Method and apparatus for measuring cartilage condition biomarkers

• US 20070082409A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Morris, Michael, Dehring, Karen, Roessler, Blake, Mandair, Gurjit
• Application Number:
  US11/521,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20070082409A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/171
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/656 Raman microprobe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6887 from muscle, cartilage or connective tissue

Abstract

In a method for measuring cartilage condition biological markers, a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate is irradiated using a light source, the SERS substrate having deposited thereon a biological sample. Light scattered by the SERS substrate is received, and spectral content information associated with the received light is determined. A level of a cartilage condition biological marker in the biological sample is determined based on the spectral content information.

Claims

1. A method for measuring cartilage condition biological markers, the method comprising:

irradiating a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate using a light source, the SERS substrate having deposited thereon a biological sample;

receiving light scattered by the SERS substrate;

determining spectral content information associated with the received light; and

determining a level of a cartilage condition biological marker in the biological sample based on the spectral content information.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a cartilage condition based at least in part on the level of the cartilage condition biological marker.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining the biological sample.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising processing the biological sample to separate, at least partially, the cartilage condition biological marker from proteins in the biological sample.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the SERS substrate comprises a silicon substrate having a metallic layer deposited upon a surface of the silicon substrate.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein metallic layer comprises at least one of gold, silver, or copper.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cartilage condition biological marker is indicative of whether a patient has an arthritis condition.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cartilage condition biological marker comprises one or more glycosaminoglycans.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the cartilage condition biological marker comprises hyaluronic acid.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the level of the cartilage condition biological marker comprises determining at least one of a height or an area of at least one spectral band.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the level of the cartilage condition biological marker comprises determining a width of at least one spectral band.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein irradiating the SERS substrate comprises irradiating the SERS substrate to form an illumination pattern having a shape of at least one of a circle or a ring.

13. An apparatus for measuring cartilage condition biological markers, comprising:

an illumination system to illuminate a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate, the SERS substrate having deposited thereon a biological sample;

a light receiver to receive light from scattered by the SERS substrate;

a spectrum analyzer optically coupled to the light receiver, the spectrum analyzer configured to generate spectral content information associated with the received light; and

a computing device communicatively coupled to the spectrum analyzer, the computing device configured to determine a level of a cartilage condition biological marker in the biological sample based on the spectral content information.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to determine an indicator of a cartilage condition based at least in part on the level of the cartilage condition biological marker.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the SERS substrate comprises a silicon substrate having a metallic layer deposited upon a surface of the silicon substrate.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein metallic layer comprises at least one of gold, silver, or copper.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the computing device is configured to determine a level of a cartilage condition biological marker that is indicative of whether a patient has an arthritis condition.

18. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the computing device is configured to determine a level of one or more glycosaminoglycans.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the computing device is configured to determine a level of hyaluronic acid.

20. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the computing device is configured to determine at least one of a height or an area of at least one spectral band.

21. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the computing device is configured to determine a width of at least one spectral band.

22. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the illumination system is configured to irradiate the SERS substrate to form an illumination pattern having a shape of at least one of a circle or a ring.