Non-invasive measurement of pH
First Claim
1. A system for measuring pH in a medium, comprising:
- a light source for optically exciting the medium;
a detection unit to detect a first optical signal from a fluorescent biomolecule in the medium whose fluorescence is dependent on the pH of the medium and to detect a second optical signal from a marker in the medium whose fluorescence is substantially independent of pH of the medium wherein the detection unit includes a wavelength light separator to separate light received from the medium into the first optical signal received from the fluorescent biomolecule and the second optical signal, and also includes respective first and second photodetectors to detect the first and second optical signals; and
a controller coupled to receive detection signals from the detection unit related to the first and second optical signals, the controller configured to determine the medium pH based on the first and second optical signals.
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Abstract
There is a need within the medical community for non-invasive instruments to measure critical physiologic parameters at the point of care. Such a technique may be applicable to a wide variety of commonly monitored physiologic parameters during critical care patient management. The invention is directed to a method of measuring the pH of a patient'"'"'s tissue. The method includes measuring the optical signal from a specie whose fluorescence is pH sensitive, such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and also measuring the optical signal from a second biological marker, such as FAD, the fluorescence from the second marker being substantially insensitive to pH. The method includes determining the patient'"'"'s pH by using the first and second optical signals.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for measuring pH in a medium, comprising:
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a light source for optically exciting the medium; a detection unit to detect a first optical signal from a fluorescent biomolecule in the medium whose fluorescence is dependent on the pH of the medium and to detect a second optical signal from a marker in the medium whose fluorescence is substantially independent of pH of the medium wherein the detection unit includes a wavelength light separator to separate light received from the medium into the first optical signal received from the fluorescent biomolecule and the second optical signal, and also includes respective first and second photodetectors to detect the first and second optical signals; and a controller coupled to receive detection signals from the detection unit related to the first and second optical signals, the controller configured to determine the medium pH based on the first and second optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for measuring pH in a medium, comprising:
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a light source for optically exciting the medium; a detection unit to detect a first optical signal from a fluorescent biomolecule in the medium whose fluorescence is dependent on the pH of the medium and to detect a second optical signal from a marker in the medium whose fluorescence is substantially independent of pH of the medium, wherein the detection unit includes a spectrally dependent path through a spectral scanning device to a photosensor, the spectral scanning device operative in a first configuration associated with the first optical signal from the fluorescent biomolecule and a second configuration associated with the second optical signal from the marker; and a controller coupled to receive detection signals from the detection unit related to the first and second optical signals, the controller configured to determine the medium pH based on the first and second optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification