Method and apparatus for determination of atherosclerotic plaque type by measurement of tissue optical properties

• US 8,150,496 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tearney, Guillermo J., Bouma, Brett E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Tse
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/188,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 600/476
• US Class Current: 600/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2290/70 Using polarization in the interferometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02007 Two or more frequencies or sources used for interferometric measurement using only beat G01B9/02003
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02014 by using pulsed light
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02072 by calibration or testing of interferometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02083 characterised by particular signal processing and presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02088 Matching signals with a database
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence

Abstract

Methods for diagnosing vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque using optical coherence tomography to measure tissue optical properties, including backreflectance of heterogeneous layers, such as plaque cap, lipid pool composition and macrophage presence. Methods also include measurement of spatially and temporally dependent reflectance, measurement of multiple wavelength reflectance, low coherence interferometry, polarization and quantification of macrophage content.

Claims

1. An apparatus for obtaining information associated with at least one plaque structure, comprising:

at least one arrangement which is configured to receive at least one interferometric signal which is associated with at least one first electromagnetic radiation returned from the at least one plaque structure and at least one second electromagnetic radiation returned from a reference, wherein the at least one first arrangement is configured to generate at least one further signal which is associated with the at least one interferometric signal, and wherein the signal is associated with a birefringence of the at least one plaque structure, wherein a first one of at least one first electromagnetic radiation is at least partially returned from a first depth of the at least one anatomical structure, wherein a second one of the at least one first electromagnetic radiation is at least partially returned from a second depth of the at least one anatomical structure, wherein the first depth is different from the second depth, and wherein the at least one arrangement is configured to determine data associated with a spatial location of the anatomical structure within a sample based on the first and second ones of the at least one first electromagnetic radiations.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises at least one characteristic associated with the at least one plaque structure.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one plaque structure is at least one anatomical structure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one arrangement is configured to generate data that is usable for producing at least one image of the at least one anatomical structure based on the information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second ones of the at least one first electromagnetic radiations are image signals.

6. A method for obtaining information associated with at least one plaque structure, comprising:

receiving at least one interferometric signal which is associated with at least one first electromagnetic radiation returned from the at least one plaque structure and at least one second electromagnetic radiation returned from a reference;

generating at least one further signal which is associated with the at least one interferometric signal, wherein the further signal is associated with a birefringence of the at least one plaque structure, wherein a first one of at least one first electromagnetic radiation is at least partially returned from a first depth of the at least one anatomical structure, wherein a second one of the at least one first electromagnetic radiation is at least partially returned from a second depth of the at least one anatomical structure, wherein the first depth is different from the second depth; and

determining data associated with a spatial location of the anatomical structure within a sample based on the first and second ones of the at least one first electromagnetic radiations.