Noninvasive targeting system method and apparatus

• US 7,697,966 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willow Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sensys Medical, Inc. (Sensys Medical Limited)
• Inventors: Stippick, Tim, Abul-Haj, Alan, Ruchti, Tim, Blank, Thomas B., Henderson, James Ryan, Abul-Haj, Roxanne, Monfre, Stephen L., Hazen, Kevin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US11/361,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/323
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00

Abstract

The invention provides a targeting system used to direct a measuring system to a targeted sample site or volume. The targeting system increases analyte estimation performance by increasing precision and accuracy of sampling and/or by targeting an analyte rich tissue volume.

Claims

1. An apparatus for noninvasive determination of an analyte property of a tissue sample, comprising:

a targeting system configured to perform a measurement related to the tissue sample, wherein said targeting system generates a first signal, wherein said first signal comprises any of;

a capacitance sensor signal;

and

a fluorescence signal;

a measuring system, wherein said measuring system generates a second signal optically representative of the tissue;

a controller, wherein said first signal from said targeting system is used by said controller during positioning of said measuring system relative to the tissue sample; and

a data processing module, wherein said module generates said analyte property using said second signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first signal is a fluorescence signal and said targeting system and said measuring system commonly use at least one optic.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first signal is a fluorescence signal and said targeting system comprises a functional first set of optics, wherein said measuring system comprises a second set of functional optics, and wherein none of said first set of optics is in common with said second set of optics.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said targeting system comprises a physical location within a housing containing at least a portion of said measuring system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said targeting system further comprises a first housing, wherein said measuring system further comprises a second housing, and wherein said first housing is physically separated from said second housing.

6. An apparatus for noninvasive determination of an analyte property of a sample site of a tissue, comprising:

an analyzer, comprising;

a targeting system configured to perform a measurement related to the tissue sample, wherein said targeting system generates a first signal, wherein said first signal comprises any of;

a capacitance sensor signal; and

a fluorescence signal;

a measuring system,

wherein said first signal is used in dynamically positioning said measuring system relative to the sample site; and

wherein said measuring system generates a second signal optically representative of the tissue; and

a data processing module, wherein said module generates said analyte property using said second signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first signal is a capacitance sensor signal and comprises a representation of a distance between said measuring system and the sample.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first signal is a fluorescence signal and represents position of said targeting system relative to a non-tissue target, wherein said non-tissue target is imbedded within, positioned on, or attached to the tissue.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first signal comprises a representation of any of:

a biological feature of the tissue sample;

a chemical feature of the tissue sample;

a physical feature;

a natural component of the tissue sample;

a dermis thickness;

a subcutaneous feature.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a controller used during movement of any of:

said measuring system;

said targeting system;

an actuator; and

the tissue sample.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said measuring system comprises a base module in a first housing and a sample module in a second housing, wherein said first housing and said second housing are physically separated and communicatively linked.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said measuring system further comprises:

a first optic positioned in an optical train after said source; and

a second optic in said optical train configured to be between said first optic and the sample,

wherein said first optic removes a least one heat generating wavelength outside of a range of wavelengths used by said data processing module, and

wherein position of said second optic is configured to be proximate the tissue sample.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said targeting system further comprises a capacitance sensor used to generate said first signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first signal is a capacitance sensor signal and indicates any of:

distance between a sample probe tip of said measuring system and the sample site of the tissue; and

tilt of a sample probe of said measuring system relative to the sample site of the tissue.

15. A method for noninvasively determining an analyte property of a sample site of a tissue, comprising:

generating a targeting signal related to the tissue using a targeting system, wherein said targeting system comprises a portion of said analyzer, wherein said targeting signal comprises any of;

a capacitance sensor signal; and

a fluorescence signal;

using said targeting signal in positioning a measuring system relative to the sample site;

generating a noninvasive signal using said measuring system, wherein said noninvasive signal optically represents the tissue; and

processing said noninvasive signal to yield said analyte property.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

dynamically generating said noninvasive signal during said step of positioning said measuring system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of generating said noninvasive signal comprises spectral data collection during and/or after said step of positioning said measuring system.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of positioning said measuring system comprises movement of at least a portion of said measuring system in space through any of:

an x-axis;

a y-axis;

a z-axis;

rotation; and

tilt,

wherein said x-axis is defined along the length of a body part;

said y-axis is defined across the body part;

said z-axis is defined as orthogonal to the plane defined by the x- and y-axes;

said tilt is an off z-axis alignment of longitudinal orientation a sample probe of the measuring system, wherein longitudinal orientation extends from a tip of said sample probe tip interfacing with a sample site to the opposite end of said sample probe.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of generating said noninvasive signal comprises spectral data collection during a time period comprising any of:

no contact of said measuring system with the sample;

proximate contact of said measuring system with the sample;

contact of said measuring system with the sample; and

displacement of at least a portion of the sample by said measuring system.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

using said second signal in determination of stress/strain of the tissue.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said targeting signal targets a depth of the tissue.

22. A method for noninvasively determining an analyte property of a sample site of a tissue, comprising:

generating a targeting signal with a capacitance signal sensor in a targeting system, wherein said targeting system comprises a portion of an analyzer;

using said targeting signal in positioning a measuring system relative to the sample site, wherein said step of positioning said measuring system comprises tilt movement of at least a portion of said measuring system in space,

wherein an x-axis is defined along the length of a body part;

a y-axis is defined across the body part;

a z-axis is defined as orthogonal to the plane defined by the x- and y-axes; and

said tilt is a rotation about said x-axis and/or said y-axis;

generating a noninvasive signal using said measuring system, wherein said noninvasive signal optically represents the tissue; and

processing said noninvasive signal to yield said analyte property.