INTEGRATED TORQUE ASSEMBLY AND METHODS FOR OCT USING AN OPTICAL FIBER CABLE

摘要

An integrated torque assembly for optical coherence tomography includes an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber surrounded by an outer jacket. An optical probe is operably attached to the distal end of the optical fiber cable. The outer jacket includes outwardly extending protrusions. The optical fiber cable and optical probe are operably disposed within an interior of a guide tube having an inner surface. The protrusions reduce the amount of surface area the optical fiber cable presents to the guide tube inner surface and thus reduces friction during operation.

主权项

1. An integrated torque assembly for use with a guide tube of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system that utilizes a rotating optical probe, comprising:
a flexible guide tube having an inside surface that defines a guide tube inner diameter and a guide tube interior, with at least a portion of the guide tube being transparent to light at an OCT imaging wavelength; an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber surrounded by a jacket and having a length, the optical fiber cable having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the jacket has a plurality of outwardly extending protrusions; an optical probe operably connected to the distal end of the optical fiber cable; and wherein the optical fiber cable and optical probe are operably disposed within the guide-tube interior in a close-fit configuration wherein the optical fiber cable can rotate and be axially translated within the interior of the flexible guide tube while the optical fiber cable only contacts the inner surface of the guide tube at the protrusions of the jacket.