APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR NON-INVASIVE AND MINIMALLY-INVASIVE SENSING OF PARAMETERS RELATING TO BLOOD

• US 20100152559A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Skyline Medical Inc.
• Original Assignee: Skyline Medical Inc.
• Inventors: Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T., Kim, Daniel Hwan, Cheng, Xuefeng
• Application Number:
  US12/563,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20100152559A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0048 Detecting, measuring or recording by applying mechanical forces or stimuli A61B5/021, A61B5/4884 and A61B9/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/029 Measuring or recording blood output from the heart, e.g. minute volume A61B8/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1464 specially adapted for foetal tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/413 Monitoring transplanted tissue or organ, e.g. for possible rejection reactions after a transplant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/065 to determine blood output from the heart in general A61B5/029
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8968 using acoustical modulation of a light beam acousto-optical light control devices G02F1/11, G02F1/33

Abstract

Medical diagnostic system, apparatus and methods are disclosed. Optical transmitters generate radiation-containing photons having a specific interaction with at least one target chromophore in a target structure, preferably a blood vessel such as the interior jugular vein. The optical transmitters transmit the radiation into at least a first area including a substantial portion of the target structure and into a second area not including a substantial portion of the target structure. Optical receivers detect a portion radiation scattered from at least the first area and the second area. A processor estimates oxygenation, pH or cardiac output based on the scattered radiation detected from the first area, and the scattered radiation from the second area.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring one or more parameters relating to blood of a patient comprising:

one or more optical transmitters configured to generate pulsed radiation containing photons having a specific interaction with at least one target chromophore in a target structure within the patient, said one or more optical transmitters configured and positioned to transmit the pulsed radiation from the optical transmitter into at least a first area including a substantial portion of the target structure and into a second area not including a substantial portion of the target structure;

one or more optical receivers configured and positioned to detect a portion of the pulsed radiation scattered from at least the first area and the second area; and

a processor adapted to estimate the one or more parameters relating to the patient'"'"'s blood, the estimation based in part on the scattered pulsed radiation detected from the first area, and the scattered pulsed radiation from the second area.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the target structure is a blood vessel.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said one or more optical transmitters is adapted to transmit the pulsed radiation into the first and second areas simultaneously.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the processor comprises a central processing unit and a memory device and said one or more optical receivers are configured and adapted to measure optical properties associated with the second area.

8. A system according to claim 6 wherein said processor is further adapted to calculate a probability for the pulsed radiation to pass through the first area and the second area.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said processor estimates the one or more parameters in part by relating probabilities for the pulsed radiation to pass through the first and second areas.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein the pulsed radiation comprises photons having a first wavelength and photons having a second wavelength, the first wavelength selected to have the specific interaction with a first target chromophore, and the second wavelength selected to have a specific interaction with a second target chromophore.

21. A system according to claim 1 wherein said one or more optical transmitters comprise an optical source and one or more launch optics coupled to the optical source via one or more optical fibers.

22. A system according to claim 21 wherein said one or more optical receivers comprise one or more optical detectors and one or more collecting optics coupled to the one or more optical detectors via one or more optical fibers.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13-20. -20. (canceled)

23-44. -44. (canceled)

45. An apparatus for monitoring one or more parameters relating to blood of a patient comprising:

a pad of pliable material adapted to be engaged with the skin of a patient;

one or more launch optics in communication with at least one optical source via optical fiber, said one or more launch optics being mounted on the pad and positioned so as to enable pulsed transmission of photons generated by the at least one optical source through the patient'"'"'s skin into at least a first area including a substantial portion of a target blood vessel and into a second area not including a substantial portion of the target blood vessel; and

one or more collecting optics in communication with at least one optical detector via optical fiber, said one or more collecting optics being mounted on the pad and positioned so as to enable detection of the photons having been scattered within the first area and the second area, wherein the photons have a specific interaction with at least one target chromophore in the target blood vessel.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45 further comprising two or more transmitter-receiver pairs each pair comprising one launch optic and one collecting optic, including a first pair having a spacing and being positioned such that the launch optic and collecting optic associated with the first pair transmits photons into and detects scattered photons from the first area, and a second pair having a spacing and being positioned such that the launch optic and collecting optic associated with the second

51. An apparatus according to claim 45 wherein some of the photons have a first wavelength and some of the photons have a second wavelength, the first wavelength selected to have the specific interaction with a first target chromophore within the target blood vessel, and the second wavelength selected to have a specific interaction with a second target chromophore within the target blood vessel.

56. An apparatus according to claim 45 wherein said at least one optical source and said at least one optical detector are housed in a portable box being dimensioned and sized such the patient can carry the portable box for extended periods, and said portable box further housing a battery and a wireless transmitter for data communication to a station box located at a hospital or clinic.

47-50. -50. (canceled)

52-55. -55. (canceled)

57-64. -64. (canceled)

65. A method for monitoring one or more parameters relating to blood of a patient comprising the steps of:

engaging one or more optical transmitters and one or more optical receivers on a tissue boundary of the patient;

generating pulsed radiation containing photons having a specific interaction with at least one target chromophore in a target structure within the patient;

transmitting said pulsed radiation through the optical transmitters into a first area including a substantial portion of a target blood vessel and into a second area not including a substantial portion of the target structure;

detecting with the one or more optical receivers a portion of the pulsed radiation scattered from at least the first area and the second area; and

estimating the one or more parameters relating to a patient'"'"'s blood based in part on the detected scattered pulsed radiation from the first area, and the scattered pulsed radiation from the second area.

69. A method according to claim 65 further comprising the step of calculating optical properties associated with the second area, wherein said step of estimating is based in part on the measured optical properties associated with the second area.

70. A method according to claim 69 wherein said optical properties associated with the second area includes average tissue scattering and absorption properties for the pulsed radiation associated with the second area.

71. A method according to claim 69 wherein said step of estimating the one or more parameters includes calculating a probability for the pulsed radiation to pass through the first area and the second area.

72. A method according to claim 71 wherein said probabilities are calculated using a photon diffusion equation.

82. A method according to claim 65 wherein the step of transmitting said pulsed radiation includes transmitting the pulsed radiation through the optical transmitters into a third area including a substantial portion of a second target structure, and said step of detecting comprises detecting pulsed radiation scattered from the third area.

85. A method according to claim 65 wherein said step of generating pulsed radiation uses at least one optical source, said step of transmitting uses one or more launch optics coupled to the at least one optical source via one or more optical fibers, said one or more optical receivers comprise one or more optical detectors and one or more collecting optics coupled to the one or more optical detectors via one or more optical fibers.

66-68. -68. (canceled)

73-81. -81. (canceled)

83-84. -84. (canceled)

86-96. -96. (canceled)