JP6173728B2 - Probe for optical coherence tomographic image generator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe used in an optical coherence tomographic image generation apparatus that captures a tomographic image of a subject using coherent light.

  Optical coherence tomography (hereinafter referred to as OCT apparatus) for taking tomographic images of tissues inside the oral cavity of dental patients distributes laser light emitted from a light source into measurement light and reference light. While irradiating the intraoral tissue with the measurement light from the probe, the reference mirror is irradiated with the reference light. Then, the scattered light reflected and returned from the oral tissue is collected by the probe, the scattered light and the reflected light from the reference mirror are combined by an optical multiplexer, and the interference light is analyzed to generate a tomographic image. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

In the treatment of periodontal diseases, it is necessary to observe the depth of the periodontal pocket formed between the tooth part and the gingival part and the progress of gingivitis.
When measuring the area and volume of the periodontal pocket using the conventional OCT apparatus described above, the periodontal pocket is expanded while expanding the periodontal pocket with a rod-shaped treatment instrument (probe) whose tip is bent. Images are taken from the gingival side (lateral side) and the gingival occlusion side (upper side).
In addition, when observing periodontal tissue using the above-described conventional OCT apparatus, the periodontal tissue can be imaged by the OCT apparatus by pushing the surface of the gingival part into the tooth part side with a rod-shaped therapeutic instrument. It is deformed to thickness.

JP 2012-217753 A

  As described above, when observing a periodontal pocket or periodontal tissue using a conventional OCT apparatus, the periodontal pocket or periodontal tissue is deformed using a treatment instrument, so that measurement light and scattered light are used. May be interrupted by the treatment device.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a probe that solves the above-described problems, can prevent measurement light and scattered light from being blocked by an instrument, and can reliably take a tomographic image of a subject with an OCT apparatus. And

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a housing provided with optical paths of measurement light and scattered light, and irradiates the measurement light on the subject from a front end opening of the housing and reflects the measurement light from the subject. back has been the scattered light a the tip probe for optical coherence tomography image generating apparatus for recovering from the opening of the housing, the distal end of said housing, an air nozzle for injecting air toward the object provided The air nozzle has a nozzle body extending further forward than the tip opening of the housing, and an air outlet is formed at the tip of the nozzle body. Yes.

In this configuration, the subject can be deformed into a shape suitable for photographing with the OCT apparatus by blowing air from the air nozzle to the subject. Thus, since the shape of the subject can be changed without using an instrument, it is possible to prevent the measurement light and scattered light from being blocked by the instrument.
For example, by blowing air from the air nozzle to the opening of the periodontal pocket and expanding the periodontal pocket, the periodontal pocket is photographed from the gingival part side or the gingival part occlusion side by the OCT device, and the area and volume of the periodontal pocket Can be measured.
Further, by blowing air from the air nozzle onto the surface of the gingival part, pushing the periodontal tissue toward the tooth part side and thinly deforming the periodontal tissue, the periodontal tissue can be imaged by the OCT apparatus.

A probe for optical coherence tomography image generating apparatus described above, the air nozzle has a bendable tubular of the nozzle body, the spout of the air at the tip portion of the nozzle body is formed, the nozzle If the position and orientation of the ejection port can be adjusted by bending the body, the position and orientation of the ejection port can be adjusted by bending the nozzle body. Can be sprayed on.

  In the probe for the optical coherence tomographic image generation apparatus described above, an oblique mirror that reflects the measurement light and the scattered light and changes the traveling direction of the measurement light and the scattered light is provided at the tip of the housing. In this case, a subject in a direction that intersects the opening direction of the front end opening of the housing can be photographed.

  In the probe for the optical coherence tomographic image generation apparatus of the present invention, the shape of the subject can be deformed without using the instrument, so that the measurement light and scattered light can be prevented from being blocked by the instrument, and the OCT apparatus This makes it possible to reliably capture a tomographic image of the subject.

