Analysis of a composition

• US 20020133065A1
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hendriks, Robert Frans Maria, Lenderink, Egbert, Van Der Voort, Marjolein, Van Der Mark, Martinus Bernardus, Puppels, Gerwin Jan, Caspers, Peter Jacobus, Lucassen, Gerhardus Wilhelmus, Cohen, Julius Simon
• Granted Patent: US 6,609,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0068 Confocal scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/656 Raman microprobe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0024 Confocal scanning microscopes (CSOMs) or confocal "macroscopes"; Accessories which are not restricted to use with CSOMs, e.g. sample holders
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/008 Details of detection or image processing, including general computer control

Abstract

An analysis apparatus including a spectroscopic analysis apparatus comprises an excitation system and a monitoring system. The excitation system emits an excitation beam to excite a target region during an excitation period. The monitoring system emits a monitoring beam to image the target region during a monitoring period. The excitation period and the monitoring period substantially overlap. Hence the target region is imaged together with the excitation, and an image is formed displaying both the target region and the excitation area. On the basis of this image, the excitation beam can be very accurately aimed at the target region.

Claims

1. An analysis apparatus including a spectroscopic analysis apparatus comprising:

an excitation system for emitting an excitation beam to excite a target region during an excitation period; and

a monitoring system for emitting a monitoring beam to image the target region during a monitoring period;

wherein the excitation period and the monitoring period substantially overlap.

2. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including

a beam combination unit to direct the excitation beam and the monitoring beam to the target region and separate a reflected or transmitted monitoring beam and at least part of a reflected or transmitted excitation beam reflected from or passed through the target region from scattered radiation from the target region generated by the excitation beam.

3. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the beam combination unit reflects at least partially the scattered radiation and transmits at least partially, the reflected monitoring beam and the reflected excitation beam.

4. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the beam combination unit transmits at least partially the scattered radiation and reflects at least partially, the reflected monitoring beam and the reflected excitation beam.

5. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of:

the partial transmission and partial reflection of the beam combination unit are achieved in that the beam combination unit is alternatingly partial transmissive and partial reflective.

6. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam combination unit is provided with a reflector/transmission unit having a reflective section that is at least partially reflective for the excitation beam and substantially opaque for the monitoring beam and a transmissive section that is at least partially, in particular mainly, transmissive for the monitoring beam and the reflected monitoring beam.

7. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam combination unit is provided with a reflector/transmission unit having a transmissive section that is substantially transmissive for the excitation beam and the scattered radiation and a reflective section that is substantially reflective for the monitoring beam.

8. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reflector/transmission unit is moveable or rotatable so as to alternatingly place the reflective section in the excitation beam and the transmissive section in the monitoring beam and vice versa.

9. An analysis as claimed in claim 1 including a radiation source to emit an output beam and an optical separation system to separate the monitoring beam and the excitation beam from the output beam.

10. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a detection system for detecting scattered radiation from the target region generated by the excitation beam, wherein the monitoring system includes a confocal video microscope and the detection system having a confocal relationship with the confocal video microscope.

11. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the monitoring system is one from the group of an orthogonal polarised spectral imaging arrangement, an optical coherence tomography arrangement, an optical Doppler tomography arrangement, a photo-acoustic imaging arrangement, or a multiphoton microscopy arrangement.

12. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam combination unit includes an acousto-optic modulator.

13. An analysis apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the excitation system is arranged to scan the excitation beam substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the target area.

14. A method for analysing a composition of an object to be examined, in particular a spectroscopic analysis method comprising the steps of:

emitting an excitation beam to excite a target region during a excitation period, and

emitting an monitoring beam to image the target region during an monitoring period and wherein the excitation period and the monitoring period substantially overlap.

15. A method for spectral non-invasive analysis of a composition of blood comprising the steps of:

imaging a target region, in particular confocally, substantially coinciding with a blood vessel during a monitoring period;

exciting the target region with an excitation beam during an excitation period,

the excitation period and the monitoring period being substantially overlapping and detecting scattered radiation from the target region generated by the excitation beam in particular confocally with imaging the target region.