Laser blood-flow meter and system for monitoring bio-data

• US 20040254473A1
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cybertfirm Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cyberfirm Incorporated
• Inventors: Niwayama, Jun, Miyahara, Takaaki, Yanagi, Tomiko, Mishima, Kazuto
• Granted Patent: US 7,096,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light

Abstract

A laser blood-flow meter includes a laser-beam irradiator for irradiating laser beams to biological structure, a detector for detecting scattered beams resulted from scattering of the laser beams in the biological structure, the laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of the biological structure in accordance with the scattered beams detected by the detector, and a beam-collector for collecting the scattered beams to direct the collected beams to the detector.

Claims

1. A laser blood-flow meter comprising:

a laser-beam irradiator for irradiating laser beams to biological structure;

a detector for detecting scattered beams resulted from scattering of said laser beams in said biological structure, said laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of said biological structure in accordance with said scattered beams detected by said detector; and

a beam-collector for collecting said scattered beams to direct the collected beams to said detector.

2. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detector and said laser-beam irradiator are disposed on a common side relative to said biological structure such that said detector detects backward-scattered beams.

3. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a case in which said laser-beam irradiator, said beam-collector and said detector are arranged,

wherein said case has a flat contact-surface, as at least a part of an external surface thereof, at which said case makes contact with a surface of said biological structure when blood flow of said biological structure is measured, and

said laser-beam irradiator, said beam-collector and said detector are arranged in this order on a path substantially parallel with said flat contact-surface.

4. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a light-guide arranged between said detector and said beam-collector for guiding beams collected by said beam-collector to said detector.

5. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a first beam-turner for turning said laser beams irradiated from said laser-beam irradiator towards said biological structure, and a second beam-turner for turning said scattered beams towards said beam-collector.

6. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 5, wherein said contact-surface has a beam-transmissive portion through which said laser beams can transmit, and said laser blood-flow meter further comprising a beam-block which prevents laser beams having passed through said beam-transmissive portion from being directed towards said second beam-turner and said beam-collector without reaching said biological structure.

7. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detector and said laser-beam irradiator are disposed on opposite sides to each other relative to said biological structure such that said detector detects forward-scattered beams.

8. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam-collector is comprised of a semispherical lens.

9. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 4, wherein said light-guide is comprised of one of a pin-hole, an optic fiber and a bar lens.

10. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 6, wherein said beam-block projects outwardly over said beam-transmissive portion.

11. A laser blood-flow meter comprising:

a laser-beam irradiator for irradiating laser beams to biological structure;

a detector for detecting scattered beams resulted from backward-scattering of said laser beams in said biological structure, said laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of said biological structure in accordance with said scattered beams detected by said detector;

a light-guide for guiding said scattered beams to said detector; and

a case in which said laser-beam irradiator, said light-guide and said detector are arranged,

wherein said case has a flat contact-surface, as at least a part of an external surface thereof, at which said case makes contact with a surface of said biological structure when blood flow of said biological structure is measured, and

said laser-beam irradiator, said light-guide and said detector are arranged in this order on a path substantially parallel with said flat contact-surface.

12. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a first beam-turner for turning said laser beams irradiated from said laser-beam irradiator towards said biological structure, and a second beam-turner for turning said scattered beams towards said light-guide.

13. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 12, wherein said contact-surface has a beam-transmissive portion through which said laser beams can transmit, and said laser blood-flow meter further comprising a beam-block which prevents laser beams having passed through said beam-transmissive portion from being directed towards said second beam-turner and said light-guide without reaching said biological structure.

14. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 11, wherein said light-guide is comprised of one of a pin-hole, an optic fiber and a bar lens.

15. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 13, wherein said beam-block projects outwardly over said beam-transmissive portion.

16. A laser blood-flow meter comprising:

a laser-beam irradiator for irradiating laser beams to biological structure; and

a detector for detecting scattered beams resulted from scattering of said laser beams in said biological structure, said laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of said biological structure in accordance with said scattered beams detected by said detector,

wherein said detector and said laser-beam irradiator are disposed on opposite sides to each other relative to said biological structure such that said detector detects forward-scattered beams.

17. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a clip for clipping said laser blood-flow meter to said biological structure, said clip comprising a first portion in which said laser-beam irradiator is arranged, and a second portion in which said detector is arranged.

18. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a hinge through which said first and second portions are swingable to each other.

19. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 18, further comprising a phase-converter providing a first phase in which said first and second portions sandwich said biological structure therebetween such that said laser blood-flow meter is attached to said biological structure, and a second phase in which said first and second portions are open to each other such that said laser blood-flow meter is released from said biological structure.

20. The laser blood-flow meter as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a beam-collector for collecting said scattered beams to direct the collected beams to said detector.

21. A system for monitoring bio-data of biological structure, including a laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of said biological structure in accordance with scattered beams resulted from scattering of laser beams in said biological structure which laser beams have been irradiated to said biological structure, said system monitoring said bio-data, based on blood flow in a head of said bio-logical structure and blood flow in any one of quarters of said biological structure,

said system including a controller which judges whether a blood flow and a blood-flow waveform of a head of said biological structure are in synchronization with a blood flow and a blood-flow waveform of any one of quarters of said biological structure, and does not use a blood flow and a blood-flow waveform obtained when said blood flow and said blood-flow waveform of said head is not in synchronization with said blood flow and said blood-flow waveform of said any one of quarters, for monitoring said bio-data.

22. The system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said controller compares the measured blood flow and blood-flow waveform to a reference blood flow and a reference blood-flow waveform, respectively, to judge whether said measured blood flow and blood-flow waveform are properly measured, and wherein a blood flow and a blood-flow waveform having been judged not to be properly measured are not used for monitoring said bio-data.

23. The system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said controller judges whether a person to be monitored is in a serious condition.

24. The system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said controller compares the measured blood flow and blood-flow waveform to a reference blood flow and a reference blood-flow waveform, respectively, to judge whether a person to be monitored is in a serious condition.

25. The system as set forth in claim 21, further comprising an annunciator which makes annunciation when said controller judges that said person is in a serious condition.

26. The system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said system monitors said bio-data while blood is circulated between a person and an external device.

27. The system as set forth in claim 21, further comprising an artificial dialysis device for carrying out artificial dialysis, and wherein said system monitors said bio-data of a person while dialysis is carried out to said person by said artificial dialysis device.

28. The system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said laser blood-flow meter is comprised of:

a laser-beam irradiator for irradiating laser beams to biological structure;

a detector for detecting scattered beams resulted from scattering of said laser beams in said biological structure, said laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of said biological structure in accordance with said scattered beams detected by said detector; and

a beam-collector for collecting said scattered beams to direct the collected beams to said detector.

29. The system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said laser blood-flow meter is comprised of:

a laser-beam irradiator for irradiating laser beams to biological structure;

a detector for detecting scattered beams resulted from backward-scattering of said laser beams in said biological structure, said laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of said biological structure in accordance with said scattered beams detected by said detector;

a light-guide for guiding said scattered beams to said detector; and

a case in which said laser-beam irradiator, said light-guide and said detector are arranged,

wherein said case has a flat contact-surface, as at least a part of an external surface thereof, at which said case makes contact with a surface of said biological structure when blood flow of said biological structure is measured, and

said laser-beam irradiator, said light-guide and said detector are arranged in this order on a path substantially parallel with said flat contact-surface.

30. The system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said laser blood-flow meter is comprised of:

a laser-beam irradiator for irradiating laser beams to biological structure; and

a detector for detecting scattered beams resulted from scattering of said laser beams in said biological structure, said laser blood-flow meter measuring blood flow of said biological structure in accordance with said scattered beams detected by said detector,

wherein said detector and said laser-beam irradiator are disposed on opposite sides to each other relative to said biological structure such that said detector detects forward-scattered beams.