Pupilary Screening Method and System

• US 20090174865A1
• Filed: 09/13/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuroptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Neuroptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Privitera, Claudio, Siminou, Kamran
• Granted Patent: US 8,393,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0425 Ergonomically shaped housings A61B2560/0418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0083 provided with means for patient positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/112 for measuring diameter of pupils
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/145 by video means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4011 Evaluating olfaction, i.e. sense of smell
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal

Abstract

A method of screening a pupil of a subject to determine whether the pupil reflex resembles a canonical pupil reflex is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of stimulating the pupil with a stimulus source. The method further includes the steps of using a pupilometer to track the pupil'"'"'s constriction response over a duration of time, wherein the step of tracking the pupil constriction response begins substantially simultaneously with or immediately subsequent to time 0 and lasts for a period of time y, and using the pupilometer to collect a plurality of data points in which each data point corresponds with a diameter of the pupil at a specific time within the time duration y. The method further includes the step of generating a pupil data profile by compiling the data points and determining whether one or more conditions arc met. wherein the one or more conditions comprises the following: (a) more than two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at three or more separate times during duration y; (b) a first phase of the pupilary reflex response exists, wherein said first phase is characterized by a period of non-constriction immediately subsequent to time 0, said first phase having a duration of less than about 100 msec or greater than about 1000 msec; (c) if two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at two separate times y¹ and y² during duration y, then the duration of time between y¹ and y² is less than about 100 msec: or during the first phase of the pupilary reflex, the diameter of the pupil increases before it decreases. Existence of one of said conditions indicates that the pupil reflex does not resemble a canonical reflex.

Claims

1. A method of screening a pupil of a subject to determine whether the pupil reflex resembles a canonical pupil reflex comprising the steps of:

stimulating said pupil with a stimulus source;

using a pupilometer, tracking the pupil'"'"'s constriction response over a duration of time, wherein the step of tracking the pupil constriction response begins substantially simultaneously with or immediately subsequent to time 0 and lasts for a period of time y;

using the pupilometer, collecting a plurality of data points, each data point corresponding with a diameter of the pupil at a specific time within the time duration y;

generating a pupil data profile by compiling the data points; and

determining whether one or more conditions are met, wherein said one or more conditions comprises the following;

a. more than two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at three or more separate limes during duration y;

b. a first phase of the pupilary reflex response exists, wherein said first phase is characterized by a period of non-constriction immediately subsequent to time 0, said first phase having a duration of less than about 100 msec or greater than about 1000 msec;

c. two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at two separate times y¹ and y² during duration y, wherein the duration of time between y¹ and y² is less than about 100 msec;

or

d. during the first phase of the pupilary reflex, the diameter of the pupil increases before it decreases;

wherein existence of one of said conditions indicates that the pupil reflex does not resemble a canonical reflex.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an output that indicates that the pupil reflex does not resemble a canonical pupil reflex if one of the conditions is met.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition b said first phase has a duration of less than about 200 msec or greater than about 1000 msec

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition b said first phase has a duration of less than about 260 msec or greater than about 1000 msec.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition b said first phase has a duration of less than about 320 msec or greater than about 1000 msec.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is less than about 100 msec.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is less than about 200 msec.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is less than about 300 msec.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is less than about 400 msec.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is less than about 260 msec.

11. A method of screening a pupil of a subject to determine whether the pupil reflex resembles a canonical pupil reflex comprising the steps of:

stimulating said pupil with a stimulus source;

using a pupilometer, tracking the pupil'"'"'s constriction response over a duration of time, wherein the step of tracking the pupil constriction response begins substantially simultaneously with or immediately subsequent to time 0 and lasts for a period of time y;

using the pupilometer, collecting a plurality of data points, each data point corresponding with a diameter of the pupil at a specific time within the time duration y;

generating a pupil data profile by compiling the data points; and

determining whether the following four conditions are met;

a. no more than two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at separate times during duration y;

b. a first phase of the pupilary reflex response exists, wherein said first phase is characterized by a period of non-constriction immediately subsequent to time 0, said first phase having a duration of greater than about 100 msec and less than about 1000 msec;

c. if two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at two separate times y¹ and y² during duration y, then the duration of time between y¹ and y² is greater than about 100 msec; and

d. during the first phase of the pupilary reflex, the diameter of the pupil does hot increase before it decreases;

wherein the absence of at least one of said conditions indicates that the pupil reflex does not resemble a canonical reflex.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition b said first phase has a duration;

of greater than about 200 msec and less than about 1000 msec.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition b said first phase has a duration of greater than about 260 msec and less, than about 1000 msec.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition b said first phase has a duration of greater than about 320 msec and less than about 1000 msec.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is greater than about 100 msec.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is greater than about 200 msec.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is greater than about 300 msec.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is greater than about 400 msec.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein in condition c the duration of time between y¹ and y² is greater than about 260 msec.

12. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing an output that indicates that the pupil reflex does not resemble a canonical pupil reflex if one of the conditions is not met.