Probe using diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy

• US 20020107448A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Hawk, Ernest, Eidsath, Alec B., Smith, Paul, Wellner, Edward, Gandjbakhche, Amir H., Hattery, David W., Mulshine, Jim, Chernomordik, Victor
• Application Number:
  US09/972,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107448A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth

Abstract

The invention provides a device and method for monitoring inflammation of the epithelium. The device consists of a head region, a handle region and an optical bundle. At least two of the optical fibers in the bundle are utilized as a source of radiation, these two fibers are at two different angles from normal. At least one of the other optical fibers is utilized as a detector for the reflected radiation, or alternatively an image guide can be used as the detector. The device of the invention can be part of an external or internal system that can include a light source, the device, a multiplexer, a spectrometer, and a computer for data analysis. The method of the invention allows for the detection and monitoring of general inflammation of the oral epithelium. The inflammation of the epithelium can be detected or monitored to diagnose diseases of the oral epithelium, monitor such diseases, monitor treatment of such diseases, or pre-screen for and monitor preventative treatments of such diseases.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the thickness of the epithelium layer, the device comprising:

a handle, a head, and an optical fiber bundle, wherein said optical fiber bundle comprises a source and a detector, said source comprising first and second respective optical fibers, said first optical fiber positioned at a first angle relative to normal and said second optical fiber positioned at a second angle relative to normal wherein said first and second angles are different.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said optical fiber bundle comprises at least four individual fibers.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said individual fibers have an outer diameter less than or equal to about 0.25 mm, with a core diameter less than or equal to 240 μ

m.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said individual fibers are polymeric.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said fibers result from the reaction of more than one monomeric precursor.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein said individual fibers are aligned.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber bundle comprises at least six individual fibers.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second angles are 30°

and 60°

from normal.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said optical fiber bundle consists of at least nine individual optical fibers.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein three of said individual fibers are utilized as a source of energy, and six of said individual fibers are utilized as detectors of energy.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said three individual fibers utilized as a source of energy are configured so as to be at angles of 60°

, 45° and

0°

from normal.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said three individual fibers are fused together using a transparent optical epoxy.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said device consists of at least two separate pieces joined as to allow movement about the joined region.

14. The device of claim 1 additionally comprising an external light source, and an external multiplexer.

15. The device of claim 1 additionally comprising an external light source, an external multiplexer, an external spectrometer, and an external computer system.

16. The device of claim 1 additionally comprising at least one internal light source.

17. The device of claim 16 additionally comprising an internal multiplexer.

18. The device of claim 17 additionally comprising an internal microprocessor.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said image conduit is a high resolution fiber image conduit.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said high resolution fiber image conduit has resolution of at least 12 μ

m.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein said high resolution fiber image conduit has a diameter of at least 3.2 mm.

23. The device of claim 19, further comprising at least two other optical fibers configured as a source of light.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said two other optical fibers are at angles of 0°

and 45°

to normal.

28. The method of claim 27 additionally comprising:

comparing the location of said boundary in the patient of interest to the location of the boundary in a normal patient.

29. The method of claim 27 additionally comprising:

comparing the location of said boundary in the patient at the time of interest to the location of the boundary in the patient at a time defined as providing the baseline amount of inflammation.

30. The method of claim 28 additionally comprising:

diagnosing a possible oral cancer when the boundary is deeper into the tissue than it is in a normal patient.

31. The method of claim 29 additionally comprising:

determining whether an oral disease or cancer is progressing if the boundary is getting deeper, or determining that the oral disease or cancer is being suspended or effectively treated if the boundary is remaining stationary or getting closer to the surface.

32. The method of claim 29 additionally comprising:

comparing the location of said boundary for a patient prior to a treatment of interest and after the treatment of interest to monitor the efficacy of the treatment.

33. The method of claim 29 additionally comprising:

comparing the location of said boundary for a patient prior to the chemotherapeutic treatment of interest and after the chemotherapeutic treatment of interest to monitor the efficacy of the chemotherapeutic treatment.

34. The method of claim 28 additionally comprising:

determining if the patient is at a higher risk for oral cancer if the patient'"'"'s epithelium boundary is deeper than a normal patient.

35. The method of claim 27 additionally comprising:

comparing the point at which the slope shifts to theoretical plots of log of ratio of intensities to epithelium thickness to determine the thickness of the patient'"'"'s epithelium.

19. A device for measuring the thickness of the epithelium layer, the device comprising an image condui,;

and at least one other optical fiber.

25. A method of detecting inflammation of the epithelium layer in the oral region comprising:

shining light on the epithelium layer to be analyzed, wherein said light is shown on the epithelium from at least two different angles;

detecting the intensity of light that is reflected back from the epithelium layer;

determining the ratio between the two intensities of light reflected back from the epithelium;

graphing the log of the ratio of the intensities versus the detector distance to determine the location of the boundary between the stroma and the epithelium layers by noting the point at which the slope changes.