Phototherapy methods and systems
First Claim
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1. A method for treating a proliferative skin disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
- performing at least two different optical diagnostics on a selected area of the patient'"'"'s skin, wherein each diagnostic independently provides a positive indication when the skin disorder is present in the selected area;
determining from the optical diagnostics whether the selected area is affected by the skin disorder based on whether each diagnostic provides the positive indication; and
if the selected area is determined to be affected by the skin disorder, delivering an effective dose of phototherapeutic radiation to the selected area.
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Abstract
The invention features methods and systems for treating inflammatory, proliferative skin disorders, such as psoriasis, with ultraviolet phototherapy. The methods and systems use optical techniques to scan a patient'"'"'s skin, designate areas of affected skin, and selectively deliver high doses of phototherapeutic ultraviolet radiation to the designated areas. To insure that only affected areas of skin affected are designated for the high doses of UV radiation, the methods and systems use one or more optical diagnostics that relate to independent physiological features of affected skin.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for treating a proliferative skin disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
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performing at least two different optical diagnostics on a selected area of the patient'"'"'s skin, wherein each diagnostic independently provides a positive indication when the skin disorder is present in the selected area;
determining from the optical diagnostics whether the selected area is affected by the skin disorder based on whether each diagnostic provides the positive indication; and
if the selected area is determined to be affected by the skin disorder, delivering an effective dose of phototherapeutic radiation to the selected area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
constructing a digital map of areas of the patient'"'"'s skin affected by the skin disorder by repeating the performing and determining steps for additional selected areas; and
delivering effective doses of phototherapeutic radiation to at least one of the affected areas indicated on the map.
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18. The method of claim 17, wherein the effective doses of phototherapeutic radiation are delivered to each of the affected areas indicated on the map.
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19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
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performing an additional optical diagnostic on each of the areas indicated on the map to confirm that these areas are affected and designating the confirmed areas as treatment areas; and
delivering an effective dose of phototherapeutic radiation to at least one of the treatment areas.
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20. The method of claim 17, wherein the constructing step is completed before the delivering step.
Specification