AUTOFLUORESCENT IMAGING AND TARGET ABLATION

• US 20150157877A1
• Filed: 01/07/2015
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Boyden, Edward S., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Rivet, Dennis J., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Weaver, Thomas Allan
• Application Number:
  US14/591,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20150157877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/201 with beam delivery through a hollow tube, e.g. forming an articulated arm through a flexible conduit A61B18/22; Hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00066 intensity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00208 actively driven, e.g. by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00505 Urinary tract
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0066 without feedback, i.e. open loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00785 Reflected power
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00904 Automatic detection of target tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00922 by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20361 with redirecting based on sensed condition, e.g. tissue analysis or tissue movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/207 mixing two wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 : by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 : for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 : using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 : for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0091 : for mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0097 : by applying acoustic waves and detecting light, i.e. acoustooptic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 : using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 : Endoradiosondes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 : Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 : Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0602 : for treatment of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 : Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0607 : Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0609 : Stomach and/or esophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/061 : Bladder and/or urethra
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0626 : Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 : Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 : Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0654 : Lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 : infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 : ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 : Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 : Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1089 : Electrons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/01 : Devices for producing movement of radiation source during therapy A61N5/1077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 : for treatment of body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 : Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 : for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 : using laser light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 : X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1001 : using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy

Abstract

Apparatus, devices, methods, systems, computer programs and computing devices related to autofluorescent imaging and ablation are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device for treating or ameliorating H. pylori infection, the device comprising:

an untethered ingestible mass having,

one or more sensor coupled to control circuitry, the one or more sensors configured to detect one or more environmental parameters; and

one or more optical energy source configured to emit variable directional electromagnetic energy in a manner selected to induce photodynamic cell death in H. pylori responsive to the one or more sensor detecting the one or more environmental parameters.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the untethered ingestible mass is a rotationally symmetrical body with an axial dimension greater than an equatorial dimension.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the untethered ingestible mass is spherical.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the untethered ingestible mass is designed to randomly wobble.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a motor coupled to a movable mass.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the movable mass is configured to vary the moment of inertia of the untethered ingestible mass.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the movable mass is configured to undergo unbalanced rotation.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the movable mass is configured to undergo linear oscillatory motion.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the movable mass is configured to undergo eccentric motion.

18. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a power source including one or more of a battery, a capacitor, or a wireless power source.

31. The device of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is wirelessly coupled to the power source.

32. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is remote-controlled.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is programmed.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to be monitored by one or more external sources.

35. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide one or more outputs to one or more external sources.

38. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more environmental parameters include one or more of pH or orientation of the untethered ingestible mass.

45. The device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic energy has a wavelength of approximately 408 nm.

47. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical energy source is configured to emit the electromagnetic energy in multiple directions.

53. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical energy source is configured emit the electromagnetic energy in a pH-dependent manner.

2-5. -5. (canceled)

8-11. -11. (canceled)

19-30. -30. (canceled)

36-37. -37. (canceled)

39-44. -44. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

48-52. -52. (canceled)

54-129. -129. (canceled)

130. A untethered device for inducing photodynamic death in a pathogen or a pathological tissue, the device comprising:

an untethered substantially spherical mass including,

a first optical energy source configured to emit a first electromagnetic energy that is selected to induce an auto-fluorescent response in at least some of the pathogen or the pathological tissue;

a sensor configured to detect the auto-fluorescent response;

control circuitry coupled to the sensor and configured to identify at least one target of the at least some of the pathogen or the pathological tissue by analyzing the auto-fluorescent response; and

a second energy source configured to emit a second electromagnetic energy that is selected to induce photodynamic death in the at least one target responsive to the control circuitry identifying the at least one target.

131. The untethered device of claim 130 wherein the untethered substantially spherical mass includes:

one or more controllable arms connected to and extending from an outer surface of the untethered substantially spherical mass; and

one or more paddles connected to corresponding ones of the one or more arms.

132. The untethered device of claim 131 wherein the untethered substantially spherical mass is configured to randomly rotate based on motion of the one or more arms.

133. The untethered device of claim 131 wherein at least some of the one or more paddles have different orientations from each other.

134. The untethered device of claim 130 wherein the untethered substantially spherical mass includes an outer surface that is covered with multiple openings.

135. The untethered device of claim 134 wherein the first optical energy source is configured to emit the first electromagnetic energy in multiple directions through the multiple openings in the outer surface of the untethered substantially spherical mass.

136. The untethered device of claim 134 wherein the induced autoflorescence is detected through multiple openings in the outer surface of the untethered substantially spherical mass.

137. The untethered device of claim 134 wherein the second optical energy source is configured to emit the second electromagnetic energy in multiple directions through the multiple openings in the outer surface of the untethered substantially spherical mass.

138. The untethered device of claim 134 wherein the multiple openings are spaced from one another and cover the substantially entire outer surface of the untethered substantially spherical mass.

139. The untethered device of claim 134, wherein the multiple openings are positioned on the outer surface to emit the first electromagnetic energy from the first optical energy source and the second electromagnetic energy from the second energy source radiating in all directions from the untethered substantially spherical mass.

140. The untethered device of claim 139, wherein the multiple openings are positioned on the outer surface to detect at the sensors the auto-fluorescence received from all directions at the untethered substantially spherical mass.

141. The untethered device of claim 130 wherein the pathogen includes H. pylori.

142. The untethered device of claim 130 wherein the untethered substantially spherical mass includes a central core configured to pass the pathogen or pathological tissue therethrough.

143. The untethered device of claim 142 wherein the second electromagnetic energy is selected to induce photodynamic death of the pathogen or pathological tissue passing through the central core of the untethered substantially spherical mass.

144. A untethered device for inducing photodynamic death in a pathogen or a pathological tissue, the device comprising:

an untethered substantially spherical mass including an outer surface covered with multiple openings, the untethered substantially spherical mass including,

a first optical energy source configured to emit a first electromagnetic energy in multiple directions through the multiple openings, the first electromagnetic energy selected to induce an auto-fluorescent response in at least some of the pathogen or the pathological tissue;

a sensor configured to detect the auto-fluorescent through the multiple openings in the outer surface;

control circuitry coupled to the sensor and configured to identify at least one target of the at least some of the pathogen or the pathological tissue by analyzing the auto-fluorescent response; and

a second energy source configured to emit a second electromagnetic energy in multiple directions through the multiple openings, the second electromagnetic energy selected to induce photodynamic death in the at least one target responsive to the control circuitry identifying the at least one target.

145. The untethered device of claim 144, wherein the multiple openings are positioned on the outer surface to emit the first electromagnetic energy from the first optical energy source and the second electromagnetic energy from the second energy source radiating in all directions from the untethered substantially spherical mass.

146. The untethered device of claim 145, wherein the multiple openings are positioned on the outer surface to detect at the sensors the auto-fluorescence received from all directions at the untethered substantially spherical mass.