular unit (105). The optical phase plate (107) is arranged on the end of the objective lens (101) facing away from the object or is arranged in a region of the optical imaging system in which the beam path is parallel.

Abstract: A coherence microscope has a divider (3) that divides light emitted by a light source (1) into measurement light, which is supplied to and reflected by a specimen (13), and reference light. A superimposition device (25, 31) superimposes the measurement light reflected by the specimen (13) with the reference light. A short sensor array (41) detects the light resulting from the superimposition and permits a read-out rate of at least about 60 kHz. The superimposition device has an emission device (25, 31) for emitting the measurement light and the reference light arranged to effect extensive irradiation of the sensor array (41) with superimposed light. The ratio of distances covered by the measurement light and the reference light from the emission device (25, 31) to impingement points on the sensor array (41) varies in the portion of the sensor array (41) that is irradiated with superimposed light.

Abstract: An optical imaging system, for example, for a surgical microscope (100) has a beam deflecting unit in order to cast light rays out of an object region (112) into an image plane (104) with an optical beam path. An optical phase plate (107) is mounted in the optical beam path. In the optical imaging system, a unit for generating a geometric image of the image plane is provided, for example, an ocular unit (105). The optical phase plate (107) is arranged on the end of the object lens (101) facing away from the object or is arranged in a region of the optical imaging system in which the beam path is parallel.

Abstract: A projection exposure device (1), in particular for micro-lithography, serves to produce an image of an object (2) in an image plane (11) positioned in an object plane (10). For this reason the projection exposure device (1) has a radiation source (4) emitting projection radiation (5). Illumination optics (6) are positioned between the radiation source (4) and the object plane (10) and projection optics (8) are positioned between the object plane (10) and the image plane (11). A detection device (30) is provided to measure the illumination angle distribution of the projection radiation (5) in a field plane (10). This communicates via at least one control device (34, 18) with at least one manipulator (20, 45, 47). The latter serves to move at least one optical component (7, 41) within the projection ray path (5, 9). The illumination angle distribution changes as a result of the controlled movement of the optical component (7, 41).