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1 May 1974 Hypodermic Fiberscope
Max Epstein
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Proceedings Volume 0043, Application of Optical Instrumentation in Medicine II; (1974) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.953899
Event: Application of optical Instrumentation in Medicine II, 1973, Chicago, United States
Abstract
Introduced about a decade ago, the fiber-optic endoscope has become an important and versatile tool in medicine. It originally was intended to replace the semi-rigid all-lens endoscopes to provide, (a) greater flexibility than was possible with the classical instrument which consists of a train of optical lenses, and (b) to provide "cold-light" illumination at the distal end of the probe. It thus became possible to develop a whole family of endoscopes for remote viewing and photography in bronchoscopy, gastroscopy, rectoscopy, proctosigmoidoscopy, cystoscopy, etc. The fiber-optic endoscope proved to be of smaller diameter, more flexible and provided more light for improved image clarity in visualizing color gradations in the tissue, an important factor in medical diagnosis. Also, the greater flexibility of the fiber-optic endoscope enables the visualization around corners and the elimination of "blind areas" obtained with the classical semi-rigid instrument. Although small in comparison with the classical endoscope, the fiber-optic instrument is still large enough to accomodate an optical lens system at the distal end. An imaging bundle of coherent fibers used in a typical endoscope has a diameter of from 2 to 5 mm. It usually consists of many fibers (50 thousand to 250 thousand in-dividual fibers) aligned to provide for the coherent transmission of the image. When constructed of individual fibers, lOpim in diameter each, the entire bundle remains flexible allowing for very small bending radii. Commercially available fiber-optic structures of coherently aligned individual fibers utilize fiber bundles with diameters down to 2mm where the ends are tied together while the rest of the fibers along the length of the bundle remain loose and therefore flexible.
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Citation Download Citation
Max Epstein "Hypodermic Fiberscope", Proc. SPIE 0043, Application of Optical Instrumentation in Medicine II, (1 May 1974); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.953899
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KEYWORDS
Endoscopes
Fiber optics
Visualization
Structured optical fibers
Coherence imaging
Glasses
Refractive index
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