It is the perspective view which showed the probe of this embodiment. It is the sectional side view which showed the probe of this embodiment. It is the figure which showed the use condition of the probe of this embodiment, (a) is a side view in the case of observing a periodontal pocket, (b) is a side view in the case of observing a periodontal tissue. It is the figure which showed the probe of other embodiment, and is a perspective view of a structure where a nozzle main body can be bent freely. It is the figure which showed the probe of other embodiment, (a) is a perspective view of the structure which provided the oblique mirror, (b) is the side view which showed the use condition of the structure which provided the oblique mirror. It is the figure which showed the probe of other embodiment, and is a perspective view of the structure which provided the nozzle for imaging | photography.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
In this embodiment, a probe for an OCT apparatus used when observing the depth of a periodontal pocket and the progress of gingivitis in the treatment of periodontal disease will be described as an example.
In the following description, after first describing the overall configuration of the OCT apparatus, the configuration of the probe will be described in detail.

The OCT apparatus captures a tomographic image of intraoral tissue using light coherent, and includes a probe, an optical unit, and a control unit.
In the OCT apparatus, laser light emitted from a light source in an optical unit is distributed to measurement light and reference light. The measurement light is irradiated from the probe to the intraoral tissue, and the scattered light reflected and returned from the intraoral tissue is collected by the probe. Further, the reference light is applied to a reference mirror in the optical unit. Then, the scattered light and the reflected light from the reference mirror are combined by the optical multiplexer by the optical unit, and the tomographic image is generated by analyzing the interference light by the control unit.

The probe 1 shown in FIG. 1 collects scattered light that has been reflected and returned from the intraoral tissue while irradiating the intraoral tissue with measurement light.
The probe 1 includes a housing 10 in which optical paths for measurement light and scattered light are provided, and an air nozzle 30 provided at the tip of the housing 10.

  The probe 1 is inserted into the housing 10 from the optical unit while the user holds the housing 10 and inserts the tip of the air nozzle 30 into the oral cavity to inject air from the air nozzle 30 toward the oral cavity tissue. The measured light is irradiated to the oral cavity tissue from the front end opening of the housing 10, and the scattered light reflected and returned from the intraoral tissue is collected at the front end opening of the housing 10 and transmitted to the optical unit. It is configured.

  The housing 10 is a hollow case having a cross shape (pistol shape) in a side view in which a grip portion 11 having a vertical axial direction and an insertion portion 12 having a horizontal axial direction intersect each other at a right angle.

The gripping part 11 is a part that the user of the probe 1 grips with a hand, and is formed in a rectangular cross section.
As shown in FIG. 2, a cable 60 is inserted through the lower end portion of the grip portion 11. The cable 60 accommodates an optical fiber optically connected to the optical unit and a communication cable electrically connected to the control unit.

A collimator lens 61 and a shutter mechanism 62 are accommodated in the grip portion 11.
The collimator lens 61 receives the measurement light introduced from the optical fiber into the gripper 11 and converges it into parallel light.
In the present embodiment, the position of the collimator lens 61 in the optical axis direction and the tilt with respect to the optical axis can be adjusted, and the optical path length of the measurement light and the tilt of the optical axis can be adjusted.

  The shutter mechanism 62 blocks passage of measurement light and scattered light. The shutter mechanism 62 is disposed above the collimator lens 61, and has a shutter 62a that can be opened and closed on the optical axis. The driving device of the shutter mechanism 62 is electrically connected to the control unit by a communication cable.

Scanning means 63 that scans the measurement light that has passed through the collimator lens 61 is accommodated in the intersection between the grip portion 11 and the insertion portion 12. In the present embodiment, a galvanometer mirror is used as the scanning unit 63.
The scanning means 63 reflects the measurement light that has passed through the collimator lens 61 to change the irradiation direction, and is electrically connected to the control unit via a communication cable.

The insertion portion 12 has a distal end portion (left portion in FIG. 2) formed in a circular cross section, and a circular distal end opening portion 12a formed on the distal end surface.
In the insertion part 12, a condensing lens 64 for condensing the measurement light reflected by the scanning means 63 and irradiating it on the surface of the oral cavity tissue is accommodated.

  The condenser lens 64 is accommodated in the lens housing cylinder 64a. The lens storage cylinder 64 a is movable in the axial direction of the insertion portion 12. A ring-shaped operation knob 64b protrudes from the lower portion of the lens housing cylinder 64a. The operation knob 64b protrudes to the outside of the insertion portion 12, and is a part where a user's finger is inserted.

