Method of locating and marking veins

• US 5,678,555 A
• Filed: 04/08/1996
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G.T.G., Inc.
• Original Assignee: G.T.G., Inc.
• Inventors: O'Connell, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIELDS, DERRICK LAMAR
• Application Number:
  US08/629,021
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 128/664, 128/665, 128/736, 374/121, 374/124, 374/129
• US Class Current: 600/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels

Abstract

A method for locating blood vessels in a live human body utilizing infrared scanning and imaging techniques to distinguish relative temperature differences between blood carrying vessels and surrounding human tissue. An infrared imaging camera is used to detect the emissions of an object to differentiate the specific elevated surface temperature associated with blood vessels in a human body and surrounding tissue and marking same by the introduction of a marking device visible through temperature differentiation within the infrared imaging field.

Claims

1. A method of locating and marking blood vessels in a live human patient utilizing infrared radiation emissions comprising;

providing an infrared imaging camera and processor, providing a live human to be scanned by the infrared imaging camera, detecting a selected target area on the human to be scanned, determining relative temperature difference on the surface of the patient between the blood carrying vessel and associated human tissue by detecting discernible infrared wave length radiation from said live human, providing a location marking device to be introduced into the target area to mark the located blood vessel on the surface of said patient.

2. The method of locating and marking blood carrying veins set forth in claim 1 wherein said location marker device provides a temporary visible mark on the patient associated with the exact location of said blood carrying vessels.

3. The method of locating and marking blood carrying vessels in a live patient set forth in claim 1 wherein said imaging camera and processor has an effective temperature range between -20 degrees centigrade to 500 degrees centigrade, a minimum discernable temperature of 0.06 degrees centigrade to 30 degrees centigrade, a spectral range of 8-12 microns and a source of power and view screen associated therewith.