Method of living system organism diagnostics and apparatus for its realization

• US 5,865,167 A
• Filed: 11/30/1995
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DOBI Medical Systems, Inc. (IBOD Imaging, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dynamic Imaging Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Godik, Eduard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahr, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): YARNELL, BRYAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/565,747
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 128/633, 128/664-667, 356/39-41, 600/310, 600/473, 600/474, 600/475, 600/476-479
• US Class Current: 600/310
• 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 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of diagnostics of living organism state and an apparatus for its realization, comprising the steps of (i) illuminating living organism surface (1) with electromagnetic radiation from source (2) of optical wavelength range from 0.3 to 2.0μ, (ii) receiving transmitted through or back scattered by the living organism radiation by detectors (3 and 4), (iii) with the help of sequentially connected commutator (5), analog-to-digital converter (6) and input-output controller (7), spatial distribution of at least one parameter, characterizing transmittance and/or back scattering by living organism radiation in the computer system (8) is performed sequentially and continuously in time. At the above mentioned spatial distributions, spatial regions are revealed, differing from each other by at least one parameter, characterizing their temporal changes, and the revealed regions are recorded as a functional map of physiological processes taking place in living organism.

Claims

1. An apparatus for diagnostics of a living organism, organ or tissue, comprising:

a source of optical radiation of predetermined intensity providing a beam of said optical radiation having a wavelength range from 0.3 to 2.0 μ

m for illuminating a preselected portion of said living organism;

means optically aligned with a portion of said living organism opposite said preselected portion for detecting the intensity of said radiation transmitted through said living organism and providing a signal representative thereof;

means optically aligned adjacent said portion of said living organism for detecting the intensity of said radiation backscattered therefrom and providing a signal representative thereof;

an interface system including;

means operably connected to both of said detecting means for receiving said signals therefrom and providing sequential analog signals for processing,

means operably connected to said means for receiving said signals from said detecting means for converting said analog signals to digital signals,

an input/output controller operably connected to said converting means, said input/output controller including means for receiving said digital signals for transfer to a computer system and for receiving information from said computer system for transfer of said information back to both of said detecting means; and

said computer system operably connected to said interface system, said computer system including means for receiving said digital signals, providing a temporal sequence of spatial maps, and converting said temporal sequence of spatial maps into at least one dynamic functional map representing spatial distribution of temporal changes to provide diagnostic information about functional conditions and synergy of physiological dynamics of said living organism under diagnosis.

2. The apparatus as defined in claims 1 further comprising means interconnected between said source and said interface system to substantially eliminate any temporal instability and inhomogeneities in the intensity of said source.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means interconnected between said source and said interface system to substantially eliminate any temporal instability and inhomogeneities in the intensity of said source comprises a beam splitter interposed between said source and said preselected portion of said living organism, a photodetector and an amplifier.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a sensor system operably interconnected to said source and said interface system, said sensor system including means adjacent said living organism for sensing at least one natural physiological rhythm of said living organism.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its respiration rhythm.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its cardiopulsation rhythm.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its muscle tremor rhythm.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for stroboscopically controlling said source to synchronize said beam output therefrom with a different one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means interposed between said source and said living organism for focusing said beam to at least one preselected point on said preselected portion.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means interposed between said source and said living organism for scanning said beam to a preselected number of points on said preselected portion.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means interposed between said source and said portion for spectrally filtering said beam of radiation.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means connected to said source for frequency modulating said source.

13. An apparatus for diagnostics of a living organism, comprising:

a source of optical radiation of predetermined intensity providing a beam of said optical radiation having a preselected wavelength range for illuminating a preselected portion of said living organism;

means optically aligned with a portion of said living organism opposite said preselected portion for detecting the intensity of said radiation transmitted through said living organism and providing a signal representative thereof;

means optically aligned adjacent said portion of said living organism for detecting the intensity of said radiation backscattered therefrom and providing a signal representative thereof;

an interface system including;

means operably connected to both of said detecting means for receiving said signals therefrom and providing sequential analog signals for processing,

means operably connected to said means for receiving said signals from said detecting means for converting said analog signals to digital signals,

an input/output controller operably connected to said converting means, said input/output controller including means for receiving said digital signals for transfer to a computer system and receiving information from said computer system for transfer of said information back to both of said detecting means;

a sensor system operably interconnected with said source and said interface system, said sensor system including means adjacent said living organism for sensing at least one natural physiological rhythm of said living organism;

said computer system operably connected to said interface system, said computer system including means for receiving said digital signals, providing a temporal sequence of spatial maps, and converting said temporal sequence of spatial maps into at least one dynamic functional map representing spatial distribution of temporal changes to provide diagnostic information about functional conditions and synergy of physiological dynamics of said living organism under diagnosis.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 further comprising means for stroboscopically controlling said source to synchronize said beam output therefrom with a different one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism.

