Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology

Pukyong National University

Unist, Inc.

Sung Chul Bae

Yeh-Chan Ahn

Yeh Chan Ahn

Timothy Kwan Mo Yang

The present invention relates to a real-time parathyroid imaging apparatus including: a light source including an excitation filter capable of exciting parathyroid glands; and a camera including an image sensor and an emission filter of which a transmissivity ratio between a visible light region and a near-infrared emission wavelength region is N:1 (here, N&#x3c;1). Through the present invention, a system may be implemented whereby a surgeon may acquire, in real-time during an operation, an autofluorescence image of the parathyroid glands by using a near-infrared light source, and an auto focus function may be used, and visible light and near-infrared autofluorescence images may be simultaneously fused and acquired without having to turn off the lights in an operating room.

Real-time parathyroid imaging system

The present invention relates to a parathyroid sensing system, and includes: a modulator for generating a modulation signal having a predetermined frequency; a lock-in amplifier and a light source which receive information on the modulation signal; an excitation filter for transmitting, among light emitted from the light source, only excitation light that excites parathyroid glands; an emission filter connected to a probe and selectively transmitting only fluorescence emitted from the parathyroid glands; a near-infrared sensor for sensing the autofluorescence that has passed through the emission filter, and converting the sensed autofluorescence into an electric signal; and a speaker for generating an alarm through the electric signal. Through the present invention, the locations of the parathyroid glands may be precisely identified even when lights are turned on in an operating room, and convenience may be provided by alerting a surgeon by means of an alarm when the parathyroid glands are detected. In addition, the locations of the parathyroid glands may be precisely detected, even when the probe is not directly in contact with the parathyroid glands, by using the autofluorescence characteristics of the parathyroid glands.

Real-time parathyroid sensing system

A laser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a pump laser outputting laser light, and a laser resonator including a laser crystal and an acoustic optical modulator and resonating the laser light output from the pump laser, wherein the pump laser is a Nd:YAG, and the laser crystal is Ti:Sapphire.

Growing community of inventors

Ulsan, South Korea

Sung Chul Bae