Patent ID: 8712506
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: A61B,G02B,G10K

Abstract:
1. An imaging probe comprising: an elongate outer sheath having a longitudinal axis; a rotatable conduit housed within said elongate outer sheath, wherein said rotatable conduit is rotatable about said longitudinal axis; an imaging assembly connected to said rotatable conduit at a location remote from a proximal end of said rotatable conduit; a first fiber optic extending through said elongate outer sheath and having a distal end located in a proximity of said imaging assembly; a rotary encoder including an optical encoder interface configured to interact with light, wherein one of said first fiber optic and said rotary encoder rotates in conjunction with said rotatable conduit; wherein the optical encoder interface includes a polarization filter such that emitted light that is emitted by said first fiber optic and directed onto said optical encoder interface interacts with said polarization filter to produce encoded light having a polarization state that continuously varies under rotation of said rotatable conduit; and wherein said first fiber optic or an additional fiber optic is configured for receiving said encoded light and directing said encoded light to a proximal end of said elongate outer sheath for detecting the encoded light.