APPARATUS FOR THE NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF TISSUE FUNCTION AND METABOLISM BY DETERMINATION OF STEADY-STATE FLUORESCENCE ANISOTROPY

• US 20080254531A1
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellview Imaging Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ralph Zuckerman
• Inventors: Zuckerman, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 8,309,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/288.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14555 specially adapted for the eye fundus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14556 by fluorescence A61B5/14555 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4842 Monitoring progression or stage of a disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6445 Measuring fluorescence polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0683 Brewster plate; polarisation controlling elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 Circuits of general importance; Signal processing

Abstract

A non-invasive measurement of biological tissue reveals information about the function of that tissue. Polarized light is directed onto the tissue, stimulating the emission of fluorescence, due to one or more endogenous fluorophors in the tissue. Fluorescence anisotropy is then calculated. Such measurements of fluorescence anisotropy are then used to assess the functional status of the tissue, and to identify the existence and severity of disease states. Such assessment can be made by comparing a fluorescence anisotropy profile with a known profile of a control.

Claims

1. Apparatus for evaluating biological tissue, comprising:

a) means for irradiating a biological tissue with polarized light so as to cause a fluorophor in the tissue to fluoresce,

b) means for determining steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of emitted fluorescence from the fluorophor, and

c) means for comparing the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy obtained from the tissue with steady-state fluorescence anisotropy determinations collected from a control tissue,

wherein the comparing means is connected to means for evaluating the tissue based upon output of the comparing means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the evaluating means includes means for identifying a disease state of the tissue.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means for determining severity of a disease state according to a measured value of steady-state fluorescence anisotropy.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for measuring steady-state fluorescence anisotropy values for a plurality of locations in the tissue, and means for generating a map comprising differences in fluorescence anisotropy, between corresponding points in said tissue and in said control tissue.

5. Apparatus for evaluating biological tissue, comprising:

a) means for irradiating a biological tissue with polarized light so as to cause a fluorophor in the tissue to fluoresce,

b) means for determining steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of emitted fluorescence from the fluorophor, and

c) means for comparing the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy obtained from the tissue in a first state, with steady-state fluorescence anisotropy determinations collected from the same tissue in a second state,

wherein the comparing means is connected to means for evaluating the tissue based upon output of the comparing means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the evaluating means includes means for identifying a disease state of the tissue.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for determining severity of a disease state according to a measured value of steady-state fluorescence anisotropy.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising means for measuring steady-state fluorescence anisotropy values for a plurality of locations in the tissue, and means for generating a map comprising differences in fluorescence anisotropy, between corresponding points in said tissue in the first and second states.