PROBE HEAD FOR SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF A FLUID

• US 20070213609A1
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Der Voort, Marjolein, Lucassen, Gerhardus, Bakker, Bernardus, Rensen, Wouter, Van Beek, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/328
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• 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 5/489 Blood vessels

Abstract

The present invention provides a spectroscopic system for determining a property of a fluid flowing through a volume of interest underneath the surface of the skin of a patient. The spectroscopic system comprises a probe head that has at least an objective for directing an excitation beam into the volume of interest and for collecting return radiation. The spectroscopic system has further a base station having at least a spectroscopic analysis unit and a power supply. The system makes use of a beam combination unit, a filter unit and a focusing unit for combining and separating a variety of different optical signals and for precisely positioning the optical signals inside the volume of interest. The beam combination unit, the filter unit and the focusing unit can be variably implemented inside the probe head or inside the base station depending on a specific applications of the spectroscopic system, thereby allowing for a flexible and compact design of the probe head.

Claims

1. A spectroscopic system for determining a property of a fluid flowing through a volume of interest (602) underneath the surface of the skin (600) of a patient, the spectroscopic system comprising:

a probe head (300) having an objective (320) for directing an excitation beam (202) into the volume of interest and for collecting return radiation (502) from the volume of interest,

a base station (110) having a spectroscopic analysis unit and a power supply (112),

a cable (700) connecting the probe head and the base station for transmission of the return radiation from the probe head to the base station and for providing the probe head with power from the power supply of the base station.

2. The spectroscopic system according to claim 1, further comprising monitoring means for directing a monitoring beam (102) to the volume of interest (602) and for collecting a monitoring return radiation (402) from the volume of interest.

3. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the probe head (300) further comprising a beam combination unit (310) for axially combining the excitation beam (202) and the monitoring (102) beam.

4. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the probe head (300) further comprising a filter unit (510) for spatially separating the return radiation (502) and the monitoring return radiation (402).

5. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the probe head (300) further comprising a focusing unit (330) being adapted to move the focal volume of the excitation beam (202) into the volume of interest (602).

6. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the probe head (300) further comprising an optical imaging unit for analyzing the monitoring return radiation (402).

7. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the base station (110) further comprising a beam combination unit (310) for axially combining the excitation beam (202) and the monitoring beam (102).

8. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the base station (110) further comprising a filter unit (510) for spatially separating the return radiation (502) and the monitoring return radiation (402).

9. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the base station (110) further comprising a focusing unit (330) being adapted to move the focal volume of the excitation beam (202) into the volume of interest (602).

10. The spectroscopic system according to claim 1, wherein the base station (110) further comprising an optical imaging unit for analyzing the monitoring return radiation (402).

11. The spectroscopic system according to claim 2, wherein the optical imaging unit being adapted to select the volume of interest (602) and being further adapted to control the focusing unit (330) moving the focal volume of the excitation beam (202) into the volume of interest (602).

12. A probe head (300) for a spectroscopic system for determining a property of a fluid flowing through a volume of interest (602) underneath the surface of the skin (600) of a patient, the spectroscopic system having a base station (110) with a spectroscopic analysis unit and a power supply (112), the probe head comprising:

an objective (320) for directing an excitation beam (202) into the volume of interest and for collecting return radiation (502) from the volume of interest,

a connector (302) for connecting the probe head to a cable (700) being coupled to the base station, the cable being adapted to provide transmission of the return radiation from the probe head to the base station and to provide the probe head with power from the power supply of the base station.

13. A base station (110) for a spectroscopic system for determining a property of a fluid flowing through a volume of interest (602) underneath the surface of the skin (600) of a patient, the spectroscopic system having a probe head (300) having an objective (320) for directing an excitation beam (202) into the volume of interest (602) and for collecting return radiation (502) from the volume of interest, the base station comprising:

a spectroscopic analysis unit and a power supply,

a connector (114) for connecting the base station to a cable (700) being coupled to the probe head, the cable being adapted to provide transmission of the return radiation from the probe head to the base station and to provide the probe head with power from the power supply of the base station.

14. A cable (700) for connecting a probe head (300) and a base station (110) of a spectroscopic system for determining a property of a fluid flowing through a volume of interest (602) underneath the surface of the skin (600) of a patient, the probe head having an objective (320) for directing an excitation beam (202) into the volume of interest and for collecting return radiation (502) from the volume of interest, the base station having a spectroscopic analysis unit and a power supply (112), the cable connecting the probe head and the base station comprising:

at least one optical fiber (150, 250, 450, 550) being adapted to transmit the return radiation from the probe head to the base station,

an electrical conducting element (650) being adapted to provide the probe head with power from the power supply of the base station.