Method and apparatus for measuring oxygen partial pressure and temperature in living tissue
First Claim
1. Apparatus for measuring at least one characteristic of living tissue comprising oxygen partial pressure, temperature, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, specific absorption rate, and perfusion in living tissue at a plurality of locations in said tissue, which comprises a thin probe substrate having a cross-section sufficiently small to permit insertion of said thin probe into said tissue, a plurality of thermal sensors secured spatially separated sites along the length of said probe substrate, a plurality of oxygen sensors positioned at spatially separated sites along the length of said probe substrate, means for polarizing said oxygen sensors, each of said oxygen sensors being positioed within 100 μ
- m or less or comprises a portion of one of said thermal sensors, each of said oxygen sensors and said thermal sensors being sufficiently small to permit insertion of said thin probe, said oxygen sensors and said thermal sensors into said tissue, electrical connecting means for supplying known electrical excitation to each of said thermal sensors, said thermal sensors having electrical resistance means for sensing electrical resistance of said thermal sensors means for sensing the direct current produced by said oxygen sensors when said oxygen sensors are polarized and means for converting said resistance and said direct current to said at least one characteristic.
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Abstract
Oxygen partial pressure and temperature are measured in living tissue by inserting a thin probe into living tissue. The probe includes a plurality of spatially separated thermal sensors secured to the probe substrate. A plurality of oxygen sensors is positioned along the length of the probe substrate and each oxygen sensor is associated with and positioned adjacent to or is an integral part of one of the thermal sensors. Electrical parameters of the sensors located on the probe are measured and used to determine oxygen partial pressure and to determine temperature at each of a plurality of sites along the probe.
80 Citations
7 Claims
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1. Apparatus for measuring at least one characteristic of living tissue comprising oxygen partial pressure, temperature, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, specific absorption rate, and perfusion in living tissue at a plurality of locations in said tissue, which comprises a thin probe substrate having a cross-section sufficiently small to permit insertion of said thin probe into said tissue, a plurality of thermal sensors secured spatially separated sites along the length of said probe substrate, a plurality of oxygen sensors positioned at spatially separated sites along the length of said probe substrate, means for polarizing said oxygen sensors, each of said oxygen sensors being positioed within 100 μ
- m or less or comprises a portion of one of said thermal sensors, each of said oxygen sensors and said thermal sensors being sufficiently small to permit insertion of said thin probe, said oxygen sensors and said thermal sensors into said tissue, electrical connecting means for supplying known electrical excitation to each of said thermal sensors, said thermal sensors having electrical resistance means for sensing electrical resistance of said thermal sensors means for sensing the direct current produced by said oxygen sensors when said oxygen sensors are polarized and means for converting said resistance and said direct current to said at least one characteristic.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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