Xillix Technologies Corporation

Other

Monogen, Inc.

Oncometrics Imaging Corp.

Livspek Medical Technologies Inc.

Bruno W Jaggi

Branko Mihael Palcic

Calum E MacAulay

Stephen C-t Lam

Calum Macaulay

Richard W Cline

David M Garner

S Alan Harrison

Amedeus E Profio

Haishan Zeng

John J P Fengler

Curtis Barry Figley

Andrew H Rawicz

Remy Dawson

Jaclyn Y-c Hung

Jan Nordin

Mohammed J Deen

Jaclyn Hung

Sara Moghaddamjoo

A specialized spectrometer comprises a light source to generate a monochromatic light beam to generate resonance Raman peaks or resonance near infrared absorption peaks from a region of the subject and a reference light source to illuminate the region with a reference light beam. The light energy from the resonance Raman peaks can be measured with a detector coupled to an optical wavelength separator. A portion of the reference beam scattered from the region can be measured with a reference detector. An amount of the constituent can be determined with a processor in response to the resonance Raman peaks measured with the detector and the portion of the reference beam measured with the reference detector. The illumination of the region with reference beam with the monochromatic beam allows accurate determination of the amount of the constituent, and the amount may comprise a concentration, such as an amount per unit volume.

Method and apparatus for a spectral detector for noninvasive detection and monitoring of a variety of biomarkers and other blood constituents in the conjunctiva

A method for detecting malignancy-associated changes. A sample of cells is obtained and stained to identify the nuclear DNA material. The sample is imaged with a digital microscope. Objects of interest are identified in the sample of cells based on the intensity of the pixels that comprise the object versus the average intensity of all pixels in the slide image. An exact edge is located for each object and variations in the illumination intensity of the microscope are compensated for. A computer system calculates feature values for each object and, based on the value of the features, a determination is made whether the cell exhibits malignancy-associated changes or not.

Method and apparatus for automatically detecting malignancy-associated changes

An imaging system for white light and fluorescence endoscopy that includes an automatic gain control circuit that adjusts the brightness of an image produced based on distribution of pixel intensities in one or more video frames. The magnitude of the image signals produced by a pair of high sensitivity imaging devices such as intensified CCD transducers are compared to a number of reference thresholds. A time-over-threshold counter ( ) determines the number of pixels in the image signals having magnitudes greater than or less than the reference thresholds. The distribution of pixel intensities is supplied to a decision tree algorithm ( ) that determines whether the gain of the-intensified CCD transducers ( ) used to produced the autofluorescence images or the intensity of the excitation light produced by a light source ( ) should be increased or decreased. In addition, a mode switch mechanism is provided to change rapidly from the fluorescence imaging mode to the white light imaging mode or vice versa. This mechanism includes provisions to prevent the accidental application of reflected white illumination light to the image-intensified CCD transducers. Proximity switches ( ) monitor the position of a light directing mechanism such as a mirror ( ) to allow light to pass to fluorescence camera head ( ) or to a color video camera head ( ). The light source is not switched to produce white light until it is known that the mirror is in position to direct the reflected light to the color video camera head. Finally, the present invention produces a quantitative display of the relative intensities of the autofluorescence light produced in a pair of spectral bands.

Imaging system with automatic gain control for reflectance and fluorescence endoscopy

Method and apparatus for automatically detecting malignancy-associated

An apparatus and method for imaging diseases in tissue are presented. The apparatus employs a light source for producing excitation light to excite the tissue to generate autofluorescence light and for producing illumination light to generate reflected and back scattered light (remittance light) from the tissue. Optical sensors are used to receive the autofluorescence light and the remittance light to collect an autofluorescence light image and a remittance light image. A filter acts to integrate the autofluorescence image over a range of wavelengths in which the autofluorescence intensity for normal tissue is substantially different from the autofluorescence intensity for diseased tissue to establish an integrated autofluorescence image of the tissue. The remittance light image provides a background image to normalize the autofluorescence image to account for image non-uniformity due to changes in distance, angle and illumination intensity. A monitor displays the integrated autofluorescence image and the remittance light image to produce a normalized image in which diseased tissue is distinguishable from normal tissue. The optical sensor can be installed adjacent the end of an endoscope probe inserted into a body cavity. A method for imaging diseased tissue using an integrated fluorescence image and a normalizing remittance image is also disclosed.

Endoscope having an integrated CCD sensor

Apparatus for imaging diseases in tissue comprising a light source for generating excitation light that includes wavelengths capable of generating characteristic autofluorescence for abnormal and normal tissue. A fiber-optic illuminating light guide is used to illuminate tissue with light that includes at least the excitation light thereby exciting the tissue to emit the characteristic autofluorescence. An imaging bundle collects emitted autofluorescence light from the tissue. The autofluorescence light is filtered into spectral bands in which the autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially different from normal tissue and the autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially similar to normal tissue. An optical system is used to intercept the filtered autofluorescence light to acquire at least two filtered emitted autofluorescence images of the tissue. The acquired images are displayed in real time on a display monitor in such a manner as to delineate abnormal and normal tissue.

Endoscopic imaging system for diseased tissue

A system for detecting cancerous or precancerous lesions directs light produced from a mercury arc lamp into an illumination guide of an endoscope. Autofluorescence light produced by the tissue under examination is divided into red and green spectral bands by a dichroic mirror. Light in the red and green spectral band is applied to a pair of image intensified CCD cameras. The output of the camera that receives light in the red spectral band is coupled to a red video input of a color video monitor. Light produced by the camera that receives light in the green spectral band is coupled to the blue and green video inputs of the video monitor. The system produces a false color display, whereby healthy tissue appears cyan in color and cancerous or precancerous lesions appear reddish in color. The image displayed allows the operator to see the lesions within the context of the underlying tissue structures. The color contrast is adjustable to account for the autofluorescence property changes from patient to patient and from location to location.

Imaging system for detecting diseased tissue using native fluorsecence

Apparatus and method for imaging diseased tissue using integrated

Apparatus for imaging diseases in tissue comprising a light source for generating excitation light that includes wavelengths capable of generating characteristic autofluorescence for abnormal and normal tissue. A fibreoptic illuminating light guide is used to illuminate tissue with light that includes at least the excitation light thereby exciting the tissue to emit the characteristic autofluorescence. An imaging bundle collects emitted autofluorescence light from the tissue. The autofluorescence light is filtered into spectral bands in which the autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially different from normal tissue and the autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially similar to normal tissue. An optical system is used to intercept the filtered autofluorescence light to acquire at least two filtered emitted autofluorescence images of the tissue. The acquired images are displayed in real time on a display monitor in such a manner as to delineate abnormal and normal tissue.

A solid state microscope for viewing and scanning microscopic objects. The solid state microscope has a light source with a condensor and diffusion filter. A moveable stage is provided to allow X, Y, Z plane displacements in order to scan objects under the microscope. There is an objective to magnify the image of the object and project this image onto a two dimensional solid state image sensor. The solid state image sensor sends signals to an analog-to-digital converter where the signals are digitized and sent to a frame memory. A monitor is used to display the image of the object as stored in frame memory. The present invention can be interfaced with a computer to allow for automatic focusing and scanning of an image. The computer also houses storage means to store images. Methods of scanning an object are also described. A prism element can be used to obtain spectral scans of an object. In another scanning method, a first edge row of pixels is used to detect an object of interest in the scanned image. This first detection row activates an area of the sensor array at a later time to capture the entire image. In this way, only relevant information is collected and processed.

Quantitative light microscope using a solid state detector in the

An image scanner for microscopic objects. The image scanner has a microscope with a high precision computer controlled motor driven stage to provide X,Y plane displacements in order to scan microscopic objects under the microscope. There is an image sensor and a digitizer in association with the microscope to sense a horizontal image line or a two dimensional image and provide a digital representation of the line or image. A digital signal processor processes digitized signals from the sensor. There is a computer to control the mechanical and electronic scanning and to store and display information from the digital signal processor. Methods of scanning a microscopic object are also described. The methods comprise positioning the object on a motorized stage of a microscope having an image sensor in a focal plane. The object is scanned and signals received from the sensor during scanning are digitized. The digitized signals are processed with a digital signal processor in order to automatically recognize objects while the sample is being scanned. The processed information contained in the signals and the location coordinates of objects are stored. The methods include automatical revisiting of recognized objects for further analysis.

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Vancouver, Canada

Bruno W Jaggi