Double-AOTF-based aberration-free spectral imaging endoscopic system for biomedical applications

The problem of in vivo photoluminescence diagnostics of the tissues accessible by endoscopes is discussed. The spectral imaging module attachable to conventional rigid and flexible medical endoscopes is developed and described. It is based on a double acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) and a specialized optical coupling system. The module provides wide field of view (FOV), absence of image distortions, random spectral access, fast spectral image acquisition at any wavelength in the visible range and accurate measurement of reflectance spectrum in each pixel of the image. Images of typical biomedical samples are presented and discussed. Their spectra are compared to the reference data.