15. A method of diagnostics of a living organism, comprising the steps of:

illuminating a preselected portion of said living organism with a beam of optical radiation having a wavelength range from 0.3 to 2.0 μ

m;

detecting backscattered radiation from said preselected portion and detecting transmitted radiation through said living organism;

continuously recording information obtained by detecting said backscattered and transmitted radiation;

providing a temporal sequence of spatial maps based on said recorded information; and

converting said temporal sequence of spatial maps into at least one dynamic functional map representing spatial distribution of temporal changes to provide diagnostic information about functional conditions and synergy of physiological dynamics of said living organism under diagnosis.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the step of selecting as said preselected portion of said living organism a skin area physiologically connected with an internal organ.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 further comprising the step of sensing at least one natural physiological rhythm of said living organism.

18. The method as defined in claim 17 further comprising the step of modulating by amplitude said beam of optical radiation synchronously with said at least one natural physiological rhythm of said living organism.

19. The method as defined in claim 17 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its respiration rhythm.

20. The method as defined in claim 17 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its cardiopulsation rhythm.

21. The method as defined in claim 17 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its muscle tremor rhythm.

22. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the step of modulating amplitude and/or frequency of said beam of optical radiation.

23. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the steps of concentrating said beam of radiation at a point on said portion of said living organism;

and

recording and analyzing temporal variations of radial distribution of said backscattered radiation around said beam.

24. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the step of spectral filtering said beam of radiation.

25. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

detecting spatial regions in sequentially recorded spatial distributions which are distinct from each other by at least one parameter;

characterizing their temporal change; and

recording and aggregating said spatial regions in the form of said dynamic functional map.

26. The method as defined in claim 25 further comprising the step of using as a distinctive parameter the cross correlation coefficient of said at least one parameter.

27. The method as defined in claim 25 further comprising the step of using as a distinctive parameter the velocity of temporal wave-like changes of said at least one parameter.

28. The method as defined in claim 25 further comprising the step of using as a distinctive parameter a frequency of temporal wave-like changes of said at least one parameter.

29. The method as defined in claim 25 further comprising the step of using as a distinctive parameter a temporal delay of changes of said at least one parameter.

30. The method as defined in claim 25 further comprising the step of using as a distinctive parameter a the number and position of extrema at temporal dynamics of said at least one parameter.

31. The method as defined in claim 25 wherein said recording step occurs synchronously with at least one natural physiological rhythm of said living organism.

32. The method as defined in claim 31 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its respiration rhythm.

33. The method as defined in claim 31 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its cardiopulsation rhythm.

34. The method as defined in claim 31 wherein one of said natural physiological rhythms of said living organism is its muscle tremor rhythm.

35. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the step of applying at least one external condition to said living organism.

36. The method as defined in claim 35 wherein vibration constitutes said external condition.

37. The method as defined in claim 36 further comprising the step of varying the frequency of said vibration.

38. The method as defined in claim 36 wherein an electric field constitutes said external condition.

39. The method as defined in claim 36 wherein a magnetic field constitutes said external condition.

40. The method of as defined in claim 39 further comprising the step of concentrating said magnetic field in an internal organ under diagnosis.

41. The method as defined in claim 35 wherein physical exercise constitutes said external condition.

42. The method as defined in claim 35 wherein ultrasound constitutes said external condition.

43. The method as defined in claim 42 further comprising the step of scanning an internal organ or deep tissue under diagnosis by said ultrasound.

44. The method as defined in claim 35 wherein pressure constitutes said external condition.

45. The method as defined in claim 44 further comprising the step of applying and/or removing said pressure for substantially less time than the time of physiological reaction of said living organism.

46. The method as defined in claim 45 further comprising the step of varying the time intervals between sequences of said applying and/or removing of said pressure.