Method and Apparatus for Detecting Abnormal Living Tissue

• US 20090306522A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Gono, Kazuhiro, Suga, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,131,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/478
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00135 Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence

Abstract

Light scattering and absorption techniques for the detection of possible abnormal living tissue. Apparatus and methods for utilizing multiple blood content detection sensors and/or contact sensors for beneficially providing data to better guide an endoscope or colonoscope to locate abnormal tissue, tumors, or tissues that precede the development of such lesions or tumors.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a probe for insertion into a cavity of a living body, said probe including a plurality of illuminators and a plurality of collectors;

said plurality of illuminators adapted for illuminating regions of tissue within the living body,

said plurality of collectors adapted for receiving interacted light from respective illuminated tissue regions and generating signals indicative of blood content measurements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a processing unit coupled to said plurality of collectors and adapted for determining blood content within the illuminated tissue regions based on said generated signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising

an indicator coupled to the processing unit for indicating a parameter based on said determined blood content to assist in guidance of said probe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the probe is cylindrically-shaped with said illuminators and collectors included on an outer surface thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cylindrically-shaped probe includes a raised helical portion having said illuminators and collectors included thereon.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the raised helical portion is sufficiently large to contact the tissue forming the intended cavity of the living body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing unit comprises:

a comparator for comparing signals indicative of light interacted with the tissue for each of the plurality of receiving units, and generating at least one comparison signal, and

a processor coupled to the comparator, the processor for calculating information indicative of the blood content in the illuminated tissue based on the comparison signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the illuminators emit collimated light.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the illuminators emit polarized light.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one polarizer proximate the collectors.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein two polarizers are located proximate collectors and wherein the polarizers have substantial orthogonal polarizations to one another.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an endoscope.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of illuminators and plurality of collectors are positioned proximate a distal tip of the endoscope.

14. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a living tissue comprising:

a probe for insertion into a cavity of a living body, said probe including a plurality of illuminators and a plurality of collectors;

said illuminators disposed on said probe for lighting respective portions of tissue within the living body,

said collectors disposed on said probe adapted for receiving interacted light from respective portions of tissue,

a contacting unit, to facilitate contact between the probe and tissue forming the cavity of the living body, and

a processor coupled to said collectors for providing an indication of blood content within illuminated tissue to assist in guidance of said probe.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the illuminators and collectors are positioned on a surface or aligned with the contacting unit.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the contacting unit axially surrounds the probe.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the contacting unit is inflatable.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least one of said illuminators and collectors are energized in accordance with a received signal from the contacting unit.

19. A apparatus for use with an endoscope comprising:

a sheath for insertion into a cavity of a living body, said sheath including a inner surface with a inner circumference and a outer surface with a outer circumference, and wherein a plurality of illuminators and a plurality of collectors are located on the outer surface;

said plurality of illuminators adapted for illuminating regions of tissue within the living body,

said plurality of collectors adapted for receiving interacted light from respective illuminated tissue regions and generating signals indicative of blood content measurements.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a processing unit coupled to said plurality of collectors and adapted for determining blood content within the illuminated tissue regions based on said generated signals.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising

an indicator coupled to the processing unit for indicating a parameter based on said determined blood content to assist in guidance of said probe.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the outer circumference of the sheath is larger than the cavity of the living tissue.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a contacting unit to ensure contact between the sheath and tissue forming the cavity of the living body.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein at least one of the plurality of illuminators and the plurality of collectors are energized in accordance with a received signal from the contacting unit.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the illuminators and collectors are positioned on or aligned with a surface of the contacting unit.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the contacting unit axially surrounds the sheath.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the contacting unit is inflatable.

28. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the sheath has a helically raised portion on the outer circumference of the sheath.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the illuminators and collectors are located on the helically raised portion.

30. A method for guiding an endoscope within a cavity of a living organism comprising the steps of:

inserting a probe into a cavity of a living organism;

contacting the probe with a surface of tissue forming the cavity;

illuminating portions of the contacted tissue surface;

receiving interacted light from the illuminated contacted tissue surface;

processing the received interacted light to determine a parameter indicative of blood content of the illuminated tissue to assist in guiding said probe.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the contacting step is achieved by inflating an inflatable cuff surrounding said probe.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of repositioning the probe within the living body based on the determined parameter.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the probe is disposed within an endoscope and wherein the determined parameter is used for guiding said probe.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein the contacting step further comprises contacting the tissue with at least one of a plurality of detection sensors disposed on said probe.

35. A method for guiding a blood content detector within a cavity of a living organism comprising the steps of:

inserting a sheath into a cavity of a living organism;

contacting the sheath with a surface of tissue forming the cavity;

illuminating portions of the contacted tissue surface;

receiving interacted light from the illuminated contacted tissue surface;

processing the received interacted light to determine a parameter indicative of blood content of the illuminated tissue to assist in guiding said sheath.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of inserting an endoscope through the sheath to aid in the guidance of the sheath.