Abstract: A surgical drilling system for determining proximity of a surgical drill bit to an artery during a drilling procedure, including an excitation and/or collection optical channel of a spectral absorption probe, wherein the excitation channel provides light configured for absorption by blood chromophores and the collection channel captures diffused back-scattered light modulated by said artery; a light detector; and a signal processor for determining a distance between the tissue and the probe based on said back-scattered light. A process for determining proximity of a surgical drill bit to an artery during a drilling procedure includes bringing said excitation light near the tissue including the artery; capturing diffused back-scattered light from said tissue; detecting said light modulated by said blood flow dynamics including an oscillating signal related to said periodic change; and processing said light and determining the proximity of the surgical drill bit to the artery.

Abstract: A low coherence interferometry probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer, comprising a low coherence light source for generating low coherence excitation light, an excitation optical fiber to bring the low coherence excitation light near the tissue layer and a collection optical fiber for capturing back-scattered light from the tissue layer. The probe system comprises a low coherence interferometry sub-system and a digital signal processor for evaluating a distance to the tissue layer. There is also provided a spectral absorption probe system for evaluating proximity to an artery, comprising a light source excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores, an excitation optical fiber and a collection optical fiber.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a method, apparatus and system for performing multi-modal imaging using a common imaging probe having various modes of operation including a fluorescent (FL) imaging mode and at least one of an ultrasound (US) imaging mode, a photoacoustic (PA) imaging mode and a combined US/PA imaging mode. Molecular/functional information may be obtained from FL and PA imaging and anatomical information may be obtained from ultrasound (US) imaging. The system may be implemented to provide for images from each modality in real time as well as provide for co-registration of these images. Experimental results demonstrate that combining the imaging modalities does not significantly compromise the performance of each of the separate US, PA, and FL imaging techniques, while enabling multi-modality registration.

Abstract: A low coherence interferometry probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer, comprising a low coherence light source, an excitation optical fiber to bring the low coherence excitation light near the tissue layer and a collection optical fiber for capturing back-scattered light from the tissue layer. The probe system comprises an interferometry sub-system and a processor for evaluating a distance to the tissue layer. There is also provided a spectral absorption probe system for evaluating proximity to an artery, comprising a light source excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores, an excitation optical fiber and a collection optical fiber. The probe system comprises a light detector and a processor for determining a distance to the artery using the Beer-Lambert law of light absorption with a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (?eff). A probe system combining low coherence interferometry and spectral absorption is also provided.

Abstract: A low coherence interferometry probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer, comprising a low coherence light source, an excitation optical fiber to bring the low coherence excitation light near the tissue layer and a collection optical fiber for capturing back-scattered light from the tissue layer. The probe system comprises an interferometry sub-system and a processor for evaluating a distance to the tissue layer. There is also provided a spectral absorption probe system for evaluating proximity to an artery, comprising a light source excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores, an excitation optical fiber and a collection optical fiber. The probe system comprises a light detector and a processor for determining a distance to the artery using the Beer-Lambert law of light absorption with a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (?eff). A probe system combining low coherence interferometry and spectral absorption is also provided.

Abstract: A method for acquiring signals in laser scanning microscopy, includes the steps of: moving a focused optical excitation beam relative to an object to be measured so that the focus point of the beam follows a predetermined path in the space of the object; and acquiring optical measurement signals along the path according to at least one acquisition parameter; characterized in that the path of the excitation beam is determined so as to substantially minimize the variations of the optical properties of at least one portion of the environments crossed by the excitation beam between consecutive acquisitions, and in that at least one acquisition parameter among the acquisition parameters is modulated during the movement of the excitation beam. A device for implementing the method is also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for performing flow cytometry. In one embodiment, blood circulating through one or more retinal blood vessels of a subject is illuminated in-vivo so as to excite a plurality of fluorescent-labeled cells contained in the blood. The fluorescence radiation emitted by the excited cells is then detected and analyzed to count the cells from which fluorescence is detected.

Abstract: A method for acquiring signals in laser scanning microscopy, includes the steps of: moving a focused optical excitation beam relative to an object to be measured so that the focus point of the beam follows a predetermined path in the space of the object; and acquiring optical measurement signals along the path according to at least one acquisition parameter; characterised in that the path of the excitation beam is determined so as to substantially minimise the variations of the optical properties of at least one portion of the environments crossed by the excitation beam between consecutive acquisitions, and in that at least one acquisition parameter among the acquisition parameters is modulated during the movement of the excitation beam. A device for implementing the method is also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for performing flow cytometry. In one embodiment, blood circulating through one or more retinal blood vessels of a subject is illuminated in-vivo so as to excite a plurality of fluorescent-labeled cells contained in the blood. The fluorescence radiation emitted by the excited cells is then detected and analyzed to count the cells from which fluorescence is detected.