Multi-Wavelength Photon Density Wave System Using An Optical Switch

• US 20110245636A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: McKenna, Edward M., Li, Youzhi, Lin, Andy S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,391,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/223 Optical cables therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3151 using two sources of radiation of different wavelengths G01N21/33 - G01N21/39 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/49 within a body or fluid

Abstract

Multi-wavelength photon density wave (PDW) medical systems, methods, and devices are provided. In one embodiment, a multi-wavelength system may include a sensor, a sensor cable, and a patient monitor. The sensor may have an emitter and a detector configured to pass a multi-wavelength PDW input signal into a patient and receive a resulting multi-wavelength PDW output signal. The sensor cable may couple to the sensor and include two optical cables for transmitting and receiving the multi-wavelength PDW signals. The patient monitor may couple to the sensor cable and generate several single-wavelength PDW input signals by modulating a plurality of light sources. The monitor may include an optical switch configured to time-division multiplex the several single-wavelength PDW wave input signals by selecting one of the single-wavelength PDW signals at one time to produce a multi-wavelength PDW signal which is output from the monitor to the sensor via the sensor cable.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a patient monitor capable of;

generating a plurality of single-wavelength photon density wave (“

PDW”

) input signals by modulating a plurality of light sources at one or more modulation frequencies sufficient to produce resolvable photon density waves in pulsatile tissue of a patient;

alternately selecting one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals for transmission in series to generate a multi-wavelength PDW input signal;

receiving a multi-wavelength PDW output signal resulting after the multi-wavelength PDW input signal is passed through the pulsatile tissue; and

determining a scattering property and/or an absorption property of the pulsatile tissue based at least in part on a comparison between the multi-wavelength PDW output signal and the multi-wavelength PDW input signal.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a sensor having an emitter output and a detector input, wherein the emitter output is configured to pass the multi-wavelength PDW input signal into the pulsatile tissue and wherein the detector input is configured to receive the multi-wavelength PDW output signal from the pulsatile tissue of the patient.

3. The system of claim 2, comprising a sensor cable coupled to the sensor and having a first optical cable configured to transmit the multi-wavelength PDW input signal from the patient monitor to the sensor and having a second optical cable capable of transmitting the multi-wavelength PDW output signal from the sensor to the patient monitor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise two or more of a red light source, an infrared light source, and a near infrared light source.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to constantly emit light.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient monitor comprises an optical switch configured to alternately select one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals to generate the multi-wavelength PDW input signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient monitor comprises an optical switch configured to time-division multiplex the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is capable of determining a physiological parameter of the patient based at least in part on a comparison of the multi-wavelength PDW output signal and the multi-wavelength PDW input signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient monitor is capable of demultiplexing the multi-wavelength PDW output signal into a plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals, wherein each of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals correspond to each of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the patient monitor is capable of determining a physiological parameter of the patient based at least in part on a change in phase between one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals and a corresponding one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the patient monitor is capable of determining a physiological parameter of the patient based at least in part on a change in amplitude between one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals and a corresponding one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the sensor cable comprises no more than two optical cables.

13. A patient monitor comprising:

a plurality of light sources capable of emitting a plurality of wavelengths of light;

a driving circuit capable of modulating the plurality of light sources at one or more modulation frequencies sufficient to produce resolvable photon density waves in pulsatile tissue of a patient to produce a plurality of single-wavelength photon density wave (“

PDW”

) input signals; and

an optical switch capable of selecting one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals at a time at non-overlapping intervals to generate a multi-wavelength PDW input signal.

14. The patient monitor of claim 13, comprising:

a first optical cable connector capable of providing the multi-wavelength PDW input signal to a first optical cable of a medical sensor capable of being attached to the pulsatile tissue; and

a second optical cable connector capable of receiving a multi-wavelength PDW output signal from a second optical cable of the medical sensor, wherein the multi-wavelength PDW output signal results from propagating the multi-wavelength PDW input signal through the pulsatile tissue.

15. The patient monitor of claim 13, comprising data processing circuitry capable of processing the multi-wavelength PDW output signal into a plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals and capable of determining a physiological parameter of the patient based at least in part on a comparison of one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals to a corresponding one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals.

16. The patient monitor of claim 13, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise a plurality of laser diodes configured to constantly emit light.

17. The patient monitor of claim 13, wherein the driving circuit is capable of modulating the plurality of light sources such that each of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals has a different respective modulation frequency.

18. The patient monitor of claim 13, wherein the optical switch is configured to select one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals by mechanically switching between the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals.

19. The patient monitor of claim 13, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to:

determine an absorption property of the pulsatile tissue based at least in part on a change in amplitude between the one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals and the corresponding one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals; and

determine a scattering property of the pulsatile tissue based at least in part on a change in phase between the one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW output signals and the corresponding one of the plurality of single-wavelength PDW input signals.

20. A method comprising:

generating a first photon density wave (“

PDW”

) signal by modulating a first light source having a first wavelength using a driving circuit;

generating a second PDW signal by modulating a second light source having a second wavelength using the driving circuit;

selecting and transmitting through tissue the first PDW input signal for a first period of time;

selecting and transmitting through the tissue the second PDW input signal for a second period of time, wherein the first period of time and the second period of time do not overlap;

receiving as a first PDW output signal the first PDW input signal after propagating through the tissue;

receiving as a second PDW output signal the second PDW input signal after propagating through the tissue; and

comparing the first and second PDW output signals to the respective first and second PDW input signals to determine physiological information using phase detection circuitry, signal processing circuitry, and/or data processing circuitry.