System for electromagnetic radiation dermatology and head for use therewith
First Claim
1. A dermatological system, comprising:
- an optical waveguide for transmitting radiation received at a first end thereof to a second end adapted to contact a subject'"'"'s skin surface so as to irradiate a portion of the skin,a reflecting plate adapted to contact a portion of the skin surface and surrounding at least a portion of said second end of said waveguide,said reflecting plate returning at least a portion of radiation backscattered from the irradiated skin portion to the subject'"'"'s skin, wherein said reflecting plate is formed of a thermally conductive material, anda heating element in thermal contact with said reflecting plate for heating thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for treating a selected dermatological problem and a head for use with such system are provided. The head may include an optical waveguide having a first end to which EM radiation appropriate for treating the condition is applied. The waveguide also has a skin-contacting second end opposite the first end, a temperature sensor being located within a few millimeters, and preferably within 1 to 2 millimeters, of the second end of the waveguide. A temperature sensor may be similarly located in other skin contacting portions of the head. A mechanism is preferably also provided for removing heat from the waveguide and, for preferred embodiments, the second end of the head which is in contact with the skin has a reflection aperture which is substantially as great as the radiation back-scatter aperture from the patient'"'"'s skin. Such aperture may be the aperture at the second end of the waveguide or a reflection plate or surface of appropriate size may surround the waveguide or other light path at its second end. The portion of the back-scattered radiation entering the waveguide is substantially internally reflected therein, with a reflector being provided, preferably at the first end of the waveguide, for returning back-scattered light to the patient'"'"'s skin. The reflector may be angle dependent so as to more strongly reflect back scattered light more perpendicular to the skin surface than back scattered radiation more parallel to the skin surface. Controls are also provided responsive to the temperature sensing for determining temperature at a predetermined depth in the patient'"'"'s skin, for example at the DE junction, and for utilizing this information to detect good thermal contact between the head and the patient'"'"'s skin and to otherwise control treatment. The head may also have a mechanism for forming a reflecting chamber under the waveguide and drawing a fold of skin therein, and for providing a second enlarged waveguide to expand the optical aperture of radiation.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A dermatological system, comprising:
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an optical waveguide for transmitting radiation received at a first end thereof to a second end adapted to contact a subject'"'"'s skin surface so as to irradiate a portion of the skin, a reflecting plate adapted to contact a portion of the skin surface and surrounding at least a portion of said second end of said waveguide, said reflecting plate returning at least a portion of radiation backscattered from the irradiated skin portion to the subject'"'"'s skin, wherein said reflecting plate is formed of a thermally conductive material, and a heating element in thermal contact with said reflecting plate for heating thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A dermatological system, comprising:
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an optical waveguide for transmitting radiation received at a first end thereof to a second end adapted to contact a subject'"'"'s skin surface so as to irradiate a portion of the skin, and a reflecting plate adapted to contact a portion of the skin surface and surrounding at least a portion of said second end of said waveguide, said reflecting plate returning at least a portion of radiation backscattered from the irradiated skin portion to the subject'"'"'s skin, wherein said reflecting plate has a concave shape.
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10. A system for treating a dermatological condition located in a volume of a patient'"'"'s skin, comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient'"'"'s skin, and a reflector disposed within said waveguide for returning at least a portion of backscattered radiation entering the waveguide back to the patient'"'"'s skin, wherein said reflector comprises at least a portion of said second end of the waveguide formed as a reflection plate and wherein said reflection plate has a concave shape. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for treating a dermatological condition located in a volume of a patient'"'"'s skin, comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient'"'"'s skin, and a reflector disposed within said waveguide for returning at least a portion of backscattered radiation entering the waveguide back to the patient'"'"'s skin, wherein said waveguide further comprises a chamber optically coupled to the second end for internally reflecting at least a portion of backscattered radiation extending through the second end into said chamber back to the patient'"'"'s skin and said chamber reflects backscattered radiation more strongly at angles nearly perpendicular to the skin surface than at angles nearly parallel to the skin surface, and wherein said chamber includes side walls and a back wall coated with an angle dependent coating for reflecting the backscattered radiation more strongly at angles nearly perpendicular to the skin surface than at angles nearly parallel to the skin surface.
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22. A system for treating a dermatological condition located in a volume of a patient'"'"'s skin, comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient'"'"'s skin, and a reflector disposed within said waveguide for returning at least a portion of backscattered radiation entering the waveguide back to the patient'"'"'s skin, and a standoff secured to the second end of the waveguide to form a substantially air-tight seal therewith. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A dermatological treatment system capable of retroreflecting backscattered radiation that is substantially perpendicular to a subject'"'"'s skin surface and attenuating radiation backscattered at sharper angles, the system comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient'"'"'s skin, wherein said waveguide comprises at least one reflective surface having varying coefficients of reflection, such that the waveguide is more retroreflective of backscattered radiation that is reflected from the skin at angles that are substantially perpendicular to a subject'"'"'s skin surface. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification