Characterization of bladder biopsies, using a combined fiber optic probe-based optical coherence tomography and Raman spectroscopy imaging system that allows a large field-of-view imaging and detection and grading of cancerous bladder lesions.

We present a forward-looking, fiber-scanning endomicroscope designed for optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-Angiography (OCT-A) imaging through the working channel of commercial gastrointestinal endoscopes and cystoscopes. 3.4 mm in outer diameter and 11.9 mm in length, the probe is capable of high-resolution volumetric imaging with a field-of-view of up to 2.6 mm and an imaging depth of up to 1.5 mm at a lateral resolution of 19 µm. A high-precision lens mount fabricated in fused silica using selective laser-induced etching (SLE) allows the tailoring of the optical performance for different imaging requirements. A glass structure fabricated by the same method encapsulates the optical and mechanical components, providing ease of assembly and alignment accuracy. The concept can be adapted to high resolution OCT/-A imaging of various organs, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract and bladder.

We present a preclinical-grade, forward-viewing endomicroscope for in-contact optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence angiography (OCA) imaging through the working channel of a conventional cystoscope. Beam scanning is achieved with a fiber scanner driven by a tubular piezoelectric actuator. A focusing lens at the fiber tip helps engineering of the operation frequency within a compact probe length to avoid lateral undersampling. Microstructuring of fused silica through selective laser-induced etching was used for manufacturing a self-aligning housing for the probe head. The entire micro-optical system is assembled and encapsulated within a custom-developed sterilizable packaging with 4.5 mm outer diameter. The presented design and fabrication strategy can be used for any forward-viewing probe, independent of its imaging modalities. We demonstrate OCT imaging within a 2.1-mm diameter field of view at a transverse resolution of 19 μm and microvasculature visualization through OCA. The presented probe's mechanical characteristics and optical performance make it particularly attractive for outpatient care use in the detection of tissue pathology inside the bladder. The presented fabrication methodology provides a reliable strategy for enabling preclinical trials with endoscopic imaging probes.

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