Noninvasive blood analysis by optical probing of the veins under the tongue

• US 20080281173A1
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Esenaliev, Rinat O., Prough, Donald S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0068 Confocal scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14535 for measuring haematocrit
• 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 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth

Abstract

A method for analysis of blood components or parameters is disclosed where a probe having an excitation outlet and a response inlet is placed in proximity to or in contact with a tissue of an underside of a patient'"'"'s tongue over a big vein in the tongue so that an excitation signal exits the outlet, produces a response which enters the inlet for detection and analysis.

Claims

1. A method for noninvasive analysis of at least one blood component comprising the steps of:

placing a probe in proximity to or in contact with a surface of a tissue over a big vein associated with an underside of a patient'"'"'s tongue, where the probe includes a tip having a radiation outlet and a response inlet so that both the radiation outlet and the response inlet are simultaneously proximate to or in contact with the surface and where the outlet is connected to a light source via a light source conduit and the inlet is connected to a detector via a response conduit;

irradiating blood in the big vein with radiation having at least one frequency or wavelength from the light source transmitted through the light source conduit and out of the radiation outlet;

detecting a response from the blood irradiated in the irradiating step and received through the response inlet and transmitted to the detector via the response conduit;

calculating a concentration of a blood component, a value of a blood parameter or a mixture or combination thereof from the response.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying the response, the concentration and/or the value from the calculating step.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises the step of:

utilizing one or a combination of techniques selected from the group consisting of a reflectance technique, a confocal technique, a scanning confocal technique, a polarization technique, an interferometry technique, an optoacoustic technique, a low coherence interferometry and reflectometry technique, a techniques based on speckle measurements, a fluorescence technique, a Raman scattering technique, and a two or multi-photon techniques.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wavelength of the radiation is from about 200 nanometers to about 20 microns.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the response corresponds to a concentration of hemoglobin in the blood and the wavelength of the radiation is selected from the group consisting of 548 nm, 568 nm, 587 nm, and 805 nm, a wavelength range from about 400 nm to about 640 nm and a wavelength above about 1120 nm.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation has a single wavelength or frequency or a plurality of wavelengths or frequencies.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein the blood component is selected from the group consisting of hematocrit, hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, hemoglobin and glycosylated hemoglobin, glucose, cholesterol, oxy-hemoglobin, deoxy-hemoglobin, and carboxy-hemoglobin, and an exogenous substance.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the exogenous substance is selected from the group consisting of a drug, a dye or other reporter in a molecular state or a particle made of a liquid, a gas, or a solid, a combination of a liquid, a gas, or a solid, and a layered structure.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the exogenous substance is selected from the group consisting of indocyanine green and Evans blue.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the exogenous substance are particles having a size from about 0.1 nanometer to about 10 microns.

50. The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation is selected from the group consisting of microwave electromagnetic radiation, radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, and ultrasound radiation.

51. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the detecting step in the presence of a static electric or magnetic field.

52. The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation outlet comprises an end of the light source conduit and the response inlet comprises an end of the response conduit.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the light source conduit and the response conduit comprise one optical fiber or a plurality of optical fibers.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. An apparatus for noninvasive blood analysis comprising:

a probe including a tip having a radiation outlet and a response inlet, where the probe tip is adapted to be placed in proximity to or in contact with a surface of a tissue over a big vein associated with an underside of a patient'"'"'s tongue so that both the radiation outlet and the response inlet are simultaneously proximate to or in contact with the surface and so that radiation enters into the big vein through the radiation outlet and a response is received through the response inlet from blood in the big vein;

a light generation/delivery system including a light source capable of generating at least one frequency of light, and a light conduit interconnecting the light source with the radiation outlet, where the system is adapted to deliver radiation to blood in the big vein; and

a detector/analyzer system including a detector adapted to detect a response from the irradiated blood via a response conduit connected to the response inlet and an analyzer adapted to convert the detected response into a concentration of a blood component and/or a value of a parameter of the blood.

54. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a display adapted to display the response, the concentration, and/or the value.

55. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the wavelength of the radiation is from about 200 nanometers to about 20 microns.

56. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the radiation has a single wavelength or frequency or a plurality of wavelengths or frequencies.

57. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the detector is capable of detecting data derived from one or a combination of techniques selected from the group consisting of a reflectance technique, a confocal technique, a scanning confocal technique, a polarization technique, an interferometry technique, an optoacoustic technique, a low coherence interferometry and reflectometry technique, a techniques based on speckle measurements, a fluorescence technique, a Raman scattering technique, and a two or multi-photon technique.

58. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the response corresponds to hemoglobin and the wavelength is selected from the group consisting of 548 nm, 568 nm, 587 nm, 805 nm, a wavelength range between about 400 nm and about 640 nm and a frequency above about 1120 nm.

59. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the blood component is selected from the group consisting of hematocrit, hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, hemoglobin and glycosylated hemoglobin, glucose, cholesterol, oxy-hemoglobin, deoxy-hemoglobin, and carboxy-hemoglobin, and an exogenous substance.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the exogenous substance is selected from the group consisting of a drug, a dye or other reporter in molecular state or a particle made of liquid, gas, or solid material including polymer, metal, semiconductor, dielectric, or a combination of liquid, gas, or solid materials, and a layered structure.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the exogenous substance is selected from the group consisting of indocyanine green and Evans blue.

62. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the exogenous substance are particles having a size from about 0.1 nanometer to about 10 microns.

63. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the radiation is selected from the group consisting of microwave electromagnetic radiation, radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, and ultrasound radiation.

64. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a device for generating a static electric or magnetic field.

65. The method of claim 22, wherein the radiation outlet comprises an end of the light source conduit and the response inlet comprises an end of the response conduit.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the light source conduit and the response conduit comprise one optical fiber or a plurality of optical fibers.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

44. (canceled)