System and method for positioning a probe

Abstract

An adapter couples a length of optical fiber to a hollow probe and to an optical coherence tomography instrument. The length of optical fiber may be greater than the length of the adapter itself. The optical fiber is fixed to an optical coupler at a proximal end of the adapter and may be maintained in a curved configuration by features located in an internal cavity of the adapter. An optical fiber advance mechanism be used to advance and/or retract the length of optical fiber to align it within the hollow probe.

1 . An optical fiber probe adapter comprising:
 an optical fiber housing;   a fiber optic coupler connected to a proximal end of said optical fiber housing;   an optical fiber having a length greater than the length of said optical fiber housing and comprising at least one curved portion, wherein said optical fiber is storable within said optical fiber housing and coupled to said fiber optic coupler;   a probe coupler connected to a distal end of said optical fiber housing; and   an optical fiber advance mechanism coupled to said housing, wherein said optical fiber advance mechanism is operable to advance a tip of said optical fiber beyond the confines of said optical fiber probe adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  wherein said curved portion of said optical fiber has an arc length of at least 90 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 2  wherein said curved portion of said optical fiber has an arc length of at least 180 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  wherein said optical fiber advance mechanism comprises a pinch roller. 
     
     
         5 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  wherein said probe coupler comprises a portion with a conical taper. 
     
     
         6 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  wherein said optical fiber is contained within a cavity having at least one surface feature for housing said optical fiber in a curved configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  further comprising a cavity adjacent to said optical fiber advance mechanism for receiving said optical fiber upon retraction. 
     
     
         8 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  wherein said optical fiber has coiled configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  wherein said optical fiber has spiral configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  wherein said optical fiber has a serpentine configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 1  further comprising a probe coupled to said optical fiber probe adapter. 
     
     
         12 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 11  wherein said probe is a hypodermic needle. 
     
     
         13 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 11  further comprising an optical tomography instrument coupled to said optical fiber probe adapter. 
     
     
         14 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 13  wherein said optical tomography instrument is coupled to said optical fiber probe adapter by a cable. 
     
     
         15 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 13  further comprising a display coupled to said optical tomography instrument. 
     
     
         16 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 15  wherein said probe is a hypodermic needle. 
     
     
         17 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 13  wherein said optical tomography instrument is a battery powered instrument. 
     
     
         18 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 17  wherein said probe is a hypodermic needle. 
     
     
         19 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 17  further comprising a display coupled to said optical tomography instrument. 
     
     
         20 . The optical fiber probe adapter of  claim 19  wherein said probe is a hypodermic needle.