Topographic optical infrared tomography system for biophysical imaging with infrared diagnostic exploratory algorithm sequencing (IDEAS) scripting language

• US 7,996,066 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2007
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Frontier Imaging, Inc., Spirit Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: New Frontier Imaging LLC
• Inventors: Schlagheck, Jerry, Lane, T Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOR, HELENE CATHERINE
• Application Number:
  US11/839,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 600/473, 600/425, 600/476, 600/474, 250/332, 250/334, 250/316.1
• US Class Current: 600/474
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0252 using ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part

Abstract

A topographic optical infrared tomography system for biophysical imaging includes a thermal camera operably disposed adjacent a body part equipped for obtaining thermal data readings from the body part and apparatus operably connected to the thermal camera for correcting thermal emissivity variations in the thermal data readings to provide corrected thermal data. A method for obtaining physiological data using the thermally corrected data is also provided.

Claims

1. A topographic optical infrared tomography system for biophysical imaging a living body part, which comprises:

a thermal camera operably disposable adjacent the living body part for obtaining thermal data readings from the living body part; and

a computer based device equipped with hardware and software operably connected to said thermal camera, wherein said computer based device employs a predetermined wavelength corresponding to a healthy living body part for use in correcting thermal emissivity variations due to varying angles of thermal emittance in said thermal data readings to provide corrected 3 dimensional thermal data, and wherein said hardware includes a laser for projecting a beam over the living body part to generate Moiré

surface patterns and said software utilizes Moiré

surface patterns for the correction of angular thermal radiation of curved surfaces of the living body part.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an imaging compartment configured to receive the living body part therein and wherein said thermal camera is operably disposed in said compartment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said compartment includes mirrors operably disposed in said compartment to aid in obtaining said data.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said imaging compartment is coated with conductive paint.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a phase change material that has the ability to quickly absorb a predefine temperature extreme.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an LED blackbody member for calibration configured for the living body thermal imaging and wherein energy generated therefrom is a predetermined frequency, said predetermined wavelength and an intensity controlled by a duty cycle controller operably connected thereto.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said hardware and software for acquiring visual 2D image data and thermal 2D array data and manipulating said 2D data into a thermally corrected data and constructing a 3D image from said thermal corrected data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said software is configured for analyzing said thermal corrected data and generating one of an indication of a normal or an abnormal condition.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said software includes a spatial transfer function to generate said indication of condition.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said software includes a neural network to generate said indication of condition.

11. A method of obtaining thermal data, the method comprises the steps of:

(a) obtaining thermal data readings from a living body part using hardware and software for acquiring visual 2D image data and thermal 2D array data; and

(b) correcting thermal emissivity variations and thermal radiation losses due to varying angles of thermal emittance in said thermal data readings to provide corrected thermal data by manipulating said 2D data into a thermally corrected data and constructing a 3D image from said thermal corrected data and which employs a computer based device using a predetermined wavelength corresponding to a healthy living body part, which further comprises in step (b) employing a laser to generate a laser Moiré

pattern on the living body part and employing a visual camera to capture a visual image data of said laser pattern and the living body part.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprises in step (a) employing a thermal camera adjacent the living body part.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the correcting of said thermal data is performed as a function of said visual image data.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising step (c) providing an environment for minimizing thermal reflection prior to performing the step (a).

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising in step (c) employing said corrected thermal data to generate an indication of a normal or an abnormal condition of the living body part.