Method and apparatus for minimizing spectral interference due to within and between sample variations during in-situ spectral sampling of tissue
First Claim
1. An interlace module for limiting sampling variation during in-situ spectral sampling at a tissue measurement site on an arm of a live subject, comprising:
- a base having a top surface, a bottom surface and opposing ends, said base defining an aperture that communicates from said bottom surface to said top surface;
an elbow support, said elbow support replaceably attached to said top surface at a first of said opposing ends;
a wrist support said wrist support replaceably attached to said top surface toward a second of said opposing ends; and
a hand support, said hand support slideably attached to said base at said second of said opposing ends and protruding from said opposing end;
said interface module configured to receive said arm so that said arm is supported in a comfortable position and reproducibly positioned in relation to a fiber optic probe;
wherein said supports limit contact of said arm with said interface module to distinct registration points; and
wherein said interface module is customizable to individual subjects.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for reproducibly interfacing a living tissue sample to the measurement probe of a spectrometer instrument in-situ minimizes spectral interference related to sampling variations. A minimal contact subject interface includes supports replaceably mounted on a base. An optical coupling means, such as a fiber optic probe, contacts the measurement site through a probe aperture in the base. During use, a subject rests an extremity on the support elements, so that the extremity is reproducibly positioned and supported in relation to the optical coupling means. The supports have a small contact area, minimizing contact with the skin at the measurement site. The interface module is adjustable to fit any subject.
By reproducibly positioning and supporting the body appendage using minimal contact supports, spectral interference due to variations in placement, applied pressure, and temperature transients secondary to contact with the interface module are greatly minimized.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. An interlace module for limiting sampling variation during in-situ spectral sampling at a tissue measurement site on an arm of a live subject, comprising:
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a base having a top surface, a bottom surface and opposing ends, said base defining an aperture that communicates from said bottom surface to said top surface;
an elbow support, said elbow support replaceably attached to said top surface at a first of said opposing ends;
a wrist support said wrist support replaceably attached to said top surface toward a second of said opposing ends; and
a hand support, said hand support slideably attached to said base at said second of said opposing ends and protruding from said opposing end;
said interface module configured to receive said arm so that said arm is supported in a comfortable position and reproducibly positioned in relation to a fiber optic probe;
wherein said supports limit contact of said arm with said interface module to distinct registration points; and
wherein said interface module is customizable to individual subjects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An interface module for limiting sampling variation during in-situ spectral sampling at a tissue measurement site, comprising:
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a base having two opposing surfaces and two opposing ends;
a plurality of support elements mounted on said base, wherein said support elements are adapted to receive a member bearing said tissue measurement site so that said tissue measurement site is reproducibly positioned and supported in relation to an optical coupling means, wherein said supports limit contact of said member with said interface module to distinct registration points; and
wherein said interface module is adjustable to individual subjects. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of limiting sampling variation during in-situ spectral sampling at a tissue measurement site comprising the steps of:
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minimizing variation in placement of a tissue measurement site in relation to an optical coupling means by means of one or more support elements that receive a member bearing said tissue measurement site, so that substantially the same region is sampled at each measurement;
minimizing variation in pressure applied by art optical coupling means to said tissue measurement site so that substantially the same volume of tissue is displaced at each measurement; and
minimizing surface temperature transients at said tissue measurement site by minimizing contact of said member with said interface module so that temperature remains substantially constant for each measurement;
wherein signal-to-noise ratio is optimized to facilitate signal detection. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An interface module for limiting sampling variation during in-situ spectral sampling at a tissue measurement site, comprising:
one or more support elements, wherein said one or more support elements are adapted to receive a member bearing said tissue measurement site so that said tissue measurement site is reproducibly positioned and supported in relation to an optical coupling means, wherein said one or more support elements limit contract of said member with said interface module to distinct registration points. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. A method of limiting sampling variation during in-situ spectral sampling at a tissue measurement site comprising the steps of:
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minimizing variation in placement of a tissue measurement site in relation to an optical coupling means, so that substantially the same region is sampled at each measurement; and
minimizing variation in pressure applied by an optical coupling means to said tissue measurement site by liming contact of a member bearing said tissue measurement site to distinct registration points, so that substantially the same volume of tissue is displaced. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A method of limiting sampling variation during in-situ spectral sampling at a tissue measurement the comprising the steps of:
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minimizing variation in placement of a tissue measurement site in relation to as optical coupling means by means of one or more support elements that receive a member bearing said tissue measurement site, so that substantially the same region is sampled at each measurement; and
minimizing surface temperature transients at said tissue measurement site, by limiting contact of a member bearing said tissue measurement site with a subject interface module, so that temperature remains substantially constant for each measurement. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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Specification