METHOD AND AN OPTICAL PROBE FOR IN VIVO IMAGING OF A MUCOSA IN A BILIARY OR PANCREATIC SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING A TISSUE SAMPLING OF A MUCOSA IN A BILIARY OR PANCREATIC SYSTEM

摘要

A method for observing a mucosa of a biliary or pancreatic system in a subject includes positioning a optical probe in contact with said mucosa, wherein the optical probe accesses the biliary or pancreatic system using a working channel of an endoscope inserted orally in the subject. An optical probe to be used with a fiber optic microscope for in vivo observation includes an optical fiber bundle, a miniaturized objective connected coaxially at a distal tip of the optical fiber bundle, wherein the optical fiber bundle and the miniaturized objective each have a diameter of less than 1.2 mm such that said optical probe can access a biliary or pancreatic system using a working channel of an endoscope inserted orally.