Thermal imaging through infrared fiber/waveguides bundles

Trans-endoscopic Infrared Imaging (IRI) relates the possibility to conduct IRI diagnosis of internal body surfaces under minimal invasiveness. It may also be utilized to control and to optimize the thermal interactions and the potential side effects during Minimally Invasive Surgeries (MIS). However, transferring the thermal images transendoscopically requires the usage of IR imaging bundles, which are neither yet mature nor commercially available. In our setup we have used two basic types of recently-developed imaging bundles: Ag/AgI-coated Hollow Glass Waveguide (HGW) bundles and Silver Halide (AgClBr) core-clad fiber bundles. The optical setup system was consisted of IR optics (e.g. ZnSe lenses, reflective objectives) and a thermal IR camera. We have succeeded to image objects through the bundles, such as various shapes of electrically heated wires, ex-vivo biological phantoms (samples of porcine stomach) and in-vivo phantom models (mice) irradiated by CO2 laser. Measurements were conducted for both - static and dynamic object states.