Towards distal lung imaging: a miniaturised optical platform for bronchoscopy

Flexible bronchoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that enables access to the lungs to obtain structural information, tissue sampling and/or drug delivery. Optical imaging systems enable the development of these systems by accurately mapping the internal airways and assisting navigation. Our study features far-field imaging of the lung airways using a polymer based coherent fibre bundle (diameter 350μm) with 3,500 cores. Custom-made micro-optical components on the fibre bundle will perform far-field imaging of the lung airways. The micro-lenses are fabricated by employing ultrafast laser-assisted etching (ULAE) and two-photon polymerization (2PP). The combined use of these two manufacturing processes provides increased design flexibility and mechanical robustness, both essential for clinical translation. This paper presents an overview of the manufacturing methods employed to develop a fully functional imaging system, addressing the challenges and innovation involved in its development.