Non-invasive measurement of skin bilirubin level

• US 6,927,843 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Med & Led Co.
• Original Assignee: Medick S.A.
• Inventors: Dick, Jean-Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra V.
• Application Number:
  US10/203,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 356/39, 356/394, 600/315, 600/306, 600/310, 600/317, 600320-323
• US Class Current: 356/39
• 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 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a device for non-invasive measurement of a tissue and in particular of the skin bilirubin level. The inventive device is characterized in that it comprises: a reading head (1) capable of sending several flashes of various specific wavelengths towards the tissue (2) to be examined and of receiving and measuring in return the reflected light; a calculator, such as a microprocessor, capable of calculating for each wavelength the amount of reflected light and bring it to a value calculated proportionally to a reference value identical for a predetermined wavelength; and a comparator for comparing the calculated value to a table of reference values.

Claims

1. Process for the measurement of the level of a tissue constituent, characterized in that is/are measured a first light reflection with a first given wavelength that is representative of the measurement to be performed and at least a second measurement of the light reflection for another second predetermined wavelength that will serve as a reference unit value Rf, by calculating the coefficient k between the reflection measured on the tissue for this second wavelength and the reflection measured on a standard for this same second wavelength, and in that the level of the constituent to be evaluated is deduced from the measurement of the reflection of the first wavelength according to a table of predetermined values known for this same first wavelength, after correction by the factor k previously measured of said reflection measurement, so as to obtain the value to be compared to the table reference values, said unit value and said second wavelength determining a point through which will go all the LIR curves after standardization.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that, for an individual'"'"'s skin, the second wavelength selected is λ

=520 nm.

3. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that, for the measurement of the skin bilirubin level, the wavelength selected is λ

=460 nm.

4. Device for the measurement of the level of a tissue constituent, characterized in that it comprises:

a reading head capable of sending successively several flashes of various predefined wavelengths toward the tissue to be examined as a conical beam having a cone angle between 30° and

50° and

of receiving and measuring in return the reflected light,

a calculator, capable of calculating for each wavelength the amount of reflected light and of bringing it to a value calculated proportionally to a reference value identical for a predetermined wavelength,

a comparator for comparing the calculated value to a table of reference values.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises electro-luminescent diodes as elements to send successive flashes of various specific wavelengths.

6. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the light wavelength used to measure the reference value is about 520 nm.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the light wavelength used to measure the bilirubin level is about 460 nm.

8. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the light wavelength used to measure the skin pigmentation is comprised between 620 and 780 nm.

9. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the light wavelength used to measure the skin hemoglobin are two wavelengths or about 545 and 575 nm.

10. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the light wavelength used to measure the skin hemoglobin is a wavelength of about 550 nm.

11. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the light wavelength used to measure the skin hemoglobin is a wavelength of about 430 nm.

12. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the light wavelengths used to measure the skin hemoglobin are two wavelengths of about 550 nm and 430 nm.