IMAGING SYSTEM

To provide an imaging system which has a probe having a reduced diameter relative to prior ones, having high flexibility, and having the ability of advancing to a patient portion as an imaging target without using a guide wire, and a transport device.SOLUTION: An imaging probe comprises: an elongated shaft including a proximal end, a distal part, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal part, and being inserted into the body of a patient; a rotary optical core including a proximal end and a distal end, and being configured to perform optical and mechanical connection to an interface unit; a probe connector which is provided at the proximal end of the slender shaft and surrounds at least a part of the rotary optical core; and an optical assembly which is provided in the distal part of the slender shaft, is proximate to the distal end of the rotary optical core, and is configured to direct light toward tissue and collect reflected light from the tissue. Shear reduction viscous fluid is arranged between the elongated shaft and the rotary optical core for reducing for example, unnecessary rotation variation of the rotary optical core.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】従来よりも径が小さく、高い可撓性を有し、ガイドワイヤを用いることなく撮影対象の患者部位へ前進する能力を有するプローブを備えた撮像システム、搬送装置を提供する。【解決手段】撮像プローブは、近位端、遠位部、近位端と遠位部との間に延びるルーメンを含み、患者の体内に挿入される細長いシャフトと、近位端および遠位端を有し、インタフェースユニットに対する光学的かつ機械的な接続を行うように構成された回転式光学コアと、細長いシャフトの近位端の上に配置され、回転式光学コアの少なくとも一部を取り囲むプローブコネクタと、細長いシャフトの遠位部の中に配置され、回転式光学コアの遠位端に近接し、光を組織に指向させかつ該組織からの反射光を集光するように構成された光学アセンブリとを含んでいる。細長いシャフトと回転式光学コアとの間には、例えば回転式光学コアの不要な回転変動を低減するために、剪断減粘性流体が配置される。【選択図】図１