APPARATUS FOR NON-INVASIVE OPTICAL MONITORING

• US 20090234228A1
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OrNim Medical, Ltd. (OrNim, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OrNim Medical, Ltd. (OrNim, Inc.)
• Inventors: PINTEL, Ofer, BENDKOWSKI, Michael, Suechter, Revital Pery, BRESKIN, Ilan, METZGER, Yaakov
• Granted Patent: US 9,078,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0097 by applying acoustic waves and detecting light, i.e. acoustooptic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4236 characterised by adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4438 Means for identifying the diagnostic device, e.g. barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes

Abstract

A probe assembly is presented for use in monitoring one or more parameters of a subject. The probe assembly comprises: an acoustic port for transmitting acoustic radiation into a region of interest in the subject, at least one light output port for transmitting incident light towards the region of interest, at least one light input port for receiving light returned from the subject, and a control utility integrated in the probe assembly, said control utility being configured for controlling at least one condition of a monitoring procedure and enabling the monitoring procedure upon detecting that said at least one condition is satisfied.

Claims

1. A probe assembly for use in monitoring one or more parameters of a subject, the probe assembly comprising:

an acoustic port for transmitting acoustic radiation into a region of interest in the subject, at least one light output port for transmitting incident light towards the region of interest, at least one light input port for receiving light returned from the subject, and a control utility integrated in the probe assembly, said control utility being configured for controlling at least one condition of a monitoring procedure and enabling the monitoring procedure upon identifying that said at least one condition is satisfied.

2. The probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the control utility comprises at least one of the following:

(i) a coding chip adapted for identifying whether the probe assembly is a certified one; and

(ii) a sensor and actuator system adapted for sensing at least one predetermined condition of the probe assembly.

3. The probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the control utility comprises a memory unit adapted for recording data indicative of measurements taken on a specific subject during a certain period of time, thereby enabling use of said data as a measurement history of the specific subject, the measurements being taken by one or more of the probe assemblies.

4. The probe of claim 2, wherein the control utility comprises a sensor and actuator system adapted for sensing said at least one condition of the probe assembly and determining a degree of attachment between the probe assembly and the subject being indicative of a degree of coupling between the subject and at least one of said acoustic and light ports.

5. The probe assembly of claim 1, being configured as a two-part device comprising a first probe body unit and a second unit, said second unit presenting an interface between the probe assembly and the subject when the probe assembly is put in operation.

6. The probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the second unit is configured so that it can be removed from or connected to the first probe body unit.

7. The probe assembly of claim 6, wherein said second unit carries at least a part of the control utility.

8. The probe assembly of claim 7, wherein said second unit carries a memory unit, the memory unit being adapted for recording data indicative of measurements taken on a specific subject during a certain period of time, enabling use of said data as a measurement history of the specific subject, the measurements being taken by one or more of the probe assemblies.

9. The probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the second unit is configured as a probe-subject adhesive assembly unit being associated with a probe-subject adhesive media.

10. The probe assembly of claim 9, wherein the second unit comprises the probe-subject adhesive media.

11. The probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the first probe body unit comprises the acoustic port, the at least one light output port, and the at least one light input port.

12. The probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the second unit interfaces an output surface of the first unit through which acoustic and light radiations are transmitted in between the probe assembly and the subject.

13. The probe assembly of claim 10, wherein the second unit interfaces an output surface of the first unit and transmits acoustic and light radiation therethrough towards and from the subject.

14. The probe assembly of claim 13, wherein said second unit is configured as a flexible cover on an output surface of the first unit.

15. The probe assembly of claim 10, wherein said probe-subject adhesive media comprises an ultrasound-skin coupling pad comprising one or more materials selected to provide desired acoustic coupling between the acoustic port and the subject and being substantially transparent for a wavelength range used in the probe.

16. The probe assembly of claim 1, comprising an ultrasound-skin coupling pad comprising one or more materials selected to provide desired acoustic coupling between the acoustic port and the subject.

17. The probe assembly of claim 16, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad is substantially transparent to light of a predetermined wavelength range.

