DIVA MULTISPECTRAL PULSED LIGHT SOURCE

Our proprietary DIVA Multispectral Pulsed Light Source differs fundamentally from conventional endoscopic light sources by generating pulsed zenon optical wavelengths and energies that can kill bacteria, activate anti-cancer dyes, and create infrared images.

Because current cameras require a continuous light output to illuminate the body cavity in order to “see” images through an endoscope, they lack this capability. In contrast, the DIVA Multispectral Pulsed Light Source is “pulsed” and dynamic, with 10 microsecond pulses of light being generated once every thirty milliseconds. The time in-between the pulses which generate light for imaging —“Dark Space”-- can be used to project ultraviolet light waves for therapeutic intervention. Our unique camera system functions in this dynamic mode to deliver 30 video images a second.

The DIVA Multispectral Pulsed Light Source emits a spectrum of pulsed light waves with the optical spectrum that range from the ultraviolet to the infrared. In lieu of a continuous output lamp to illuminate the body cavity, the light source is programmed to selectively control the light wave output. Short light pulses permit time-sharing (multiplexing) of both imaging and therapeutic intervention.

The short light pulse duration can enable lasers of different optical wave lengths to be used without interfering either with imaging or with each other. Furthermore, precise control of the light energy enables generation of a specific clinical bolus of light, depending upon specific surgical requirements. MITI defines the use of lightwaves to kill infectious bacteria as Photo Microbial Therapy.

The DIVA Multispectral Pulsed Light Source contains practical features that make it particularly effective for conventional surgery. Conventional light sources generate significant heat, enough to smolder paper drapes used for patient coverings; and sufficiently hot to burn a surgeon’s hand on the fiber optic connector on the endoscope. They can also cause unwanted blood coagulation if placed too close to a surgical area. Although the peak power of MITI’s pulsed xenon is extremely high, its average power is relatively low. Thus, almost no heat is generated in either the patient or the instrument.

Furthermore, conventional light sources have an operational lifetime of only a few hundred hours; lamp burnout during a procedure can cause serious problems. In contrast, the DIVA Multispectral Pulsed Light Source has an extremely long life, rated for up to nine years of typical use before replacement is necessary, with little fall-off of light output from extensive use, and requires little adjustment or calibration during a procedure.

In the future, MITI plans to combine our Multispectral Pulsed Light Source and our Digital Imaging System with our Therascope™ technology, thus enabling the unit to go far beyond conventional imaging endoscopy, transmuting the conventional endoscope device into a therapeutic surgical tool.