METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTICALLY EVALUATING PROXIMITY TO THE INFERIOR ALVEOLAR NERVE IN SITU
First Claim
1. A spectral absorption probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer including an artery, comprising:
- a light source for generating excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores;
an excitation optical channel to bring said excitation light near the tissue layer;
a collection optical channel, distinct from said excitation optical channel, for capturing diffused back-scattered light from said tissue layer, modulated by blood flow in said artery;
a light detector operatively connected to said collection optical channel; and
a signal processor operatively connected to said light detector for determining a distance to said tissue layer based on said back-scattered light and on Beer-Lambert law of light absorption using a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (μ
eff).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low coherence interferometry probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer, comprising a low coherence light source, an excitation optical fiber to bring the low coherence excitation light near the tissue layer and a collection optical fiber for capturing back-scattered light from the tissue layer. The probe system comprises an interferometry sub-system and a processor for evaluating a distance to the tissue layer. There is also provided a spectral absorption probe system for evaluating proximity to an artery, comprising a light source excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores, an excitation optical fiber and a collection optical fiber. The probe system comprises a light detector and a processor for determining a distance to the artery using the Beer-Lambert law of light absorption with a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (μeff). A probe system combining low coherence interferometry and spectral absorption is also provided.
44 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A spectral absorption probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer including an artery, comprising:
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a light source for generating excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores; an excitation optical channel to bring said excitation light near the tissue layer; a collection optical channel, distinct from said excitation optical channel, for capturing diffused back-scattered light from said tissue layer, modulated by blood flow in said artery; a light detector operatively connected to said collection optical channel; and a signal processor operatively connected to said light detector for determining a distance to said tissue layer based on said back-scattered light and on Beer-Lambert law of light absorption using a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (μ
eff). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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14. (canceled)
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16. A combined spectral absorption and low coherence interferometry probe system for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer including at least an artery, comprising:
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a light source for generating excitation light having at least one wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores and low coherence; an excitation optical channel to bring said excitation light near the tissue layer; a first collection optical channel, distinct from said excitation optical channel, for capturing diffused back-scattered light from said tissue layer, modulated by blood flow in said artery; a first light detector operatively connected to said first collection optical channel; a first digital signal processor operatively connected to said first light detector for determining a distance to said tissue layer based on said diffused back-scattered light and on Beer-Lambert law of light absorption using a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (μ
eff);a low coherence interferometry sub-system operatively connected to the excitation optical channel including a second collection optical channel, distinct form said first collection optical channel, for capturing low-coherence back-scattered light from said tissue layer, a beam splitter, a reference mirror and a second light detector, distinct from said first light detector, operatively connected to said second collection optical channel; a second signal processor operatively connected to said low coherence interferometry sub-system for evaluating a distance to said tissue layer based on said low-coherence back-scattered light received by said second collection optical channel, said first digital signal processor and said second signal processor being provided by one of distinct processors and a common processor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 26)
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19. A spectral absorption method for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer including an artery, comprising:
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generating an excitation light having a wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores; bringing said excitation light near the tissue layer; capturing diffused back-scattered light from said tissue layer, modulated by blood flow in said artery; and processing said diffused back-scattered light from said tissue layer for determining a distance to said tissue layer based on Beer-Lambert law of light absorption using a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (μ
eff). - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A combined spectral absorption and low coherence interferometry method for evaluating proximity to a tissue layer including at least an artery, comprising:
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generating an excitation light having at least one wavelength adapted for absorption by blood chromophores and low coherence; bringing said excitation light near the tissue layer; capturing diffused back-scattered light from said tissue layer, modulated by blood flow in said artery; processing said diffused back-scattered light for determining a first distance to said tissue layer based on Beer-Lambert law of light absorption using a value for surrounding tissue attenuation coefficient (μ
eff);capturing low-coherence back-scattered light from said tissue layer; performing interferometry between said excitation light and said low-coherence back-scattered light for providing an interference signal; and processing said interference signal for evaluating a second distance to said tissue layer.
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Specification