DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR FLUORESCENCE IMAGING OF TISSUE

摘要

A system and method for fluorescence imaging of tissue in vivo and in situ, e.g., for minimally invasive diagnosis of patients. A fluorescent imaging system is provided that has a dye carrier coupled to the distal end of a probe containing a fiber optics bundle, which allows for the introduction of at least one fluorescent dye therein the dye carrier into a portion of the tissue of interest of a subject or patient when the dye carrier is selectively brought into contact with the portion of the tissue of interest. The resulting fluorescence images permit the acquisition of diagnostic information on the progression of diseases at cellular/tissue level in patients.

主权项

1. A fluorescence imaging device for developing a fluorescence image of a selected tissue of a subject, the fluorescence imaging device comprising:
a probe defining a central bore, the probe having an outer surface, a distal end, an opposed proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end of the probe, the distal end defining a distal tip configured to contact the selected tissue of the subject, the probe comprising:
image transmission means positioned therein the central bore of the probe and configured for communication with a light source; andan objective lens positioned therein the central bore of the probe proximate the distal tip of the probe; and a dye carrier comprising at least one fluorescent dye, the dye carrier having a bottom surface configured to contact the selected tissue of the subject, the dye carrier coupled thereto at least a portion of the outer surface of the probe such that the bottom surface of the dye carrier is substantially flush with the distal tip of the probe and radially spaced from the objective lens of the probe, the dye carrier configured to selectively dispense the at least one fluorescent dye into the selected tissue of the subject.