DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING AN ANALYTE UNDER THE NAIL

• US 20140155718A1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lemi Technology, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lemi Technology, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: KRAMER, Marcus A., BARTLETT, Rush L. II
• Granted Patent: US 9,173,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/344
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/449 Nail evaluation, e.g. for nail disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0002 General or multifunctional contrast agents, e.g. chelated agents

Abstract

An apparatus includes a source and a detector. The source is operable to transmit light. The detector is operable to receive at least a portion of the light transmitted by the source. The source and the detector can be positioned on a nail of a digit such that the light enters the nail through an entrance region. The light further exits the nail through an exit region. The entrance region is defined by a lateral portion of the nail. The light is directed to interact with at least one analyte.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a source configured to transmit light; and

(b) a detector configured to receive at least a portion of the light transmitted by the source, wherein the source and the detector are positionable on a nail of a digit such that the light enters the nail through an entrance region, the light further exits the nail through an exit region, the entrance region is defined by a lateral portion of the nail, the light is directed to interact with at least one analyte, and the portion of the light received by the detector has at least one characteristic that varies with the concentration of the at least one analyte.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source and the detector define two points of a secant along the surface of the nail.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a liquid in communication with the source device, wherein the liquid is positionable between the source and the nail, wherein the liquid is operable to transmit light laterally through the nail.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is operable to receive a refracted, scattered, or polarized light from the source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source is positionable at the front of the digit below the nail.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more compression members operable to compress a portion of the digit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more compression members includes a pair of opposingly faced compression plates.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source is configured to produce a split light beam.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an amplifier, an analog to digital converter, a controller, and a computer, wherein the amplifier, the analog to digital converter, the controller, and the computer are in communication with the source and the detector.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an ingestible reagent operable to interact with the light, wherein the reagent is operable to be ingested prior to using source.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source is configured to produce near infrared light.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to detect reflected light from the source, wherein the detector is positionable at the top of the nail.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is substantially larger than the source.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the varying characteristic of the light received by the detector is directly related to a concentration of the at least one analyte and is used directly or indirectly to detect physiological, pathological, or biologically induced changes.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reflector and a second detector wherein the second detector is configured to receive at least a portion of light transmitted by the source and reflected by the reflector.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a collimator positioned so that light transmitted by the source to the detector passes through the collimator.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein

the collimator has a receiving angle,

the collimator blocks stray light received from outside its receiving angle, and

the light received by the detector is substantially only light transmitted by the source.

16. An apparatus comprising:

(a) an emitting device operable to transmit a signal;

(b) a receiving device operable to receive the signal emitted by the emitting device or influenced by an analyte, wherein the emitting device and the receiving device are positionable to straddle the outer surface of a nail of a digit such that the emitting device is aimed laterally into the nail; and

(c) a controller in communication with the receiving device, wherein the controller is operable to receive information based on the receiving of the signal by the receiving device, wherein the information is used to detect a concentration of an analyte.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the information based on the receiving of the signal by the receiving device is directly related to the concentration of the analyte and is used directly or indirectly to detect physiological, pathological, or biologically induced changes.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a liquid in communication with the emitting device and the receiving device, wherein the liquid is operable to facilitate contact with the outer surface of the nail.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the detector is operable to receive a signal directly aimed at the detector from the source, wherein the detector is further operable to receive a refracted, scattered, or polarized signal from the source.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a collimator positioned so that light transmitted by the emitting device to the receiving device passes through the collimator.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein

the collimator has a receiving angle,

the collimator blocks stray light received from outside its receiving angle, and

the light received by the receiving device is substantially only light transmitted by the emitting device.

20. A method of detecting an analyte using a source and a detector, wherein the source is operable to transmit a focused light beam to the detector, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing the source on one portion of a nail of a human digit;

(b) placing the detector on another portion of the nail;

(c) firing the focused light beam through the nail along a line defining a secant with the nail;

(d) receiving at least a portion of the focused light beam with the detector;

(e) processing a signal resulting from the receiving to detect an analyte.

25. The method of claim 20,

wherein the source comprises a first collimator positioned to create the focused light beam, where the focused light beam has a path;

and

further comprising a second collimator positioned along the path of the focused light beam before the focused light beam reaches the detector.