Method and apparatus for diagnosing bone tissue conditions
First Claim
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1. A method for determining whether a patient has a condition related to bone tissue of the patient, the method comprising:
- irradiating a portion of bone tissue of the patient through skin of the patient using a substantially monochromatic light source;
receiving light scattered from the portion of the bone tissue;
determining Raman spectral content information associated with the received light including measuring a first ratio of a first spectral portion corresponding to amide to a second spectral portion corresponding to amide; and
determining, based at least on the Raman spectral content information, including the first ratio, whether the patient has a bone tissue condition.
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Abstract
In a method for diagnosing or helping to diagnose a bone tissue condition of a patient, a portion of bone tissue of the patient is irradiated using a light source. The bone tissue may be irradiated in vivo through the skin or via an incision, for example. Alternatively, a biopsy of the bone tissue may be irradiated. Then, spectral content information for light scattered, reflected, or transmitted by the bone tissue is determined, and is used, at least in part, to determine whether the patient has a bone tissue condition.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for determining whether a patient has a condition related to bone tissue of the patient, the method comprising:
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irradiating a portion of bone tissue of the patient through skin of the patient using a substantially monochromatic light source; receiving light scattered from the portion of the bone tissue; determining Raman spectral content information associated with the received light including measuring a first ratio of a first spectral portion corresponding to amide to a second spectral portion corresponding to amide; and determining, based at least on the Raman spectral content information, including the first ratio, whether the patient has a bone tissue condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for determining bone tissue susceptibility to fracture, comprising:
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a substantially monochromatic light source; an optical probe optically coupled to the substantially monochromatic light source and configured to irradiate a portion of bone tissue of a patient through skin of the patient and to receive light scattered from the portion of bone tissue; a spectrum analyzer optically coupled to receive light received by the optical probe, the spectrum analyzer configured to generate Raman spectral content information associated with the received light; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the spectrum analyzer, the computing device configured to; measure, in the Raman spectral content information, a first ratio of a first spectral portion corresponding to amide to a second spectral portion corresponding to amide, and generate diagnostic information indicative of whether the patient has a bone tissue condition based at least in part on the Raman spectral content information, including the first ratio. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for determining bone tissue susceptibility to fracture, the method comprising:
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irradiating a portion of bone tissue of a patient using a light source; receiving light scattered from the portion of the bone tissue; determining Raman spectra information from the received scattered light including measuring a ratio of a first spectral portion corresponding to amide to a second spectral portion corresponding to amide; determining a level of bone fracture risk of the patient based at least in part on the Raman spectra information, including the ratio, wherein the level of bone fracture risk is from a plurality of risk levels including a plurality of above-normal risk levels.
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44. An apparatus for determining bone tissue susceptibility to fracture, comprising:
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a light source; a Raman probe to receive light scattered from a portion of bone tissue of a patient irradiated by the light source; a spectrum analyzer coupled to receive light received by the light receiver and to determine Raman spectra information for the received light; and a computing device coupled to the spectrum analyzer, the computing device configured to; measure, in the Raman spectra information, a ratio of a first spectral portion corresponding to amide to a second spectral portion corresponding to amide, and determine a level of bone fracture risk of the patient based at least in part on the Raman spectra information, including the ratio, wherein the level of bone fracture risk is from a plurality of risk levels including a plurality of above-normal risk levels.
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Specification