Methods and systems for untethered autofluorescent imaging, target ablation, and movement of untethered device in a lumen

• US 8,145,295 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Myhrvold, Nathan P., Rivet, Dennis J., Weaver, Thomas Allan, Wood, JR., Lowell L., Boyden, Edward S., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Jacqueline
• Application Number:
  US11/895,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20080058649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 600/476
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/201 with beam delivery through a hollow tube, e.g. forming an articulated arm through a flexible conduit A61B18/22; Hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00066 intensity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00208 actively driven, e.g. by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00505 Urinary tract
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0066 without feedback, i.e. open loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00785 Reflected power
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00904 Automatic detection of target tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00922 by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20361 with redirecting based on sensed condition, e.g. tissue analysis or tissue movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/207 mixing two wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 : by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 : for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 : using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 : for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0091 : for mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0097 : by applying acoustic waves and detecting light, i.e. acoustooptic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 : using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 : Endoradiosondes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 : Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 : Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0602 : for treatment of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 : Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0607 : Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0609 : Stomach and/or esophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/061 : Bladder and/or urethra
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0626 : Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 : Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 : Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0654 : Lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 : infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 : ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 : Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 : Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1089 : Electrons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/01 : Devices for producing movement of radiation source during therapy A61N5/1077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 : for treatment of body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 : Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 : for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 : using laser light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 : X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1001 : using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy

Abstract

Apparatus, devices, methods, systems, computer programs and computing devices related to autofluorescent imaging and ablation are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first input associated with a first dataset, the first dataset including data representative of a fluorescent response in one or more target cells to electromagnetic energy from a first optical energy source;

receiving a second input associated with a second dataset, the second dataset including data representative of an orientation of targeting electromagnetic energy from a second optical energy source alignable with the first optical energy source;

determining data representative of a location of a target area at least partially based on one or more of

the first dataset and the second dataset; and

providing a first output to a first motive source, the first output providing data representative of one or more parameters associated with movement of an untethered device in a lumen at least partially based on the location of the target area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein data representative of the fluorescent response includes data representative of a target fluorescent response.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the first dataset in response to the first input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the first dataset in response to the first input.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the first dataset in response to the first input comprises:

determining data representative of the location of the target area at least partially based on the fluorescent response.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the first output in response to the first input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a graphical illustration of the one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining a graphical illustration of the one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset comprises:

determining a graphical illustration of the location of the target area.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining a graphical illustration of the one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset comprises:

determining a graphical illustration of the one or more parameters associated with the movement of the untethered device.

10. The method claim 1, further comprising:

sending the first output associated with the first dataset.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining data representative of one or more characteristics of excitation energy for inducing the fluorescent response.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining data representative of one or more characteristics of ablation energy for at least partially ablating the target area.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the second dataset in response to the second input.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the second dataset in response to the second input.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory signal bearing medium bearing

at least one of one or more instructions configured to receive a first input associated with a first dataset, the first dataset including data representative of a fluorescent response in one or more target cells to electromagnetic energy from a first optical energy source;

at least one of one or more instructions configured to receive a second input associated with a second dataset, the second dataset including data representative of an orientation of targeting electromagnetic energy from a second optical energy source alignable with the first optical energy source;

at least one of one or more instructions configured to determine data representative of a location of a target area at least partially based on one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset and

at least one of one or more instructions configured to provide a first output to a first motive source, the first output providing data representative of one or more parameters associated with movement of an untethered device in a lumen at least partially based on the location of the target area.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium further bears:

one or more instructions configured to access the first dataset in response to the first input.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium further bears:

one or more instructions configured to generate the first dataset in response to the first input.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium further bears:

one or more instructions configured to generate the first output in response to one or more of the first input and the second input.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium further bears:

one or more instructions configured to determine a graphical illustration of the one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium further bears:

one or more instructions configured to send the first output associated with the first dataset.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

22. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium includes a non-transitory recordable medium.

23. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium includes a non-transitory communications medium.

24. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium further bears:

one or more instructions configured to access the second dataset in response to the second input.

25. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory signal bearing medium further bears:

one or more instructions configured to generate the second dataset in response to the second input.

26. A system comprising:

a computing device; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product comprising;

one or more instructions configured to receive a first input associated with a first dataset, the first dataset including data representative of a fluorescent response in one or more target cells to electromagnetic energy from a first optical energy source;

one or more instructions configured to receive a second input associated with a second dataset, the second dataset including data representative of an orientation of targeting electromagnetic energy from a second optical energy source alignable with the first optical energy source;

one or more instructions configured to determine data representative of a location of a target area at least partially based on one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset, and

one or more instructions configured to provide a first output to a first motive source, the first output providing data representative of one or more parameters associated with movement of an untethered device in a lumen at least partially based on the location of the target area.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product further comprises:

one or more instructions configured to access the first dataset in response to the first input.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product further comprises:

one or more instructions configured to generate the first dataset in response to the first input.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product further comprises:

one or more instructions configured to generate the first output in response to one or more of the first input and the second input.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product further comprises:

one or more instructions configured to determine a graphical illustration of the one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product further comprises:

one or more instructions configured to send the first output associated with the first dataset.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the computing device comprises:

one or more of a desktop computer, a workstation computer, a computing system comprised of a cluster of processors, a networked computer, a tablet personal computer, a laptop computer, or a personal digital assistant.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the computing device is operable to communicate with a database to access the one or more of the first dataset and the second dataset.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product further comprises:

one or more instructions configured to access the second dataset in response to the second input.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program product further comprises:

one or more instructions configured to generate the second dataset in response to the second input.