Spectral bio-imaging of the eye

• US 6,419,361 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Spectral Imaging Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Applied Spectral Imaging Ltd.
• Inventors: Adel, Michael, Cabib, Dario, Buckwald, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US09/752,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 351/205, 351/206, 351/221, 600/443, 600/452, 435/7.21, 606/4, 606/5
• US Class Current: 351/221
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/10 Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14555 specially adapted for the eye fundus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6816 characterised by the detection means C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6841 In situ hybridisation
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6883 for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/2866 Markers; Calibrating of scan
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/12 Generating the spectrum; Monochromators
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/1256 using acousto-optic tunable filter; acousto-optic elements or systems G02F1/11, G02F1/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/26 using multiple reflection, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, variable interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2823 Imaging spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4406 Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/453 by correlation of the amplitudes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4535 Devices with moving mirror G01J3/4532 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6417 Spectrofluorimetric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6423 Spectral mapping, video display
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6441 with two or more labels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6456 : Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 : Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5005 : involving human or animal cells immunoassay G01N33/56966; immunoassays of protozoa G01N33/56905; protozoa in screening assays C12Q1/025
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56966 : Animal cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/582 : with fluorescent label
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/88 : Image or video recognition using optical means, e.g. reference filters, holographic masks, frequency domain filters or spatial domain filters
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/69 : Microscopic objects, e.g. biological cells or cellular parts

Abstract

A spectral bio-imaging method for enhancing pathologic, physiologic, metabolic and health related spectral signatures of an eye tissue, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing an optical device for eye inspection being optically connected to a spectral imager; (b) illuminating the eye tissue with light via the iris, viewing the eye tissue through the optical device and spectral imager and obtaining a spectrum of light for each pixel of the eye tissue; and (c) attributing each of the pixels a color according to its spectral signature, thereby providing an image enhancing the spectral signatures of the eye tissue.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating a medical condition of a patient comprising the step of enhancing spectral signatures of an eye tissue of the patient by:

(a) providing an optical device for eye inspection being optically connected to a spectral imager;

(b) illuminating the eye tissue of the patient with light via the iris, viewing the eye tissue through said optical device and spectral imager and obtaining a light spectrum for each pixel of the eye tissue;

(c) attributing each of said pixels a color according to its spectral signature, thereby providing an image enhancing the spectral signatures of the eye tissue; and

(d) using said image to evaluate the medical condition of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said medical condition is selected from the group consisting of diabetic retinopathy, ischemia of the eye, glaucoma, macular degeneration, CMV eye infection, retinitis, choroidal ischemia, acute sectorial choroidal ischemia, ischemic optic neuropathy, and corneal and iris problems.

3. A display comprising an image presenting an eye tissue, wherein each pixel in said image is assigned a color according to an electromagnetic spectral signature of a tissue element from which it is derived, thereby enhancing the electromagnetic spectral signature of the eye tissue.

4. A spectral bio-imaging method for obtaining a spectrum of a region of an eye tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an optical device for eye inspection being optically connected to a spectral imager;

(b) illuminating the eye tissue with light via the iris, viewing the eye tissue through said optical device and spectral imager and obtaining a spectrum of light for each pixel of the eye tissue; and

(c) displaying a spectrum associated with said region.