Method for representations of network-dependent features of the hemoglobin signal in living tissues for detection of breast cancer and other applications

• US 20180110458A1
• Filed: 10/13/2017
• Published: 04/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Photon Migration Technologies Corp., Slb Innovations Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Photon Migration Technologies Corp., Slb Innovations Group, LLC
• Inventors: Barbour, Randall L., Graber, Harry L., Barbour, San-Lian S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,105,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/02 specially adapted for a particular organ or body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/004 adapted for image acquisition of a particular organ or body part A61B5/0082 takes precedence; arrangements for optical scanning A61B5/0062
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• 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 5/0091 for mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4312 Breast evaluation or disorder diagnosis A61B5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

A non-invasive method of detecting anomalous tissue, such as cancerous or injured tissue, in a patient. At least two hemoglobin signal components of hemoglobin levels in at least one segment of tissue of the patient are non-invasively measured over time. Time varying changes of at least a first of the hemoglobin signal components are measured with respect to at least time varying changes of a second of the hemoglobin signal components. A co-varying coordinate system of the time varying changes is generated. Any anomalous tissue in the measured segment of tissue is detected from a signature of the measured segment of tissue in the co-varying coordinate system which differs from a signature of non-anomalous tissue in the co-varying coordinate system. Preferably, five hemoglobin signal components are measured: oxyHb, deoxyHb, total Hb (totalHb=oxyHb+deoxy Hb), Hb oxygen saturation (HbO₂Sat=(oxyHb/totalHb)*100), and tissue-hemoglobin oxygen exchange HbO₂Exc (deoxyHb−oxyHb).

Claims

1. A non-invasive method of detecting breast cancer in a patient, comprising the steps of:

non-invasively measuring at least two hemoglobin signal components of hemoglobin levels in at least one breast of the patient over time;

measuring first time varying changes of at least a first of said hemoglobin signal components with respect to at least second time varying changes of a second of said hemoglobin signal components;

generating a co-varying coordinate system of said plurality of time varying changes; and

detecting any cancerous tissue in the measured breast from a signature of the measured breast in said co-varying coordinate system which differs from a signature of non-cancerous tissue in said co-varying coordinate system.

2. A non-invasive method of detecting breast cancer in a patient according to claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting transitions of said hemoglobin signal components from at least one hemoglobin state to another hemoglobin state;

determining rates of said transitions;

mapping values of said rates of said transitions; and

discerning patterns in said values indicative of presence or absence of cancerous tissue.

3. A non-invasive method of detecting breast cancer in a patient according to claim 1, wherein five hemoglobin signal components are measured:

oxyHb, deoxyHb, total Hb (totalHb=oxyHb+deoxy Hb), Hb oxygen saturation (HbO₂Sat=(oxyHb/totalHb)*100), and tissue-hemoglobin oxygen exchange HbO₂Exc (deoxyHb−

oxyHb).

4. A non-invasive method of detecting breast cancer in a patient according to claim 1, wherein said first measuring step further comprises the step of measuring the tissue optically.

5. A non-invasive method of detecting breast cancer in a patient according to claim 4, wherein said optical measuring step further comprises the steps of:

illuminating the breast with light; and

measuring at least one of diffusely transmitted or back-reflected light from the breast.

6. A non-invasive method of detecting anomalous tissue in a patient, comprising the steps of:

non-invasively measuring at least two hemoglobin signal components of hemoglobin levels in at least one segment of tissue of the patient over time;

measuring first time varying changes of at least a first of said hemoglobin signal components with respect to at least second time varying changes of a second of said hemoglobin signal components;

generating a co-varying coordinate system of said plurality of time varying changes; and

detecting any anomalous tissue in the measured segment of tissue from a signature of the measured segment of tissue in said co-varying coordinate system which differs from a signature of non-anomalous tissue in said co-varying coordinate system.

7. A non-invasive method of detecting anomalous tissue in a patient according to claim 6, further comprising the step of detecting transitions of said hemoglobin signal components from at least one hemoglobin state to another hemoglobin state;

determining rates of said transitions;

mapping values of said rates of said transitions; and

discerning patterns in said values indicative of presence or absence of anomalous tissue.

8. A non-invasive method of detecting anomalous tissue in a patient according to claim 6, wherein five hemoglobin signal components are measured:

oxyHb, deoxyHb, total Hb (totalHb=oxyHb+deoxy Hb), Hb oxygen saturation (HbO₂Sat=(oxyHb/totalHb)*100), and tissue-hemoglobin oxygen exchange HbO₂Exc (deoxyHb−

oxyHb).

9. A non-invasive method of detecting anomalous tissue in a patient according to claim 6, wherein said first measuring step further comprises the step of measuring the tissue optically.

10. A non-invasive method of detecting anomalous tissue in a patient according to claim 9, wherein said optical measuring step further comprises the steps of:

illuminating the segment of tissue with light; and

measuring at least one of diffusely transmitted or back-reflected light from the segment of tissue.

11. A non-invasive method of detecting anomalous tissue in a patient according to claim 6, wherein the anomalous tissue to be detected comprises at least one of cancerous tissue or injured tissue.