Sensor for radiance based diagnostics

• US 20060089547A1
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPO Medical Equipment, Ltd. (SPO Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SPO Medical Equipment, Ltd. (SPO Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sarussi, Israel
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• 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 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters

Abstract

The present invention provides a sensor for radiance based diagnostics of body tissues comprising a performing component and an adhering component, the performing component comprising at least one radiance source for radiating a tissue and at least one detector for detecting rays emitted from the radiance source. The adhering component is capable of fastening the performing component to a tissue such that the radiance source and detector are facing and contiguous with the tissue, and such that when operative, the adhering component hermetically fastens the performing component to the tissue to the extent that the detector only receives rays which are reflected from within the tissue. The sensor may include a controlling device which senses external conditions and which is capable of controlling the sensor in response to the sensed conditions. The sensor may also be in communication with an electronic circuit, which may control the radiance source and/or detector and perform analysis of the data received by the detector.

Claims

1. A sensor, for radiance based diagnostics, comprising a performing component having at least one radiance source for radiating a tissue and an adhering component, characterized by:

said performing component further comprising at least one detector for detecting rays reflected from within said tissue and wherein one surface of said performing component faces said tissue; and

said adhering component having one surface facing the tissue, said adhering component configured to hermetically fasten the performing component to said tissue such that the radiance source and detector are facing, contiguous with and compress the tissue;

wherein said one surface of said performing component protrudes from the plane of the adhering component surface in the direction of the compressed tissue thereby to exclude external light, and direct light from the radiance source; and

wherein, when operative, the adhering component is configured to hermetically fasten the performing component to the tissue to seal off the detector from the radiance source so that rays emitted from the radiance source are unable to reach the detector through any other medium except from the tissue and to the extent that the detector only receives rays which are reflected from within the tissue and whereby external light and direct light from the radiance source are excluded.

2. A sensor according to claim 1 wherein the adhering component is a tape of adhering material framing the performing component and which, when fastening the performing component to the tissue, contacts the tissue.

3. A sensor according to claim 1 wherein the adhering component is a tape which, when fastening the performing component to the tissue, overlays the performing component and contacts the tissue.

4. A sensor according to claim 1 wherein the adhering component is formed as part of the performing component and contacts both the performing component and the tissue.

5. A sensor according to claim 1 wherein the performing component further comprises a partition in between the radiance source and the detector.

6. A sensor according to claim 5 wherein the partition further surrounds either radiance source or detector or both.

7. A sensor according to claim 1 further comprising a controlling device capable of sensing and responding to external conditions and capable of controlling sensor components operation.

8. A sensor according to claim 7 wherein the controlling device is a pressure or proximity detector which enables sensor operation when the performing component is fastened to the tissue to the extent that the detector receives only rays which are reflected from within the tissue.

9. A sensor according to claim 1 further comprising a controlling device capable of sensing and responding to external conditions and capable of controlling the sensor components operation.

10. A system for radiance based diagnostics comprising a sensor and an electronic circuit in communication with the sensor components and capable of controlling the sensor components operation, said sensor comprising a performing component having at least one radiance source for radiating a tissue and an adhering component, characterized by:

said performing component further comprising at least one detector for detecting rays reflected from said tissue and wherein one surface of said performing component faces said tissue; and

said adhering component having one surface facing the tissue, said adhering component configured to hermetically fasten the performing component to said tissue such that the radiance source and detector are facing, contiguous with and compress the tissue;

wherein said one surface of said performing component protrudes from the plane of the adhering component surface in the direction of the compressed tissue thereby to exclude external light and direct light from the radiance source; and

wherein, when operative, the adhering component is configured to hermetically fasten the performing component to the tissue to seal off the detector from the radiance source so that rays emitted from the radiance source are unable to reach the detector through any other medium except from the tissue and to the extent that the detector only receives rays which are reflected from within the tissue and whereby external light and direct light from the radiance source are excluded.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the electronic circuit is in communication with and is capable of controlling the operation of either radiance source or detector or both.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein the adhering component is a tape of adhering material framing the performing component and which, when fastening the performing component to the tissue, contacts the tissue.

13. A system according to claim 10 wherein the adhering component is a tape which when fastening the performing component to the tissue, overlays the performing component and contacts the tissue.

14. A system according to claim 10 wherein the performing component further comprises a partition in between the radiance source and the detector, thereby to prevent light being received by the detector directly from the radiance source.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the partition further surrounds either radiance source or detector or both.

16. A system according to claim 10 wherein the sensor further comprises a controlling device capable of sensing and responding to external conditions and which controlling device is capable of being in communication with sensor components, electronic circuit or both.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein the electronic circuit controls the sensor component'"'"'s operation.

18. A system according to claim 16 wherein the controlling device is a pressure or proximity detector which enables sensor components operation when the performing component is fastened to the tissue to the extent that the detector receives only rays which are transmitted through or reflected from the tissue.

19. A system according to claim 16 wherein the controlling device is a pressure or proximity detector which communicates with the electronic circuit to enable sensor components operation when the performing component is fastened to the tissue to the extent that the detector receives only rays which are reflected from within the tissue.

20. A system according to claim 16 wherein the electronic circuit is programmed to operate in accordance with specific conditions communicated by the controlling device.

21. A method for radiance based analysis of body tissues comprising the steps of

configuring a sensor, said sensor comprising a performing component and an adhering component, said performing component having at least one radiance source for radiating a tissue and at least one detector for detecting rays reflected from within said tissue;

fastening said sensor to the body tissue thereby to hermetically fasten the performing component to the body tissue;

radiating the body tissue and detecting the light reflected from within tissue; and

obtaining and analyzing data from the sensor;

whereby said sensor is configured to exclude external light and direct light from the radiance source.