Apparatus and method for calibrating a near-infrared interactance probe

• US 4,990,772 A
• Filed: 04/11/1990
• Issued: 02/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Futrex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Futrex, Inc.
• Inventors: Rosenthal, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIELDS, CAROLYN
• Application Number:
  US07/507,542
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 250/341, 250/252.1 A, 250/358.1
• US Class Current: 250/252.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0233 Optical standards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat

Abstract

A probe for near-infrared interactance quantitative analysis is calibrated by placing the near-infrared source and detector within a cavity of a calibrating sleeve. The cavity provides a reflectance value that corresponds to an interactance calibration value for which the probe is being calibrated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for calibrating a probe for near-infrared interactance quantitative analysis, the calibrating apparatus comprising a near-infrared-opaque body, means defining a cavity in the body having a bottom portion with a predetermined geometrical shape, and means for positioning a near-infrared interactance light probe having a near-infrared source and detector within the cavity of the body with the bottom portion of the cavity spaced away from said source and said detector a distance that provides the bottom portion of the cavity with a reflectance value that corresponds to an interactance calibration value for which the probe is being calibrated, so as to reflect sufficient near-infrared radiation emitted from said source to said detector for calibrating the probe for use in an interactance mode.

2. A method for calibrating a near-infrared interactance probe for quantitative analysis of a material, comprising:

(a) providing a near-infrared-opaque body having a cavity therein with a bottom portion having a predetermined geometrical shape;

(b) positioning a near-infrared interactance probe, having a near-infrared source and detector, within the cavity of the body with the bottom portion of the cavity spaced away from said source and said detector a distance that provides the bottom portion of the cavity with a reflectance value that corresponds to an interactance calibration value for which the probe is being calibrated, so as to reflect sufficient near-infrared radiation emitted from such source to said detector for calibrating the probe for use in an interactance mode; and

(c) calibrating the probe while positioned as in step (b).