Optical devices for medical diagnostics

• US 20040068193A1
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Wabuyele, Busolo W., Barnes, Russell H.
• Application Number:
  US10/632,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068193A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6423 Spectral mapping, video display
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/656 Raman microprobe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

The invention discloses apparatus and methods that combine fluorescence spectra, Raman spectra, and diffuse reflectance, with image analysis in a single instrument package along with algorithms and data processing software. The data processing software involves spectral analysis, image analysis, data compression, data fusion, and classification processes. A spectral database with optical tissue characteristics is developed from a pathology laboratory and/or from in vivo measurements to provide the information required to differentiate normal and abnormal tissue.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing disease in a patient comprising:

a. generating data for Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectra and images for a selected tissue of the patient;

b. providing data as a spectral library of tissue database classified by normal and diseased tissue for Raman, fluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectra and images for the same type of tissue; and

c. performing classification decisions to detect and identify diseased tissue by comparing the generated data from step a with the provided data in step b.

2. The method according to claim 1, with the additional step of:

d. displaying image and/or data results perceptible to a user as to the identification of the state of disease for the patient'"'"'s selected tissue.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated data of step a is obtained by biopsy or direct optical measurement of the patient'"'"'s tissue.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data for the spectral library is developed from biopsy (ex vivo) or direct measurement (in vivo).

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising

(1). fusing the generated data for Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance of step a;

and

(2). fusing the provided data for Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance of step b;

wherein the fusing steps are performed prior to performing the classification decisions of step c.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein time gating is used to reduce interferences from surface scattering and/or to reduce or remove interferences between Raman and fluorescence measurements.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein time gating is used for depth profiling below the surface of tissue.

8. A method for diagnosing disease in a patient comprising:

a. generating illumination light for Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance measurements;

b. illuminating a region of selected tissue of a patient with the light generated in step a;

c. generating data for Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectra and images from the illumination of selected tissue of the patient;

d. providing data as a spectral library of tissue database classified by normal and diseased tissue for Raman, fluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectra and images for the same type of tissue; and

e. performing classification decisions to detect and identify diseased tissue by comparing the generated data from step c with the provided data in step d.

9. The method according to claim 8, with the additional step of:

f. displaying image and/or data results perceptible to a user as to the identification of the state of disease for the patient'"'"'s selected tissue.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the generated data of step a is obtained by biopsy or direct optical measurement of the patient'"'"'s tissue.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the data for the spectral library is developed from biopsy (ex vivo) or direct measurement (in vivo).

12. The method according to claim 8, comprising

(1). fusing the generated data for Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance of step c;

and

(2). fusing the provided data for Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance of step d;

wherein the fusing steps are performed prior to performing the classification decisions of step e.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein time gating is used to reduce interferences from surface scattering and to reduce or remove interferences between Raman and fluorescence measurements.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein time gating is used for depth profiling below the surface of tissue.

15. Apparatus for identifying and detecting the disease state of a patient'"'"'s selected tissue comprising:

a. means for generating light adapted to generate Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectra and images for a selected tissue of the patient;

b. means for illuminating a region of a patient'"'"'s tissue with the generated light;

c. means for collecting light emanating from the illuminated tissue;

d. means for providing Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectra and images in the collected light;

e. a spectral library of Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectra and images representative of normal and diseased tissue; and

f. a computer system for controlling light generation in a above, and detection and classification of the patient'"'"'s tissue based on information from the means for detecting, and the spectral library.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, comprising:

(g). means for displaying data and/or images from the computer system, perceptible to a user as to the identification of the state of disease for the patient'"'"'s selected tissue.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, comprising

(1). means for fusing the Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectra and images of means d;

and

(2). means for fusing the spectral library Raman, fluorescence, and diffuse reflectance spectra and images;

wherein the means for fusing are prior to the computer system performing the classification decisions.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, comprising means for time gating data to reduce interferences from surface scattering and/or to reduce or remove interferences between Raman and fluorescence measurements.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, means for time gating for depth profiling below the surface of tissues.

20. Diagnostic device comprising:

apparatus including means for Raman, fluorescence and transflectance measurements, means for data computation, and means for display perceptible to a user for the detection and identification of disease.