APPARATUS FOR THE NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF TISSUE FUNCTION AND METABOLISM BY DETERMINATION OF STEADY-STATE FLUORESCENCE ANISOTROPY
First Claim
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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, andc) 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.
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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.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. Apparatus for evaluating biological tissue, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus for evaluating biological tissue, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification