Devices and methods for fluorescent inspection and/or removal of material in a sample

• US 8,140,141 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: McGreevy, James, Grissom, Charles B., Jones, Ronald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US11/436,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20070269837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 607 88- 93, 606 10- 12, 600101-104, 600108-112, 600/300, 600/309, 600/310, 600/317, 424/9.1, 424/9.6, 128/905
• US Class Current: 600/317
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7415 Sound rendering of measured values, e.g. by pitch or volume variation A61B5/741 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/52 Predicting or monitoring the response to treatment, e.g. for selection of therapy based on assay results in personalised medicine; Prognosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/574 for cancer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/582 with fluorescent label
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/82 involving vitamins or their receptors

Abstract

An apparatus is provided that includes a light-emitting component, a light-detecting component, a lock-in amplifier, a frequency generator that is operatively linked to the lock-in amplifier and the light-emitting component, a speaker capable of emitting an audio signal wherein the output audio signal varies depending on the detected fluorescence in the sample, and a visible output of relative fluorescent intensity where the visible output varies depending on the detected fluorescence in the sample. The apparatus may also include a laser that is operatively coupled to the lock-in amplifier through a control switch, and focusing lens or an additional type of filter such as an interference filter, a short-pass filter, a notch filter, a long-pass filter or an infrared filter. The apparatus may be used to identify and/or to remove fluorescent or non-fluorescent material from a sample. Associated methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting light-emitting material in a sample comprising:

a light-emitting component;

a light-detecting component for detecting fluorescence, phosphorescence or luminescence in the sample;

a lock-in amplifier;

a frequency generator operatively coupled to the lock-in amplifier and the light-emitting component;

a driver controlled by the frequency generator and operatively coupled to the light-emitting component, wherein the driver is configured to control flow of electrical power to the light-emitting component;

a sound transducer that is capable of emitting a humanly detectable signal wherein the signal varies with magnitude of detected fluorescence, phosphorescence or luminescence in the sample; and

a visible output of relative fluorescent intensity where the visible output varies with the magnitude of the detected fluorescence, phosphorescence or luminescence in the sample.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting component is selected form the group consisting of lasers, laser diodes, light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, fiber-optic light sources, luminous gas discharges, and hot filament lamps.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-detecting component is selected form the group consisting of p-n photodiodes, p-i-n photodiodes, photomultiplier tubes, light-sensitive charge coupled devices, and avalanche photodiodes.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the visible output of relative fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent intensity is selected form the group consisting of LEDs, LCDs, CRTs, plasma, and gauges.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a probe configured to be selectively coupled to the light-emitting component and/or the light-detecting component.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the probe is selected from the group consisting of hand-held probes, finger-tip mounted probes, surgical telescopes, endoscopes, cystoscopes, nephroscopes, bronchoscopes, laryngoscopes, otoscopes, arthroscopes, laparoscopes, colonoscopic endoscopes, and gastrointestinal endoscopes.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the probe further comprises at least one excitation fiber coupled to the light-emitting component and at least one receiving fiber coupled to the light-detecting component.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the probe is sterilizable.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the probe is disposable.

10. A system for the detecting light-emitting material in a sample comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and a light-emitting material, wherein the light-emitting material fluoresces, phosphoresces or luminesces upon stimulation by light from the light-emitting component.

11. A method of detecting the location of light-emitting material in a sample, the method comprising:

using the apparatus of claim 1 to detect the location of light-emitting material in a sample.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sample is biological tissue.

13. The method according to claim 12, where the light-emitting material, is located preferentially in cancerous, neoplastic, dysplastic, or hyperplastic tissue.

14. The method according to claim 11, where the light-emitting material is located preferentially in non-cancerous, non-neoplastic, non-dysplastic, or non-hyperplastic tissue.