MAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED WIRELESS OPTICAL OXYGEN SENSOR FOR INTRAOCULAR MEASUREMENTS

• US 20100022857A1
• Filed: 05/18/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ETH Zurich
• Original Assignee: ETH Zurich
• Inventors: Nelson, Bradley, Ergeneman, Olgac, Vollmers, Karl, Abbott, Jake J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14555 specially adapted for the eye fundus
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

A sensor for intraocular measurements moveable within at least one of an vitreous humor of an eye, an aqueous humor of an eye and an intraocular replacement medium. The sensor includes a magnetic body susceptible to magnetic fields and at least one sensor film.

Claims

1. A sensor for intraocular measurements moveable within at least one of an vitreous humor of an eye, an aqueous humor of an eye and an intraocular replacement medium, the sensor comprising:

a magnetic body susceptible to magnetic fields; and

at least one sensor film.

6. The sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor final includes a supporting matrix and at least one of a luminescence dye, a fluorescence dye and a phosphorescence dye.

7. The sensor as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one luminescence dye, fluorescence dye and phosphorescence dye has a luminescence effect susceptible to at least one of an intrinsic physical parameter, an intrinsic chemical parameter and the concentration of a chemical analyte.

8. The sensor as recited in claim 6, wherein the supporting matrix includes at least one of a polymer, silica gels and sol-gels.

9. The sensor as recited in claim 8, wherein the polymer is polystyrene.

10. The sensor as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one luminescence dye, fluorescence dye and phosphorescence dye is at least one of an iridium complex and a ruthenium complex.

11. The sensor as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one of an iridium complex and a ruthenium complex has at least one of a peak excitation wavelength below about 550 nm, a peak emission wavelength above about 600 nm, and a luminescence quantum yield of above about 0.5 in the supporting matrix.

12. The sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor film is applied on a surface of the magnetic body which is highly reflecting for at least one of spectral bands of excitation and luminescent emission.

13. The sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein a surface of the magnetic, body is coated with at least one of a metal, metal alloy and a polymer.

14. The sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the at least one metal, metal alloy and polymer is at least one of gold, titanium, polystyrene and polypyrrole.

2. The sensor as recited in claim l, wherein the magnetic body is at least one of a two and a three-dimensional structure including at least one of a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, a paramagnetic material and a compound with magnetic properties.

3. The sensor as recited in claim 2, wherein the compound with magnetic properties includes at least one of magnetic particles, nanoparticles and super paramagnetic nanoparticles.

4. The sensor as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one of a two and three-dimensional structure is a sphere, an oblate spheroid, a prolate spheroid, a plane or a cylinder.

5. The sensor as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one ferromagnetic material, ferrimagnetic material, paramagnetic material and a compound with magnetic properties is selected from at least one of alloys of iron, nickel and cobalt.

15. A sensor for at least one in-vivo measurements moveable within at least one of a human or an animal body, the sensor comprising:

a magnetic body susceptible to magnetic fields; and

at least one sensor film.

16. An apparatus for intraocular measurements, the apparatus comprising:

a detection system including a light source configured to generate an excitation light beam, a detection device configured to detect a luminescence light signal, a first controller operatively connected to the light source and the detection device, and a device configured to analyze a detected luminescence light signal; and

an actuation system including a generating device configured to generate at least one of a magnetic field and magnetic field gradient, and a second controller operatively connected to the generating device.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one magnetic field and magnetic field gradient is generated by at least one of stationary or position-controlled electromagnets, position-controlled permanent magnets, an MRI system and superconducting magnets.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the actuation system further includes a tracking device to track a position of a sensor within at least one of a vitreous humor of an eye, an aqueous humor of an eye and within an intraocular replacement medium.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the detection system further includes a modulation signal source and a modulating device configured to modulate the intensity of the excitation light source using a modulation reference signal produced by the modulation signal source.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the modulating device configured to modulate the intensity of the excitation light source includes at least one of optical modulators and electrically modulated light sources.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising a measurement sensor configured to measure at least one of an intrinsic physical parameter, an intrinsic chemical parameter and the concentration of a chemical analyte which is moveable within at least one of a vitreous humor of an eye, an aqueous humor of an eye and within an intraocular replacement medium, wherein the measurement sensor includes a magnetic body susceptible to magnetic fields and a sensor film.

22. A method for carrying out intraocular measurements, the method comprising

inserting a sensor into at least one of a vitreous humor of an eye and an aqueous humor of an eye, wherein the sensor includes a magnetic body susceptible to magnetic fields and a sensor film;

subjecting the eye to at least one of a controlled magnetic field and magnetic field gradient suitable to move the sensor within the eye and thereby to move the sensor to a certain position within the eye;

directing an excitation light beam to the sensor;

detecting a luminescence light signal returning from the sensor; and

analyzing the detected signal.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

modulating the excitation light beam with a modulation reference signal;

detecting and evaluating a phase shift of the detected signal with regard to the modulation reference signal; and

determining at least one of an intrinsic physical parameter and the concentration of a chemical analyte.