Methods and systems for intra-operatively providing anatomical guidance in surgery
First Claim
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1. A process for intra-operatively providing anatomical guidance in endocrine surgery, comprising the steps of:
- (a) illuminating tissues in the neck area of a living subject with a beam of light having a predetermined wavelength;
(b) obtaining auto-fluorescence data from light emitted from the tissues in the neck area in response to the illumination, wherein the predetermined wavelength is adapted such that the auto-fluorescence data emitted from the illuminated tissues in the neck area are in a wavelength range of 800-1000 nm; and
(c) displaying the obtained auto-fluorescence data on a display and identifying parathyroid glands of the living subject from the displayed auto-fluorescence data in real time for providing anatomical guidance to a medical professional performing the endocrine surgery, wherein intensity of the auto-fluorescence data emitted from tissues of the parathyroid glands is higher than that emitted from tissues surrounding the parathyroid glands in the wavelength range of 800-1000 nm.
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Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a process for intra-operatively providing anatomical guidance in endocrine surgery. In one embodiment, the process includes the steps of illuminating tissues in the neck area of a living subject with a beam of light having a predetermined wavelength, obtaining Raman data from light scattered from the illuminated tissues, finding Raman signatures corresponding to thyroid or parathyroid tissues from the obtained Raman data, and identifying the thyroid or parathyroid tissues from the corresponding Raman signatures.
9 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A process for intra-operatively providing anatomical guidance in endocrine surgery, comprising the steps of:
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(a) illuminating tissues in the neck area of a living subject with a beam of light having a predetermined wavelength; (b) obtaining auto-fluorescence data from light emitted from the tissues in the neck area in response to the illumination, wherein the predetermined wavelength is adapted such that the auto-fluorescence data emitted from the illuminated tissues in the neck area are in a wavelength range of 800-1000 nm; and (c) displaying the obtained auto-fluorescence data on a display and identifying parathyroid glands of the living subject from the displayed auto-fluorescence data in real time for providing anatomical guidance to a medical professional performing the endocrine surgery, wherein intensity of the auto-fluorescence data emitted from tissues of the parathyroid glands is higher than that emitted from tissues surrounding the parathyroid glands in the wavelength range of 800-1000 nm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system for intra-operatively providing anatomical guidance in endocrine surgery, comprising:
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(a) a light source configured to emit a beam of light having a predetermined wavelength for illuminating tissues in the neck area of a living subject; (b) means for obtaining optical signals emitted from the illuminated tissues in response to the illumination, wherein the predetermined wavelength is adapted such that the optical signals emitted from the illuminated tissues in the neck area are in a wavelength range of 800-1000 nm; and (c) a display in communication with the means for obtaining optical signals and configured to display the obtained optical signals for identifying parathyroid glands of the living subject from the displayed optical signals in real time for providing anatomical guidance in an endocrine surgery, wherein intensity of the optical signals emitted from tissues of the parathyroid glands is higher than that emitted from tissues surrounding the parathyroid glands in the wavelength range of 800-1000 nm, wherein the optical signals comprise auto-fluorescence data. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for intra-operatively providing anatomical guidance in endocrine surgery, comprising:
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(a) a light source configured to emit a beam of light having a predetermined wavelength; (b) an optical probe optically connected to the light source and configured to deliver the emitted beam of light to tissues in the neck area of a living subject to illuminate the tissues, and to collect light of auto-fluorescence data emitted from the tissues in the neck area in response to the illumination, wherein the predetermined wavelength is adapted such that the auto-fluorescence data emitted from the illuminated tissues in the neck area are in a wavelength range of 800-1000 nm; (c) a detector optically coupled with the optical probe and configured to obtain the collected auto-fluorescence data; and (d) a computer in communication with the detector and programmed to process the obtained auto-fluorescence data and display the processed auto-fluorescence data on a display for identifying parathyroid glands of the living subject from the displayed auto-fluorescence data in real time for providing anatomical guidance to a medical professional performing the endocrine surgery, wherein intensity of the auto-fluorescence data emitted from tissues of the parathyroid glands is higher than that emitted from tissues surrounding the parathyroid glands in the wavelength range of 800-1000 nm. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification