An optical guidewire system, comprising: an optical guidewire for advancing a catheter to a target region relative to a distal end of the optical guidewire, wherein the optical guidewire includes at least one guidewire fiber core for generating an encoded optical signal indicative of a shape of the optical guidewire; a guidewire interface including at least one interface fiber core to be optically coupled to an optical guidewire controller responsive to said encoded optical signal and arranged for reconstructing the shape of the optical guidewire; and an optical connector, comprising a guide wire connector coupled to the guidewire and an interface connector coupled to the guidewire interface, wherein the optical connector is operable for connecting the optical guidewire to the guidewire interface to optically communicate the encoded optical signal from the at least one guidewire fiber core through the at least one interface fiber core to the optical guidewire controller, wherein, subsequent to a connection of the optical guidewire to the guidewire interface, the optical connector is further operable for disconnecting the optical guidewire from the guidewire interface, wherein the guidewire connector has a diameter (d) equal or lower than 2 millimeters to backload the catheter on a proximal end of the optical guidewire, and wherein, subsequent to a disconnection of the optical guidewire from the guidewire interface and backloading of the catheter on the proximal end of the optical guidewire, the optical connector is further operable for reconnecting the optical guidewire to the guidewire interface to recommunicate the optical encoded optical signal from the at least one guidewire fiber core through the at least one interface fiber core to the optical guidewire controller. an optical guidewire for advancing a catheter to a target region relative to a distal end of the optical guidewire, wherein the optical guidewire includes at least one guidewire fiber core for generating an encoded optical signal indicative of a shape of the optical guidewire; a guidewire interface including at least one interface fiber core to be optically coupled to an optical guidewire controller responsive to said encoded optical signal and arranged for reconstructing the shape of the optical guidewire; and an optical connector, comprising a guide wire connector coupled to the guidewire and an interface connector coupled to the guidewire interface, wherein the optical connector is operable for connecting the optical guidewire to the guidewire interface to optically communicate the encoded optical signal from the at least one guidewire fiber core through the at least one interface fiber core to the optical guidewire controller, wherein, subsequent to a connection of the optical guidewire to the guidewire interface, the optical connector is further operable for disconnecting the optical guidewire from the guidewire interface, wherein the guidewire connector has a diameter (d) equal or lower than 2 millimeters to backload the catheter on a proximal end of the optical guidewire, and wherein, subsequent to a disconnection of the optical guidewire from the guidewire interface and backloading of the catheter on the proximal end of the optical guidewire, the optical connector is further operable for reconnecting the optical guidewire to the guidewire interface to recommunicate the optical encoded optical signal from the at least one guidewire fiber core through the at least one interface fiber core to the optical guidewire controller.