System and method for detection of brain edema using spectrophotometry

• US 20080081975A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Debreczeny, Martin P., Agashe, Geeta
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/342
• 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 5/031 Intracranial pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient. One embodiment of the present invention includes emitting a first light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a first wavelength, emitting a second light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a second wavelength, detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at a detector, and determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.

Claims

1. A method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient, comprising:

emitting a first light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a first wavelength;

emitting a second light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a second wavelength;

detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at a detector; and

determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising emitting a third light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a third wavelength.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising detecting the third light after reflection or dispersion by the brain tissue.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising determining the amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected third light in combination with the detected first and second lights.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising emitting the first and-second lights from at least approximately 5 mm away from the detector.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising emitting the first and second lights from approximately 10-30 mm away from the detector.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising emitting the first and second lights from approximately 1-5 mm away from the detector.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising penetrating approximately 16 mm into the patient with the first and second lights.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second wavelengths are within a 1050-1350 nm spectral region.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second wavelengths are within a 1500-1800 nm spectral region.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second wavelengths are within a 2100-2300 nm spectral region.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising emitting the first and second lights into the brain tissue via skull bone of the patient.

13. A method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient, comprising:

emitting a first light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a first wavelength approximately 1-5 mm away from a detector, wherein the first wavelength is within a 1500-2300 nm spectral region;

emitting a second light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a second wavelength approximately 1-5 mm away from the detector, wherein the second wavelength is within the 1500-2300 nm spectral region;

detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at the detector; and

determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising emitting the first and second lights from within the patient'"'"'s skull.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising detecting a pressure within the patient'"'"'s skull.

16. A method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient, comprising:

emitting a first light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a first wavelength approximately 10-30 mm away from a detector, wherein the first wavelength is within a 1050-1350 nm spectral region;

emitting a second light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a second wavelength approximately 10-30 mm away from the detector, wherein the second wavelength is within the 1050-1350 nm spectral region;

detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at the detector; and

determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising emitting the first and second lights into the brain tissue via the patient'"'"'s skull.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising emitting the first and second lights into the partial bone region of the patient'"'"'s skull.

19. A system for detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient, comprising:

a first emitter configured to emit a first light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a first wavelength;

a second emitter configured to emit a second light into the patient'"'"'s brain tissue at a second wavelength;

a detector configured to detect the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue and provide signals representative of the detected first and second lights to a monitor configured to determine an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.

20. The system of claim 19, comprising the monitor.

21. The system of claim 19, comprising a pressure sensor configured to measure intracranial pressure from inside the patient'"'"'s skull.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are each positioned approximately 1-5 mm away from the detector.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are each configured to emit wavelengths within a 1500-1800 nm spectral region.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are each configured to emit wavelengths within a 2100-2300 nm spectral region.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are each positioned approximately 10-30 mm away from the detector.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are each configured to emit wavelengths within a 1050-1350 nm spectral region.

27. The system of claim 19, comprising a sensor body configured to couple to the skin adjacent a patient'"'"'s skull.

28. The system of claim 19, comprising a sensor body configured for insertion to a patient'"'"'s skull and configured to contact the brain tissue.