Multifiber optical catheter with bending control of distal end: Applications of Raman biospectroscopy

Abstract

This work demonstrates a multifiber optical catheter with bending control of the distal end, whose main use is to collect Raman signal for biospectroscopy. Also, a method for fiber background subtraction is presented, allowing removal of fiber emission peaks from gross Raman spectrum. The fiber optic catheter with seven fiber optics wrapped up in a resin and a biocompatible flexible teflon tube has been modified to incorporate a mechanical device with gauntlet, which allows bending of the distal extremity to access a desired location obeying the anatomy of the organ. The mechanical device (gauntlet) was built halfway from the catheter proximal excitation tip, allowing the bending of the distal end of about 38 mm diameter. Dispersive Raman spectra at 785 nm excitation wavelength from samples were measured without and with bending (from 120 mm decreasing to 14 mm) of the distal end of the catheter. An optical catheter without the gauntlet was used as a reference. Results demonstrated that both catheters (with bending mechanism and standard one) had about the same Raman signal when the device was bent semicircularly to 38 mm diameter (bending limit for the mechanism), with negligible implication to the Raman signal-to-noise relation (SNR) from sample. When both catheters were bent in a full turn, the Raman signal decreased to about 40% when bending reached 14 mm diameter, mainly due to losses introduced by changes in the fiber total internal reflection. The background removal was efficient, with minimum residual from fiber peaks. This optical catherer could be very useful in laser diagnosis and clinical applications, introducing a way to control the fiber tip position and angle on the tissue or organ.