Optical determination of in vivo properties
First Claim
1. A system for determining an in vivo blood property, the system comprising:
- an optical device configured to project a light beam onto a tissue of a subject;
an imaging device configured to generate optical data;
a device to display an image corresponding to the optical data, wherein the image indicates a spatial relationship between the light beam and a blood vessel within the tissue, and wherein a user can manipulate the optical device and, based on the image, bring the light beam and the blood vessel into a selected spatial relationship wherein the light beam is projected on the blood vessel at a first location on the blood vessel;
a detector configured to generate a detector signal corresponding to light resulting from illumination of the blood vessel with the light beam having the selected spatial relationship, the detector signal indicating light intensities of light exiting the blood vessel at two or more locations on the blood vessel, the two or more locations being spaced apart from each other and from the first location; and
a processor configured to determine an in vivo blood property based on the detector signal and the relative positions of the two or more locations on the blood vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining an in vivo property of a tissue or blood is described. The in vivo property may be a hematocrit value, a hemoglobin concentration, or a combination thereof. The system can automatically determine a location of a subcutaneous blood vessel. Based on the automatically determined location, the system illuminates the blood vessel with a light beam and detects light resulting from the illumination. The system determines the in vivo property based on the detected light. Alternatively, or in combination, the system displays an image corresponding to a spatial relationship between a subcutaneous blood vessel and a light beam. Based on the image, an operator can adjust the light beam with respect to the blood vessel to have a selected spatial relationship. The system determines an in vivo property based on the illumination of the blood vessel when the light beam has the selected spatial relationship.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for determining an in vivo blood property, the system comprising:
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an optical device configured to project a light beam onto a tissue of a subject; an imaging device configured to generate optical data; a device to display an image corresponding to the optical data, wherein the image indicates a spatial relationship between the light beam and a blood vessel within the tissue, and wherein a user can manipulate the optical device and, based on the image, bring the light beam and the blood vessel into a selected spatial relationship wherein the light beam is projected on the blood vessel at a first location on the blood vessel; a detector configured to generate a detector signal corresponding to light resulting from illumination of the blood vessel with the light beam having the selected spatial relationship, the detector signal indicating light intensities of light exiting the blood vessel at two or more locations on the blood vessel, the two or more locations being spaced apart from each other and from the first location; and a processor configured to determine an in vivo blood property based on the detector signal and the relative positions of the two or more locations on the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for determining an in vivo blood property, comprising:
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displaying an image including at least one subcutaneous blood vessel, wherein the image indicates a spatial relationship between a light beam derived from a light source and the blood vessel; based on the image, changing the spatial relationship between the light beam and the blood vessel so that the light beam is projected on the blood vessel at a first location on the blood vessel and illuminates the blood vessel; detecting light intensities of light exiting the blood vessel at two or more locations on the blood vessel resulting from the illumination of the blood vessel by the light beam, the two or more locations being spaced apart from each other and from the first location; determining an in vivo blood property based on the detected light intensities and the relative positions of the two or more locations on said blood vessel; and outputting the in vivo blood property. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A system for determining an in vivo blood property, comprising:
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a device configured to automatically determine a location of a subcutaneous blood vessel; a light source configured to illuminate a located blood vessel with light projected on the blood vessel at a first location on the blood vessel; a detector to detect light intensities of light exiting the blood vessel at two or more locations on the blood vessel resulting from the illumination, the two or more locations being spaced apart from each other and from the first location, and generate a detector signal from the detected light intensities; and a processor configured to receive the detector signal and determine an in vivo blood property based on the detected light intensities and the relative positions of the two or more locations on said blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining an in vivo blood property, comprising:
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automatically determining a location of a blood vessel of a subject; illuminating the blood vessel with a light beam projected on the blood vessel at a first location on the blood vessel; detecting light intensities of light exiting the blood vessel at two or more locations on the blood vessel resulting from illuminating the blood vessel, the two or more locations being spaced apart from each other and from the first location; determining an in vivo blood property based on the detected light intensities and the relative positions of the two or more locations on said blood vessel; and outputting the in vivo blood property. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for determining an in vivo blood property, comprising:
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illuminating a portion of a subject with a light from a light source, the illuminated portion of the subject comprising a blood vessel; detecting light from the illuminated portion of the subject; determining a location of a blood vessel based on light detected from the illuminated portion of the subject; illuminating the blood vessel with a light beam projected at a first location on the blood vessel; detecting first light that has passed a first distance within the blood vessel from the light beam and second light that has passed a second, different distance within the blood vessel from the light beam; determining an in vivo blood property based on the first and second light and on the first and second distances; and outputting the in vivo blood property. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for determining an in vivo blood property, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a blood vessel of a subject; illuminating the blood vessel with a light beam projected on a first location on the blood vessel; detecting light intensities of light exiting the blood vessel at second and third locations on the blood vessel resulting from illuminating the blood vessel, said second and third locations being spaced apart from each other and from the first location; determining an in vivo blood property based on the detected light intensities and the relative positions of the second and third locations on the blood vessel; and outputting the in vivo blood property.
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Specification