Methods and system for characterizing an object

• US 10,478,072 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tearney, Guillermo J., Li, Li, Subramaniam, Balachundhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F
• Application Number:
  US14/777,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,076 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/06 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/05 Surgical care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/063 Devices specially adapted for delivering implantable medical measuring apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/687 Oesophagus

Abstract

Exemplary system, method and computer accessible medium are provided for determining at least one characteristic of a target object located behind or within a medium. For example, it is possible to identify a reference object that is located behind or within the medium. The target object and the reference object can be irradiated via a surface of the medium using at least one electromagnetic wave. At least one acoustic signal provided from an irradiated tissue volume that is responsive to the electromagnetic wave(s) can be measured. Calibration information can be obtained from the acoustic signal measured from the reference object based on at least one known property of the reference object. Then, the characteristic(s) of the target object can be determined based on the calibration information and the acoustic signal from the target object.

Claims

1. A system for determining at least one characteristic of at least one anatomical structure, comprising:

a first arrangement configured to forward at least one electromagnetic radiation having a time-varying intensity to the at least one anatomical structure and a further anatomical structure;

a detector second arrangement configured to detect at least one acoustic signal provided from each of the at least one anatomical structure and the further anatomical structure in response to the at least one electromagnetic radiation impacting the structures; and

a processing hardware third arrangement configured to (i) obtain calibration data from the acoustic signal from the further anatomical structure, based on at least one property of thereof; and

(ii) determine the at least one characteristic of the at least one anatomical structure using the calibration data and the acoustic signal from the at least one anatomical structure;

wherein the at least one anatomical structure includes at least one of a pulmonary artery or a vein, and the further anatomical structure includes at least one of an aorta or an artery.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a blood oxygen saturation.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising an oximetric apparatus configured to measure the arterial oxygen saturation.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the oximetric apparatus is a pulse oximeter.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second arrangement comprises at least one acoustic transducer.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein at least a part of the acoustic transducer at least one of (i) is provided and structured to be inside an esophagus, or (ii) configured to acquire sonographic images.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a light guide which is configured to forward the at least one radiation to the pulmonary artery and the aorta through a wall of an esophagus.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic signal is obtained from the aorta.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the pulmonary artery is a mixed venous oxygen saturation.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one property of the aorta is an arterial blood oxygen saturation.

11. A non-transitory computer-accessible medium which includes computer executable instructions for determining at least one characteristic of a target object located behind or within a medium, wherein, when a hardware processing arrangement executes the instructions, the processing arrangement is configured to execute procedures comprising:

identifying a reference object that is located behind or within the medium;

causing an irradiation on the target object and the reference object via a surface of the medium using at least one electromagnetic wave;

measuring at least one acoustic signal provided from an irradiated tissue volume that is responsive to the at least one electromagnetic wave;

obtaining a calibration information from the acoustic signal measured from the reference object on at least one known property of the reference object; and

determining the at least one characteristic of the target object based on the calibration information and the acoustic signal from the target object;

wherein the target object includes at least one of a pulmonary artery or a vein, and the reference object includes at least one of an aorta or an artery.

12. The computer-accessible medium according to claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a blood oxygen saturation.

13. The computer-accessible medium according to claim 11, wherein the processing arrangement is configured to cause the at least one radiation to the pulmonary artery and the aorta using a light guide to be provided through a wall of an esophagus.

14. The computer-accessible medium according to claim 11, wherein the acoustic signal is obtained from the aorta.

15. The computer-accessible medium according to claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic of the pulmonary artery is a mixed venous oxygen saturation.

16. The computer-accessible medium according to claim 11, wherein the at least one property of the aorta is an arterial blood oxygen saturation.

17. The computer-accessible medium according to claim 11, wherein the at least one acoustic signal is measured using an acoustic transducer and at least a part of the acoustic transducer at least one of (i) is provided and structured to be inside an esophagus, or (ii) configured to acquire sonographic images.

18. A method for determining at least one characteristic of a target object located behind or within a medium, comprising:

identifying a reference object that is located behind or within the medium;

irradiating the target object and the reference object via a surface of the medium using at least one electromagnetic wave;

measuring acoustic signals provided from an irradiated tissue volume of the target and reference objects responsive to the at least one electromagnetic wave;

obtaining a calibration information from at least one of the acoustic signals measured from the reference object based on at least one known property of the reference object; and

determining the at least one characteristic of the target object based on the calibration information and the acoustic signal from the target object;

wherein the target object includes at least one of a pulmonary artery or a vein, and the reference object includes at least one of an aorta or an artery.