18. The probe assembly of claim 16, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad has acoustic impedance similar to that of tissue or skin of the subject.

19. The probe assembly of claim 16, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad has a matrix that is a polymerization product of a suspension of elastomeric resins in a plasticizer

20. The probe assembly of claim 19, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad comprises Polymelt™

.

21. The probe assembly of claim 16, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad is electrically insulating.

22. A probe assembly for use in monitoring one or more parameters of a subject, the probe assembly being configured as a two-part device comprising first and second units, wherein:

the first unit is configured as a probe body unit and comprises an acoustic port for transmitting acoustic radiation into a region of interest in the subject, at least one light output port for transmitting incident light towards the region of interest, at least one light input port for receiving light returned from the subject,

the second unit is configured as a probe-subject adhesive assembly unit and presents an interface between the probe assembly and the subject when the probe assembly is put in operation, the second unit comprising an electronic unit having a memory utility adapted for recording data indicative of measurements taken on a specific subject during a certain period of time, enabling use of said data as a measurement history of the specific subject, the recorded data corresponding to the measurements being taken by one or more of the probe assemblies.

23. The probe assembly of claim 22, comprising at least one of the following:

(i) a coding chip adapted for identifying whether the probe assembly is a certified one; and

(ii) a sensor and actuator system adapted for determining a degree of coupling between the subject and at least one of said acoustic and light ports.

24. The probe assembly of claim 22, wherein at least one of said coding chip and said sensor and actuator system is at least partially located in the first unit.

25. A monitoring system for monitoring one or more parameters of a subject, the monitoring system comprising at least one probe assembly comprising:

an acoustic port for transmitting acoustic radiation into a region of interest in the subject, at least one light output port for transmitting incident light towards the region of interest, at least one light input port for receiving light returned from the subject, and a control utility integrated in the probe, said control utility being configured and operable to carry out at least one of the following;

(i) recording data indicative of measurements taken on the specific subject during a certain period of time;

(ii) identifying whether the probe assembly is a certified one; and

(ii) sensing at least one condition of the probe and enabling operation of the probe upon identifying that said at least one condition is satisfied.

26. The system of claim 25, comprising at least two of the probe assemblies.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the control utility of each of the at least two probe assemblies is adapted for storing data indicative of results of measurements taken by all the probe assemblies.

28. The system of claim 25, comprising a controller associated with the one or more probe assemblies, the probe assembly and the controller being configured for data exchange between them.

29. A probe assembly for use in monitoring one or more parameters of a subject, the probe assembly comprising:

an acoustic port for transmitting acoustic radiation into a region of interest in the subject; and

an ultrasound-skin coupling pad presenting an interface between the subject'"'"'s surface and the acoustic port, the ultrasound-skin coupling pad comprising a matrix that is a polymerization product of a suspension of elastomeric resins in a plasticizer.

30. The probe assembly of claim 29, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad has acoustic impedance similar to that of tissue or skin of a subject.

31. The probe assembly of claim 30, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad comprises Polymelt™

.

32. The probe assembly of claim 29, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad is substantially transparent to light of a predetermined wavelength range.

33. The probe assembly of claim 29, wherein said ultrasound-skin coupling pad is electrically insulating.

34. An ultrasound-skin coupling pad for placing on a subject body surface to interface between the body surface and an acoustic unit, the acoustic coupling device comprising a matrix that is a polymerization product of a suspension of elastomeric resins in a plasticizer.

35. The ultrasound-skin coupling pad of claim 34, wherein the elastomeric resins are Polymelt™

.

36. The ultrasound-skin coupling pad of claim 34, having a sticky surface to permit tight contact with a body surface substantially without air pockets.

37. A device configured as a cover for mounting on an outer surface of an acoustic probe by which the probe is brought in contact with a subject when in operation, said cover comprising a matrix that is a polymerization product of a suspension of elastomeric resins in a plasticizer.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the elastomeric resins are Polymelt™

.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein said cover has a sticky surface to permit tight contact with a body surface substantially without air pockets.