Endoscopy Flashcards
Define endoscopy
Looking inside the body for medical reasons using an endoscope
What is an endoscope?
Instrument inserted directly into an organ to examine to interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body
- fibroscope optimised for medical applications
Requirements of endoscopy
- direct view of the tissue
- sufficient light to see it
Endoscopy Developing
Stage 1 = simple tube, insert in stomach, rigid, light bulb for distal illumination
Stage 2 = using series of lenses to transmit images, semi flexible
Stage 3 = fibre optic endoscopes to transmit an image of reasonable quality, greater flexibility
How many fibres are carried in an endoscope and why?
Bundles of 10,000 fibres
- To carry more pixels for a greater quality image with better resolution
- Also enlarges the image, don’t want it too big as will not be able to use for in vivo imaging
Components of an endoscope system
- rigid or flexible tube protecting fibres inside
- light delivery system to illuminate organs of interest
- fibre optics system to transmit image to viewer
- additional channel to allow medical instruments to be inserted into the body (e.g. forceps to take a sample for pathology)
What are rigid endoscopes used for?
- spinal surgery
- larynx/throat
What is a fibroscope?
Fibres based endoscope
Advantages of a flexible endoscope
- insert and advancement easier
- less risk of trauma
- general anaesthetic unecessary
- patient can breathe spontaneously
- nose or mouth can be used for access
Advantages of a rigid endoscope
- greater diameter of light transmitting components = better image & resolution
- easy to maintain airway
- larger/more robust surgical tools can be used
- removal of foreign bodies much more successful
- larger suction capabilities
- more precise targeting of laser beams
Fibre-Optic Technology
- light is transmitted along a glass fibre to be directed to a specific location
- low weight
- small size
- low data loss
- good electrical isolation/ low noise/low signal loss
- very high bandwidth
- long distance travel possible
- fibroscope for imaging
2 categories of optical fibre use
1 - guiding light
2 - communications
Optical Fibres to Guide Light
MEDICAL USES
- guiding laser light to destroy tumors
- endoscopy
Optical Fibres for Communications
- reasons they were developed
- 95% of telephone communications
Types of endoscopes
- angioscope = veins/arteries
- arthroscope = joints
- bronchoscope = bronchi
- choledochoscope = bile duct
- colonoscope = colon
- colposcope = uterus
- cystoscope = bladder
- gastroscope = stomach
- laparoscope = peritoneum
- laryngoscope = larynx
- oesophagoscope = oesophagus
Controlling Light Paths using fibre optics
- controlled by refractive index of materials
- refractive index is the amount by which a material slows down light
- high refractive index = light slowed more
- smallest refractive index = 1
What is the equation for refractive index of materials?
n = c/v n = refractive index c = speed of light in vacuum v = speed of light in medium
What is the speed of light?
3 x 10^8 m/s
What happens if there is a boundary between a high refractive index material and a low refractive index material?
- light will hit boundary
- defraction will occur at the boundary
- governed by Snell’s Law
Snell’s Law
Angle between light ray and normal ray = angle of incidence
Angle of refraction can be calculated
n^2 sin02 = n1 sin01
How does fibre optics use Snell’s Law?
To cause a light beam to refract back into the first material
What happens as the angle of incidence increases (01)?
The angle of refraction will reach 90 degrees
As it increases further, the incident light is reflected back into the first material = Total Internal reflection
What is the critical angle?
Where 02 = 90 degrees
Angle of reflection = 90 degrees
When does TIR happen?
When the critical angle is greater than 90 degrees
- light will go into the second media
- only when going from a higher index medium to a lower one
How does fibre optic technology use 2 materials?
- fibre has refractive index of n1
- coated with a second material of lower refractive index n2
- creates TIR and so light is reflected along a constant angle along fibre
What can go wrong with fibre optic signals?
- contamination on glass changes refractive index = light can escape
- glass is very thin to be flexible but also very delicate = tiny scratches/cracks propagate if bent
How to prevent problem with glass contamination?
- prevent this with cladding = cover fibre with another layer of glass
- core inside has slightly larger refractive index than cladding
- cladding keeps core clean
How to prevent problem of delicate glass cracking/scratches?
- cover with plastic layer (primary buffer)
- outside of the cladding
What is the main structure of the fibre optic?
Core -> Cladding -> Primary buffer layer
Often also surrounded by PVC jacket too
What is the role of the primary buffer layer?
- mechanical protection
Cone of Acceptance
Easily determined as light enters and leaves at same angles
Also we know the refractive index of the core, cladding and the critical angle
Any angle greater than this will leave the fibre and not be guided through as angle will not be greater than the critical angle
- The numerical aperture