  By moving the operation knob 64b in the axial direction of the insertion portion 12, the condenser lens 64 is moved in the optical axis direction, and the distance between the condenser lens 64 and the surface of the intraoral tissue is adjusted. The condensing point of the measurement light with respect to the surface of the internal tissue can be adjusted.

A cylindrical connecting member 70 is attached to the distal end opening 12 a of the insertion portion 12.
A bar-shaped focus gauge 71 protruding toward the tip of the insertion portion 12 is provided at the lower portion of the distal end surface of the connecting member 70. The focus gauge 71 is a member that serves as a measure of the interval between the intraoral tissue and the probe 1 when taking a tomographic image of the intraoral tissue.
As shown in FIG. 3A, the distance between the oral tissue and the probe 1 is based on the distance between the oral tissue and the probe 1 when the tip of the focus gauge 71 is brought into contact with the surface of the oral tissue. Can be taken clearly by the OCT apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the air nozzle 30 has a nozzle body 31 that extends from the top of the distal end of the insertion portion 12 toward the front. A portion of the nozzle main body 31 on the front end side is bent downward, and a jet port 32 is opened at the front end of the nozzle main body 31.

  An air supply hose (not shown) extending from the air compressor is inserted into the housing 10, and the air supply hose is connected to the nozzle body 31. Then, air is supplied from the air compressor to the nozzle main body 31 through the air supply hose, and air is injected from the ejection port 32.

  When the depth of the periodontal pocket is observed by the OCT apparatus using the probe 1 described above, the distal end portion of the insertion portion 12 and the air nozzle 30 are placed in the oral cavity of the dental patient as shown in FIG. The distal end opening part 70a of the connecting member 70 is opposed to the periodontal pocket A2 from the gingival part A side (lateral side). Further, the tip end portion of the focus gauge 71 is brought into contact with the surface of the gingival portion A, and the jet port 32 of the air nozzle 30 is disposed toward the periodontal pocket A2.

Air is blown from the jet nozzle 32 of the air nozzle 30 to the opening of the periodontal pocket A2 to widen the periodontal pocket A2.
In this way, while expanding the periodontal pocket A2, the measurement light introduced from the optical unit into the housing 10 is irradiated onto the surface of the gingival part A from the distal end opening 70a of the connecting member 70, and from the periodontal tissue A1. The scattered light that has been reflected and returned is collected from the tip opening 70a of the connecting member 70 and transmitted to the optical unit.
Thereby, the tomographic image which looked at the periodontal pocket A2 from the gingival part A side (lateral side) can be image | photographed with an OCT apparatus.

  Further, the distal end opening portion 70a of the connecting member 70 is opposed to the periodontal pocket A2 from the gingival portion A occlusion side (upper side), and air is blown from the air nozzle 30 to the opening portion of the periodontal pocket A2. A tomographic image of the periodontal pocket A2 viewed from the gingival occlusion side is taken with the OCT apparatus.

  In this way, while expanding the periodontal pocket A2 with air, the area and volume of the periodontal pocket A2 are measured by photographing the periodontal pocket A2 from the gingival part A side or the gingival part A occlusion side with an OCT device. can do.

  When the periodontal tissue A1 is observed by the OCT apparatus using the probe 1 described above, air is blown from the air nozzle 30 onto the surface of the gingival part A as shown in FIG. Can be photographed by the OCT apparatus by pushing the tooth portion B toward the tooth portion B side and thinly deforming the periodontal tissue A1.

According to the probe 1 as described above, by blowing air from the air nozzle 30 to the periodontal pocket A2 and periodontal tissue A1 as shown in FIGS. The tissue A1 can be deformed into a shape suitable for observation with the OCT apparatus.
Thus, in the probe 1, since the shape of the periodontal pocket A2 and the periodontal tissue A1 can be deformed without using an instrument, measurement light and scattered light can be prevented from being blocked by the instrument. The tomographic images of the periodontal pocket A2 and periodontal tissue A1 can be reliably taken by the OCT apparatus.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, an air nozzle 30 </ b> A having a bendable tubular nozzle body 31 may be used. In this configuration, the nozzle body 31 is formed of a flexible resin material, and the tip of the nozzle body 31 is held by an instrument such as tweezers P. In such an air nozzle 30A, since the direction of the jet port 32 can be freely changed and adjusted, air can be accurately blown against the periodontal pocket or the gingival part to be observed.

