Non-invasive sensor having controllable temperature feature
First Claim
1. A method of determining at least one parameter of a region of tissue of a body having a temperature, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) modulating said temperature of said region of tissue of said body part between at least two values of temperature, whereby temperature of said region of tissue of said body part is controlled;
(b) introducing light at at least one wavelength into said region of tissue of said body part at a surface of said body part and measuring light that is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by said region of tissue of said body part from an average sampling depth that is confined within said temperature controlled region of tissue of said body part, said average sampling depth not exceeding about 2 mm;
(c) measuring at least one optical property of said region of tissue of said body part, at at least on wavelength, as a function of temperature, to obtain an optical, measurement; and
(d) analyzing the optical measurement of (c) to obtain a determination of said at least one parameter of said region of tissue of said body part, wherein said at least one parameter is the presence or concentration of glucose in said region of tissue of said body part.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for non-invasively measuring at least one parameter of a sample, such as the presence or concentration of an analyte, in a body part wherein the temperature is controlled. The present invention measures light that is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by the sample from an average sampling depth, dav, that is confined within a temperature controlled region in the tissue. This average sampling depth is preferably less than 2 mm, and more preferably less than 1 mm. Confining the sampling depth into the tissue is achieved by appropriate selection of the separation between the source and the detector and the illumination wavelengths. In another aspect, the invention involves a method and apparatus for non-invasively measuring at least one parameter of a body part with temperature stepping. In another aspect, the invention involves a method and apparatus for non-invasively measuring at least one parameter of a body part with temperature modulation. In another aspect, the invention provides an improved method of measuring at least one parameter of a tissue sample comprising the steps of:
(a) lowering the temperature of said tissue sample to a temperature that is lower than the normal physiological temperature of the body; and
(b) determining at least one optical property of said tissue sample.
231 Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A method of determining at least one parameter of a region of tissue of a body having a temperature, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) modulating said temperature of said region of tissue of said body part between at least two values of temperature, whereby temperature of said region of tissue of said body part is controlled;
(b) introducing light at at least one wavelength into said region of tissue of said body part at a surface of said body part and measuring light that is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by said region of tissue of said body part from an average sampling depth that is confined within said temperature controlled region of tissue of said body part, said average sampling depth not exceeding about 2 mm;
(c) measuring at least one optical property of said region of tissue of said body part, at at least on wavelength, as a function of temperature, to obtain an optical, measurement; and
(d) analyzing the optical measurement of (c) to obtain a determination of said at least one parameter of said region of tissue of said body part, wherein said at least one parameter is the presence or concentration of glucose in said region of tissue of said body part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 35)
-
-
17. A method of measuring at least one parameter of a region of tissue of a body part at a give temperature, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) decreasing the temperature of said region of tissue of said body part to a temperature that is at or below the normal physiological temperature of said region of tissue of said body part, whereby temperature of said region of tissue of said body part is controlled;
(b) introducing light at at least one wavelength into said region of tissue of said body part at a surface of said body part and measuring light that is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by said body part from an average sampling depth that is confined within said temperature controlled region of tissue of said body part, said average sampling depth not exceeding about 2 mm;
(c) determining at least one optical property of said region of tissue of said body part at said decreased temperature of step (a);
(d) introducing light at at least one wavelength into said region of tissue of said body part at a surface of said body part and measuring light that is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by said body part from an average sampling depth that is confined within said temperature controlled region of tissue of said body part;
(e) increasing the temperature of said region of tissue of said body part to a temperature above the normal physiological temperature of said region of tissue of said body part, whereby temperature of said region of tissue of said body part is controlled;
(f) determining at least one optical property of said region of tissue of said body part at said increased temperature of step (e); and
(g) analyzing the optical properties determined in steps (c) and (f) to obtain a measurement of said at least one parameter of said region of tissue of said body part, wherein said at least one parameter is the presence or concentration of glucose in said region of tissue of said body part. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A method of measuring at least one parameter of a region of tissue of a body part, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) adjusting the temperature of said region of tissue of said body part to a temperature that is substantially the same as the normal core temperature of said body part, whereby temperature of said region of tissue of said body part is controlled;
(b) introducing light at at least one wavelength into said region of tissue of said body part at a surface of said body part and measuring light that is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by said region of tissue of said body part from an average sampling depth that is confined within said temperature controlled region of tissue of said body part, said average sampling depth not exceeding about 2 mm;
(c) determining at least one optical property of said region of tissue of said body part at said temperature of step (a);
(d) decreasing the temperature of said region of tissue of said body part to a temperature that is at least five degrees lower than the core temperature of said body part;
(e) determining at least one optical property of said region of tissue of said body part at said decreased temperature of step (d);
(f) increasing the temperature of said region of tissue of said body part to a temperature that is above the normal core temperature of said body part;
(g) determining at least one optical property of said region of tissue of said body part at said increased temperature of step (f); and
(h) analyzing the measurements of steps (c), (e), and (g) to obtain a measurement of said at least one parameter of said region of tissue of said body part, wherein said at least one parameter is the presence or concentration of glucose in said region of tissue of said body part. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. An apparatus for measuring concentration of glucose in a region of tissue of a body part comprising:
-
(a) a temperature controlling element adapted to conform to the surface of said body part, said temperature controlling element capable of controlling the temperature of said region of tissue of said body part;
(b) at least one light transmitting element and at least one light collecting element located within said temperature controlling element (a), said at lest one light transmitting element and said at lest one light collecting element positioned so that light that is measured is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by said region of tissue of said body part from an average sampling depth that is confined within said temperature controlled region of said body part, said average sampling depth not exceeding about 2 mm;
(c) at least one light source for providing light to said at least one light transmitting element to illuminate said region of tissue of said body part subject to temperature control and at least one detector to measure intensity of light collected from said at least one light collecting element; and
(d) a signal processor to determine an optical property of said region of tissue of said body part, said temperature controlling element capable of controlling the temperature of an area of the body part that is larger than the area of the body part being sampled by the at least one light source and at least one detector. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
-
Specification