Method of and apparatus for investigating tissue histology
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring the presence of one or more chromophores in a sample of biological tissue, which method comprises:
- illuminating an area of such tissue sample by projecting light from a light source;
receiving light remitted by the illuminated area of tissue at a photo-receptor;
spectroscopically analyzing the light projected from the light source and the remitted light received by the photo-receptor and utilizing said analysis to generate data indicative of differences between light projected from the light source and the remitted light;
using the generated data to define a parameter of the tissue;
processing the generated data using a predictive mathematical model of the optical properties of the biological tissue to normalize the defined parameter defined by the generated data to a standard value of that parameter; and
measuring at least one further parameter of the tissue using said processed data processed to normalize the defined parameter defined by the generated data to a standard value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for monitoring the presence of one or more chromophores in a tissue sample, comprises a light source for projecting light to illuminate an area of such tissue sample, a photo-receptor for receiving light remitted by the illuminated area of tissue, and spectroscopic analyser means for monitoring the remitted light, a comparator having means for comparing variations in the intensity and spectral characteristics of the remitted light with respect to the intensity and spectral characteristics of the projected light at different wavelengths and with a record of the intensity and spectral characteristics of light remitted by a reference sample of such tissue and means for emitting a control signal in response to any such variations. Methods of analyzing tissue histology, especially skin histology, are discussed, and a mathematical model is proposed for the analysis and comparison of the remitted light with a reference sample.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring the presence of one or more chromophores in a sample of biological tissue, which method comprises:
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illuminating an area of such tissue sample by projecting light from a light source;
receiving light remitted by the illuminated area of tissue at a photo-receptor;
spectroscopically analyzing the light projected from the light source and the remitted light received by the photo-receptor and utilizing said analysis to generate data indicative of differences between light projected from the light source and the remitted light;
using the generated data to define a parameter of the tissue;
processing the generated data using a predictive mathematical model of the optical properties of the biological tissue to normalize the defined parameter defined by the generated data to a standard value of that parameter; and
measuring at least one further parameter of the tissue using said processed data processed to normalize the defined parameter defined by the generated data to a standard value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
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8. A method of deriving data relating to the presence and/or depth and/or concentration of any chromophore selected from the group consisting of:
- melanin, blood, haemoglobin, oxy-haemoglobin, bilirubin, tatoo pigments and dyestuffs, keratin, collagen and hair, which method comprises;
illuminating an area of a tissue sample by projecting light from a light source;
receiving light remitted by the illuminated area of tissue at a photo-receptor;
spectroscopically analyzing the light projected from the light source and the remitted light received by the photo-receptor and utilizing said analysis to generate data indicative of differences between light projected from the light source and the remitted light;
using the generated data to define a parameter of the tissue;
processing the generated data using a predictive mathematical model of the optical properties of the biological tissue to normalize the defined parameter defined by the generated data to a standard value of that parameter; and
measuring at least one further parameter of the tissue relating to the presence and/or depth and/or concentration of any chromophore selected from the group consisting of;
melanin, blood, hemoglobin, oxy-hemoglobin, bilirubin, tattoo pigments and dyestuffs, keratin, collagen and hair using said processed data processed to normalize the defined parameter defined by the generated data to a standard value. - View Dependent Claims (10)
- melanin, blood, haemoglobin, oxy-haemoglobin, bilirubin, tatoo pigments and dyestuffs, keratin, collagen and hair, which method comprises;
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11. A method of non-invasively analyzing tissue structure, comprising the steps of:
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(i) measuring red or infrared radiation from at least one location in an area of tissue under investigation so as to give an indication of any layered structure in said area;
(ii) measuring the tissue color co-ordinates at said at least one location in said area of tissue;
(iii) using data obtained in measuring steps (i) and (ii) to calculate corrected tissue color co-ordinates in respect of said area which corresponds to a predetermined thickness of said layered structure, and;
(iv) comparing the corrected tissue color co-ordinates obtained in step (iii) with a reference color co-ordinate range for healthy tissue having a known layered structure of the same predetermined thickness. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of mapping the papillary surface of an area of the dermis which comprises illuminating the surface of the skin over that area with light and monitoring the intensity of the light remitted from along at least one line or sequence of points, the light having a wavelength sufficiently far into the infra-red that its absorption by melanin and blood is negligible, and deriving therefrom a theoretical intensity of remitted light which is independent of the presence of melanin or blood, and from the remitted light intensity deriving a signal corresponding to the concentration of collagen within the papillary dermis along the or each line or at each point, and producing a contoured image in which the apparent elevation of any point is dependent upon the strength of such signal.