  Further, the nozzle body 31 may be bent and may be configured to maintain a bent shape. Furthermore, the nozzle body 31 may be formed by connecting a plurality of tubes in a freely bendable manner.

  Further, the position and number of the nozzle main bodies 31 are not limited. Further, the nozzle body 31 may be formed to be extendable and contractable in the axial direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, an oblique mirror M that changes the traveling directions of the measurement light and the scattered light may be provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion 12 of the housing 10. The oblique mirror M includes a rod M1 extending from the distal end surface of the connecting member 70 toward the front, and a circular reflecting mirror M2 attached to the distal end portion of the rod M1.
The reflecting mirror M2 is inclined 45 degrees downward with respect to the traveling direction of the measurement light emitted from the tip opening 70a of the connecting member 70. Therefore, the measurement light emitted from the distal end opening 70a of the connecting member 70 is reflected by the reflecting mirror M2 and proceeds downward at a right angle.

In the probe 1 provided with the oblique mirror M, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the direction orthogonal to the opening direction of the distal end opening 70a of the connecting member 70 can be photographed. A site where it is difficult to confront the tip opening 70a of the connecting member 70, such as the periodontal pocket A2 formed between the tooth B and the gingival part A, can be easily photographed.
In addition, a fixing ring may be provided on the oblique mirror M, and the OCT apparatus may be configured to focus on the oral cavity tissue when the fixing ring is fitted to the tooth portion.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the housing 10 is formed in a cross shape (pistol shape), but the shape is not limited, and a linear housing or an inverted L-shaped shape is used. A housing may be used.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the cylindrical imaging nozzle 20 may be connected to the tip opening 70 a of the connecting member 70. In this configuration, the tip opening 20a of the imaging nozzle 20 is brought into contact with the intraoral tissue, so that the OCT apparatus can be focused on the intraoral tissue and the probe 1 is stabilized with respect to the intraoral tissue. be able to.
In addition, the imaging nozzle 20 can improve the visibility of an affected part by providing an opening in the peripheral wall. Moreover, when an opening is not provided in the peripheral wall part of the imaging nozzle 20, the visibility of the affected part can be enhanced by forming the peripheral wall part from a transparent material.

  In the embodiment, the galvanometer mirror is used as the scanning unit 63 for scanning the measurement light. However, the configuration of the scanning unit is not limited, and for example, a two-dimensional MEMS mirror may be used. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Probe 10 Housing 11 Grasp part 12 Insertion part 30 Air nozzle 30A Air nozzle (other embodiment)
31 Nozzle body 32 Jet port 61 Collimator lens 62 Shutter mechanism 63 Scanning means 64 Condensing lens 64b Operation knob 70 Connecting member 70a Tip opening 71 Focus gauge A Gingival part A1 Periodontal tissue A2 Periodontal pocket B Tooth part M Oblique mirror M2 Reflector P Tweezers

Claims (3)

It has a housing provided with optical paths for measurement light and scattered light,
Irradiates from the distal end opening portion of the housing of the measuring light to an object, the scattered light reflected and returned from the object by the probe for optical coherence tomography image generating apparatus for recovering from the distal end opening portion of the housing There,
An air nozzle that injects air toward the subject is provided at the front end of the housing ,
The air nozzle has a nozzle body extending further forward than the tip opening of the housing, and an air coherent tomography is formed at the tip of the nozzle body. Probe for image generator. The air nozzle has a bendable tubular of the nozzle body, the spout of the air at the tip portion of the nozzle body is formed,
The probe for an optical coherence tomographic image generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle body is bent to adjust the position and orientation of the ejection port .   2. An oblique mirror that reflects the measurement light and the scattered light and changes a traveling direction of the measurement light and the scattered light is provided at a distal end portion of the housing. Item 3. A probe for an optical coherence tomographic image generation device according to Item 2.

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