In vivo tissue analysis methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. An analyzer for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
- a source of electromagnetic radiation to emit electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized;
a spectrometer adapted to be optically coupled to said tissue to detect electromagnetic radiation, having a detection spectra output corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected radiation in response to at least a portion of said electromagnetic radiation having passed through the tissue to be characterized; and
a signal processor connected to the spectrometer output, having a library of known spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types, wherein said processor is operable to relate said detection spectra to said library to identify the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, and generate a first output signal characterizing the identified tissue type.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tool for nondestructive interrogation of the tissue including a light source emitter and detector which may be mounted directly on the surgical tool in a tissue contacting surface for interrogation or mounted remotely and guided to the surgical field with fiber optic cables. The light source may be broadband and wavelength differentiation can be accomplished at the detector via filters or gratings, or using time, frequency, or space resolved methods. Alternatively, n discrete monochromatic light sources may be provided which are subsequently multiplexed into a single detector by time or by frequency multiplexing. The optical sensing elements can be built into a surgical tool end effector tip such as a tissue grasping tool which has cooperating jaws (bivalve or multi-element). In the preferred embodiment the light source (or the fiber optic guide) is mounted on one jaw and the detector (or fiber optic guide) is mounted in the opposing jaw so that the light emitter and detector are facing one another either directly (i.e., on the same optical axis when the tool is closed) or acutely (i.e., with intersecting optical axes so that the light emitted is detected). In this case, the sensor is working in a transmission modality. Arrangements with the optical components mounted on the same member of a single member or a multi member structure, operating in a reflective modality, are disclosed.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An analyzer for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation to emit electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; a spectrometer adapted to be optically coupled to said tissue to detect electromagnetic radiation, having a detection spectra output corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected radiation in response to at least a portion of said electromagnetic radiation having passed through the tissue to be characterized; and a signal processor connected to the spectrometer output, having a library of known spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types, wherein said processor is operable to relate said detection spectra to said library to identify the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, and generate a first output signal characterizing the identified tissue type. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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launching electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; detecting electromagnetic radiation that has been modified by passage through said tissue as a detection spectra corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected electromagnetic radiation; providing a library of spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types; processing the detection spectra and relating said detection spectra to said library; and identifying the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, thereby to characterize the identified tissue. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An analyzer for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation to emit electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; a spectrometer adapted to be optically coupled to said tissue to detect electromagnetic radiation, having a detection spectra output corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected radiation in response to at least a portion of said electromagnetic radiation having passed through the tissue to be characterized; and a signal processor connected to the spectrometer output, having a library of known spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types, wherein said library includes a set of spectra records corresponding to a sequence of effects of a surgical intervention on a blood carrying tissue including normal blood flow, coagulated blood and over-coagulated blood in said tissue, wherein the blood carrying tissue contains at least one of an artery, a vein, and a capillary bed, wherein said processor is operable to relate said detection spectra to said library to identify the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, and generate a first output signal characterizing the identified tissue type. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. An analyzer for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation to emit electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; a spectrometer adapted to be optically coupled to said tissue to detect electromagnetic radiation, having a detection spectra output corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected radiation in response to at least a portion of said electromagnetic radiation having passed through the tissue to be characterized; and a signal processor connected to the spectrometer output, having a library of known spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types, wherein said processor is operable to relate said detection spectra to said library to identify the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, and generate a first output signal characterizing the identified tissue type, wherein said signal processor further comprises means for averaging multiple ones of said detection spectra over time and improving an accuracy level of the first output signal. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. An analyzer for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation to emit electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; a spectrometer adapted to be optically coupled to said tissue to detect electromagnetic radiation, having a detection spectra output corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected radiation in response to at least a portion of said amount of said electromagnetic radiation having passed through the tissue to be characterized; and a signal processor connected to the spectrometer output, having a library of known spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types, wherein said processor is operable to relate said detection spectra to said library to identify the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, and generate a first output signal characterizing the identified tissue type, wherein said signal processor further comprises means for providing a second output signal corresponding to a probabilistic strength of the first output signal.
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37. A method for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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launching electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; detecting electromagnetic radiation that has been modified by passage through said tissue as a detection spectra corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected electromagnetic radiation; providing a library of spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types including a set of spectra records corresponding to a sequence of effects of a surgical intervention on a blood carrying tissue including normal blood flow, coagulated blood and over-coagulated blood in said tissue, wherein the blood carrying tissue contains at least one of an artery, a vein, and a capillary bed; processing the detection spectra and relating said detection spectra to said library; and identifying the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, thereby to characterize the identified tissue. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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launching electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; detecting electromagnetic radiation that has been modified by passage through said tissue as a detection spectra corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected electromagnetic radiation; providing a library of spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types; processing the detection spectra and relating said detection spectra to said library; and identifying the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, thereby to characterize the identified tissue; wherein processing the detection spectrum further comprises averaging multiple ones of said detection spectra over time, thereby to improve an accuracy level of tissue characterization. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method for characterizing tissue in vivo comprising:
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launching electromagnetic radiation into a tissue to be characterized; detecting electromagnetic radiation that has been modified by passage through said tissue as a detection spectra corresponding to at least one preselected wavelength of the detected electromagnetic radiation; providing a library of spectra records corresponding to a plurality of known tissue types; processing the detection spectra by and relating said detection spectra to said library; identifying the detection spectra as corresponding to one of one of said plurality of known tissue types in said library and none of said plurality of known tissue types, thereby to characterize the identified tissue; and providing a signal corresponding to a probabilistic strength of the tissue characterization.
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Specification