METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXAMINING TISSUE FOR PREDEFINED TARGET CELLS, PARTICULARLY CANCEROUS CELLS, AND A PROBE USEFUL IN SUCH METHOD AND APPARATUS
First Claim
1. Apparatus for examining a tissue region for the presence of predefined target cells therein, comprisinga voltage pulse source;
- an optical pulse source;
a probe having an operative end for applying optical pulses and voltage pulses from said sources to the examined tissue region, and for detecting the reflections of said voltage pulses;
and a data processor system including an electrical measuring sub-system coupled to said probe for detecting the reflections of said voltage pulses, said reflections indicative of changes in electrical properties of said examined tissue region produced by at least one of said optical and voltage pulses, and for determining therefrom the extent of the presence of said target cells in the examined tissue region;
the voltage pulses and optical pulses being applied concurrently.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus and probe for examining tissue for the presence of target cells, particularly cancerous cells, by subjecting the tissue to be examined to a contrast agent containing small particles of a physical element conjugated with a biological carrier selectively bindable to the target cells. Energy pulses are applied to the examined tissue. The changes in impedance and/or optical characteristics of the examined tissue produced by the applied energy pulses are detected and utilized for determining the presence of the target cells in the examined tissue. In a described preferred embodiment, the applied energy pulses include laser pulses, and the physical element conjugated with a biological carrier is a light-sensitive semiconductor having an impedance which substantially decreases in the presence of light. The same probe used for detecting the targeted cells may also be used for destroying the cells so targeted.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. Apparatus for examining a tissue region for the presence of predefined target cells therein, comprising
a voltage pulse source; -
an optical pulse source; a probe having an operative end for applying optical pulses and voltage pulses from said sources to the examined tissue region, and for detecting the reflections of said voltage pulses; and a data processor system including an electrical measuring sub-system coupled to said probe for detecting the reflections of said voltage pulses, said reflections indicative of changes in electrical properties of said examined tissue region produced by at least one of said optical and voltage pulses, and for determining therefrom the extent of the presence of said target cells in the examined tissue region;
the voltage pulses and optical pulses being applied concurrently. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A probe for use in examining a tissue region for the presence of predefined target cells therein, comprising:
an operative end having at least one pair of spaced conductors for applying voltage pulses to the examined tissue region, and that detects the reflections of said voltage pulses, and that applies optical pulses via an optical fiber to the examined tissue region;
the voltage pulses and the optical pulses being applied concurrently.- View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. Apparatus for examining a tissue region, comprising
a voltage pulse source; -
an optical pulse source; a probe having an operative end for applying optical pulses and voltage pulses from said sources to the examined tissue region, and for detecting the reflections of said voltage pulses; and a data processor system including an electrical measuring sub-system coupled to said probe for detecting the reflections of said voltage pulses, said reflections indicative of changes in electrical properties of said examined tissue region produced by at least one of said optical and voltage pulses, the voltage pulses and optical pulses being applied concurrently.
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Specification