SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TISSUE EXAMINATION, DIAGNOSTIC, TREATMENT, AND/OR MONITORING
First Claim
1. A method for examining and monitoring tissue to determine if a therapeutic should be applied to the tissue, comprising during the same or concomitant procedure:
- (a) optically examining a tissue to detect anomalies in the tissue generally not perceptible to the human eye employing a real-time f/a/LCI system;
(b) monitoring feedback information regarding the examination of the tissue from the real-time f/a/LCI system;
(c) determining if a treatment should be applied to the tissue based on the feedback information; and
(d) applying a therapy on the tissue if treatment is determined to be applied based on the feedback information.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Procedures, techniques, and systems for in vivo monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment of tissue during the same or concomitant medical procedure. In disclosed embodiments, during a same or concomitant procedure or examination, tissue can be scanned on a localized level using a real-time optical biopsy system. The real-time optical biopsy system may involve angle-resolved and/or Fourier domain low coherence interferometry (LCI). Because the scanning can be performed in real-time, diagnosis can also be performed in real-time and during the same or concomitant medical procedure. As a result, therapy, if needed, can also be administered to the tissue during the same or concomitant medical procedure. Monitoring of the tissue after therapy can be performed during the same or subsequent procedure. Thus, the procedures and techniques disclosed herein allow detection of tissue anomalies during a first procedure on the patient without waiting for untimely biopsy results, thus providing earlier anomaly detection and treatment and potentially better and timely results and at a lower cost.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for examining and monitoring tissue to determine if a therapeutic should be applied to the tissue, comprising during the same or concomitant procedure:
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(a) optically examining a tissue to detect anomalies in the tissue generally not perceptible to the human eye employing a real-time f/a/LCI system; (b) monitoring feedback information regarding the examination of the tissue from the real-time f/a/LCI system; (c) determining if a treatment should be applied to the tissue based on the feedback information; and (d) applying a therapy on the tissue if treatment is determined to be applied based on the feedback information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for examining and monitoring tissue, and applying a therapy to the tissue, if needed during the same or concomitant procedure, comprising:
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a real-time f/a/LCI system adapted to optically examine tissue during the procedure, comprising; an optical probe that receives light from the tissue in response to a sample beam directed to the tissue; a detector that detects the received light from the tissue; and a processor that processes the detected light in real-time to determine information about the tissue not generally perceptible to the human eye and configured to provide feedback information regarding the tissue; and a therapeutic applicator adapted to apply a therapy to the tissue if treatment is determined to be applied based on the feedback information during the procedure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of treating a patient having precancerous, cancerous, or diseased tissue, comprising, during the same or concomitant procedure:
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(a) optically examining the patient'"'"'s tissue to detect anomalies in the tissue generally not perceptible to the human eye employing a real-time f/a/LCI system; (b) monitoring feedback information regarding the examination of the tissue from the real-time f/a/LCI system; (c) determining if a treatment should be applied to the tissue based on the feedback information; and (d) applying a therapy on the tissue if treatment is determined to be applied based on the feedback information. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for performing and monitoring an esophageal endoscopy in a patient, comprising during the same or concomitant procedure:
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(a) optically examining the esophagus to detect anomalies generally not perceptible to the human eye employing a real-time f/a/LCI system; (b) monitoring feedback information regarding the examination of the esophagus from the real-time f/a/LCI system; (c) determining if a treatment should be applied to the examined portion of the esophagus based on the feedback information; and (d) applying radio frequency (RF) ablation on the examined portion of the esophagus if treatment is determined to be applied based on the feedback information.
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Specification