Confocal microendoscope for use in OB/GYN applications

A 3 mm catheter-based fluorescence confocal microscope has been developed for in vivo use. The catheter in this system fits through the therapeutic channel of a commercial endoscope. The catheter consists of a coherent fiber-optic imaging bundle, a miniature objective, and a focusing mechanism. The proximal end of the catheter is coupled to a slit-scan confocal microscope. Real-time images can be obtained of fluorescing tissue microstructures. The optical performance of the microendoscope is limited by the characteristics of the fiber bundle. The lateral resolution is 1.8 /spl mu/m and the axial resolution is 25 /spl mu/m. The field of view is 430 /spl mu/m. The maximum imaging depth is 200 /spl mu/m. The confocal microscope operates in both grayscale and multispectral modes. Images have been obtained of in vivo animal models and ex vivo human models. A portable confocal microscope system is under development for in vivo clinical evaluation.