OPTICAL PROBE FOR OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEM

• US 20070055119A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
• Inventors: Mao, Jian-Min, Lin, Qiong, Lash, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,355,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3151 using two sources of radiation of different wavelengths G01N21/33 - G01N21/39 take precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for monitoring oxygen saturation levels in tissue are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a sensor arrangement for use in an optical imaging system includes a first source structure, a second source structure, and a detector arrangement. The first source structure provides a first beam of light and the second source structure provides a second beam of light. The detector arrangement includes detector structures that have centerpoints, and receives the first and second beams of light after the first and second beams of light are reflected off of an external surface. The detector arrangement is arranged to define a first axis that passes through the centerpoint of each detector structure, and a distance from a centerpoint of the first source structure to the first axis is not equal to a distance from a centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis.

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement, the sensor arrangement being suitable for use in an optical imaging system, the sensor arrangement being arranged to contact a body, the sensor arrangement comprising:

a first source structure, the first source structure being arranged to provide a first beam of light;

a second source structure, the second source structure being arranged to provide a second beam of light; and

a detector arrangement, the detector arrangement including a plurality of detector structures that each have a centerpoint, the detector arrangement being arranged to receive the first beam of light and the second beam of light after the first beam of light and the second beam of light are reflected off of at least the body, wherein the detector arrangement is arranged to define a first axis that passes through the centerpoint of each detector structure of the plurality of detector structures and wherein a distance from a centerpoint of the first source structure to the first axis is not equal to a distance from a centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis.

2. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein the first source structure is a first optical cable coupled to a first light source and the second source structure is a second optical cable coupled to a second light source.

3. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of detector structures are a plurality of optical detector cables coupled to a plurality of photodetectors.

4. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein the sensor arrangement is part of a probe and wherein the optical imaging system is an oximeter.

5. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein a difference between the distance from the centerpoint of the first source structure to the first axis and the distance from the centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis is at least approximately 0.03 millimeters.

6. The sensor arrangement of claim 5 wherein the first source structure has a diameter of approximately one millimeter, the second source structure has a diameter of approximately one millimeter, and each detector structure of the plurality of detector structures has a diameter of approximately one millimeter.

7. The sensor arrangement of claim 6 wherein the distance from the centerpoint of the first source structure to the first axis is approximately 0.020 millimeters and the distance from the centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis is approximately 0.24 millimeters.

8. The sensor arrangement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of detector structures include at least two detector structures.

9. A sensor arrangement, the sensor arrangement being suitable for use in an optical imaging system, the sensor arrangement being arranged to contact a body, the sensor arrangement comprising:

a first source structure, the first source structure being arranged to provide a first beam of light;

a second source structure, the second source structure being arranged to provide a second beam of light; and

a detector arrangement, the detector arrangement including a first detector structure that has a first centerpoint and a second detector structure that has a second centerpoint, the detector arrangement being arranged to receive the first beam of light and the second beam of light after the first beam of light and the second beam of light are reflected off of the body, wherein an orientation of the first source structure with respect to the detector arrangement is not symmetric relative to an orientation of the second source structure with respect to the detector arrangement.

10. The sensor arrangement of claim 9 wherein the detector arrangement is arranged to define a first axis that passes through both the first centerpoint and the second centerpoint, the detector arrangement further being arranged to define a second axis that is perpendicular to the first line and passes through a midpoint between the first centerpoint and the second centerpoint, wherein a distance from a first source centerpoint of the first source structure to the second axis is not equal to a distance from a second source centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis.

11. The sensor arrangement of claim 9 wherein the first source structure is a first optical cable coupled to a first light source and the second source structure is a second optical cable coupled to a second light source.

12. The sensor arrangement of claim 9 wherein the first detector structure and the second detector structure are optical detector cables coupled to a plurality of photodetectors.

13. The sensor arrangement of claim 9 wherein the sensor arrangement is part of a probe and wherein the optical imaging system is an oximeter.

14. The sensor arrangement of claim 9 wherein the first source structure has a diameter of approximately one millimeter, the second source structure has a diameter of approximately one millimeter, the first detector structure has a diameter of approximately one millimeter, and the second detector structure has a diameter of approximately one millimeter.

15. A method for taking an oxygen saturation measurement of tissue using an optical system, the optical system include a probe with a sensor head in which a first source structure and a second source structure of the sensor head are offset relative to detector structures of the sensor head, the method comprising:

positioning the sensor head in contact with the tissue;

transmitting light into the tissue through the first source structure and the second source structure;

receiving reflected light from the tissue at the detector structures, the reflected light including attenuation characteristics; and

processing the reflected light using a plurality of photodetectors, wherein processing the reflected light using the plurality of photodetectors includes compensating for the attenuation characteristics using an attenuation compensator.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the attenuation characteristics are caused by the offset of the first source structure and the second source structure of the sensor head relative to the detector structures, and wherein the detector structures are arranged to define a first axis that passes through a centerpoint of each detector structure and a distance from a centerpoint of the first source structure to the first axis is not equal to a distance from a centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis.

17. A probe, the probe being arranged for use as a part of an optical system arranged to monitor oxygen levels in tissue, the probe comprising:

a coupling interface, the coupling interface being arranged to allow the probe to be coupled to a plurality of light sources and a plurality of detectors; and

a sensor head arranged to contact the tissue, the sensor head being arranged to support a first source structure, a second source structure, and a detector arrangement, the first source structure and the second source structure being arranged to be coupled to the plurality of light sources via the coupling interface, the detector arrangement being arranged to be coupled to the plurality of detectors through the coupling interface, wherein an orientation of the first source structure relative to the detector arrangement is not symmetric with respect to an orientation of the second source structure relative to the detector arrangement.

18. The probe of claim 17 wherein the first source structure and the second source structure are arranged to provide light from the plurality of light sources to the tissue, and the plurality of detectors is arranged to provide the light reflected off of the tissue to the plurality of detectors.

19. The probe of claim 17 wherein the detector arrangement includes a plurality of detector structures that each have a centerpoint, the detector arrangement being arranged to receive the first beam of light and the second beam of light after the first beam of light and the second beam of light are reflected off of the tissue, the detector arrangement being arranged to define a first axis that passes through the centerpoint of each detector structure of the plurality of detector structures, wherein a distance from a centerpoint of the first source structure to the first axis is unequal to a distance from a centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis.

20. The probe of claim 19 wherein a difference between the distance from the centerpoint of the first source structure to the first axis and the distance from the centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis is at least approximately 0.03 millimeters.

21. The probe of claim 17 wherein the detector arrangement includes a first detector that has a first centerpoint a second detector that has a second centerpoint, the detector arrangement being arranged to define a first axis that passes through both the first centerpoint and the second centerpoint, the detector arrangement further being arranged to define a second axis that is perpendicular to the first line and passes through a midpoint between the first centerpoint and the second centerpoint, wherein a distance from a first source centerpoint of the first source structure to the second axis is not equal to a distance from a second source centerpoint of the second source structure to the first axis.