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33. Apparatus for monitoring the presence of one or more chromophores in a biological tissue sample, which apparatus comprises:
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a light source for projecting light to illuminate an area of such tissue sample, a photo-receptor for receiving light remitted by an area of tissue, illuminated by said light source;
a spectroscopic analyzer for analyzing light projected from the light source and remitted light received by the photo-receptor and utilizing said analysis to generate data indicative of the differences between light projected from the light source and the remitted light;
a processor for processing data generated by said spectroscopic analyzer to define a parameter of the tissue and to process the generated data using a predictive mathematical model to normalize the defined parameter defined by the data generated by the spectroscopic analyzer to a standard value of that parameter and for utilizing data processed to normalize the defined parameter to measure at least one further parameter of the tissue and generate a control signal on the basis of said least one further parameter of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of mapping the papillary surface of an area of the dermis which comprises illuminating the surface of the skin over that area with light and monitoring the intensity of the light remitted from along at least one line or sequence of points, the light having at least two wavelengths of which at least one is in excess of 600 nm and deriving therefrom a theoretical intensity of remitted light which is independent of the presence of melanin or blood, and from the remitted light intensity deriving a signal corresponding to the concentration of collagen within the papillary dermis along the or each line or at each point, and producing a contoured image in which the apparent elevation of any point is dependent upon the strength of such signal.
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45. Apparatus for mapping the papillary surface of an area of the dermis which comprises a light source illuminating the surface of the skin over that area with light which has at least two wavelengths of which at least one is in excess of 600 nm, means for monitoring the intensity of the light remitted along at least one line or sequence of points, and deriving therefrom an intensity or theoretical intensity of remitted light which is independent of the presence of melanin or blood, and means for deriving a signal from the remitted light intensity corresponding to the concentration of collagen within the papillary dermis along the or each line or at each point, and for producing a contoured image in which the apparent elevation of any point is dependent upon the strength of such signal.
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46. A method of non-invasive monitoring the presence of one or more chromophores in a sample of biological tissue, and controlling a treatment which involves the irradiation of a region of tissue with treatment light of predetermined spectral characteristics which method comprises illuminating an area of such tissue sample by projecting light from a light source, receiving light remitted by the illuminated area of tissue at a photo-receptor, spectroscopically analyzing the remitted light, and comparing variations in the intensity and spectral characteristics of the remitted light with respect to the intensity and spectral characteristics of the projected light and with data representing a datum sample of intensity and spectral characteristics of light remitted by a sample of tissue of known structure and wherein the absorption characteristics of tissue supervening the region to be treated for the treatment light are measured and used in calculating a required exposure of the tissue to the treatment light.
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47. A method of non-invasive monitoring the presence of one or more chromophores in a sample of biological tissue and for predicting the outcome of a treatment which involves the irradiation of a region of tissue with treatment light of predetermined spectral characteristics, which method comprises illuminating an area of such tissue sample by projecting light from a light source, receiving light remitted by the illuminated area of tissue at a photo-receptor, spectroscopically analyzing the remitted light, and comparing variations in the intensity and spectral characteristics of the remitted light with respect to the intensity and spectral characteristics of the projected light and with data representing a datum sample of intensity and spectral characteristics of light remitted by a sample of tissue of known structure, wherein the absorption characteristics for the treatment light of the tissue region to be treated and of tissue supervening the region to be treated are measured and used in calculating a required therapeutically effective exposure of the tissue to the treatment light, and the required exposure and the absorption characteristics of the supervening tissue are used to predict potential destruction or scarring of the supervening tissue by such exposure.
Specification