Temperature probe
First Claim
1. A temperature probe adapted to be implanted in a material whose temperature is to be measured, said temperature probe comprising:
- an optical fiber bundle having at least one distinct group of optic fibers for optically conducting light between one end thereof and the other;
a temperature sensitive element located at one end of said optical fiber bundle, said temperature sensitive element having temperature sensitive luminescent properties and being adapted to be implanted in such material whose temperature is to be measured;
means located at one of said optical fiber bundle for exciting said temperature sensitive element; and
light responsive detection means located at the other end of said optical fiber bundle from said temperature sensitive element for detecting light directed from said temperature sensitive element and passed through said optical fiber bundle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A temperature probe measures temperature changes within biological material while the tissue is being irradiated with microwaves. In order to measure tissue temperatures accurately a probe must be designed to function in a microwave field while causing minimum perturbation to the microwave field. This generally requires a probe being constructed of dielectric (non-metallic) material which utilizes physical phenomena which are thermally dependent yet unaffected by electromagnetic fields at the field strength and frequencies of interest. In one embodiment the structure of the probe basically includes an optical fiber bundle for conducting light both toward and away from a temperature sensitive luminescent element located at one end of the optical fiber bundle, the source for exciting the temperature sensitive element and a light responsive detection element located at the output end of the optical fiber bundle for detecting light emitted from the temperature sensitive element which is temperature dependent. The light received by the light responsive detection element can be analyzed with regard to several parameters (intensity, frequency and phase) and thereby used for indicating the temperature of the biological sample or tissue.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A temperature probe adapted to be implanted in a material whose temperature is to be measured, said temperature probe comprising:
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an optical fiber bundle having at least one distinct group of optic fibers for optically conducting light between one end thereof and the other; a temperature sensitive element located at one end of said optical fiber bundle, said temperature sensitive element having temperature sensitive luminescent properties and being adapted to be implanted in such material whose temperature is to be measured; means located at one of said optical fiber bundle for exciting said temperature sensitive element; and light responsive detection means located at the other end of said optical fiber bundle from said temperature sensitive element for detecting light directed from said temperature sensitive element and passed through said optical fiber bundle.
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2. A temperature probe adapted to be implanted in a material whose temperature is to be measured, said temperature probe comprising:
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an optical fiber bundle having a first group and a second group of optical fibers which are physically separated at one end of said bundle; a temperature sensitive element having temperature sensitive luminescent properties, said temperature sensitive element being located at the other end of said bundle and being adapted to be implanted in such material whose temperature is to be measured; light source located proximate said first group of optical fibers at said one end of said bundle, said light from said source optically passing through said first bundle to excite said temperature sensitive element; and light responsive detection means located proximate said second group of optical fibers at said one end of said bundle, said light emitted from said temperature sensitive element passing through said second bundle to said light responsive detection means. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A temperature probe adapted to be implanted in a material whose temperature is to be measured, said temperature probe comprising:
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an optical fiber bundle having at least one optical fiber; a temperature sensitive element having temperature sensitive luminescent properties and having the property of emitting radiation at a different frequency than that it absorbs, said temperature sensitive element being located at one end of said bundle and being adapted to be implanted in such material whose temperature is to be measured; light source located proximate the other end of said bundle, said light source having a given frequency spectrum; means proximate said other end for separating the light passed from said source toward said temperature sensitive element from that being emitted from said temperature sensitive element; and light responsive detection means located proximate said other end of said bundle, said light responsive detection means including means for detecting the light emitted from said light sensitive element as a function of the change in temperature of said temperature response element. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A temperature probe adapted to be implanted in a material whose temperature is to be measured, said temperature probe comprising:
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an optical bundle having at least one optical fiber; a temperature sensitive element having temperature sensitive luminescent properties, said temperature sensitive element being radioactive and being located at one end of said bundle and being adapted to be implanted in such material whose temperature is to be measured; a radioactive source located proximate said temperature sensitive element for exciting said temperature sensitive element; and light responsive detection means located proximate the other end of said bundle for detecting the emission response of said temperature sensitive element as a function of its temperature. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A temperature probe adapted to be implanted in a material whose temperature is to be measured, said temperature probe comprising:
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an optical bundle having at least one optical fiber; a temperature sensitive element having radioactive and luminescent temperature sensitive properties, said temperature sensitive element being located at one end of said bundle and being adapted to be implanted in such material whose temperature is to be measured; light responsive detection means located proximate the other end of said bundle for detecting the emission response of said temperature sensitive element as a function of its temperature. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification