<title>Angioscopic fluorescence imaging system</title>

Abstract

The special considerations and constraints associated with the design of an angioscopic fluorescence imaging system are explored. These considerations include: choice of illumination, catheter design, detection system, data processing techniques, and display. A radiometric study that investigated tissue radiance, noise limitations, and resolution was undertaken and the results are reported. Other issues considered include fiber transmission, catheter diameter, and feature selection for multispectral imaging. A design based upon reasonable system requirements and currently available technology and equipment is presented. In addition, a multispectral data set was collected and analyzed using the Hotelling projector. The result is compared with a ` white-light' image and a total-fluorescence image. Angioscopic fluorescence imaging is found to be a feasible technique yielding a rich data set. This data set is found to possess great potential for achieving improved detection and characterization of atheromatous disease.