Synchronization of illumination source and sensor for improved visualization of subcutaneous structures
First Claim
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1. A method for imaging of subcutaneous natural structures including veins or arteries or subcutaneous foreign structures in a human or animal body under ambient artificial lighting that produces a pulsed visible light output having light intensity maxima and minima in the output, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an illumination source configured to illuminate a human or animal body portion containing subcutaneous natural structures including veins or arteries or subcutaneous foreign structures;
(b) illuminating said body portion with illumination from said illumination source from outside the body;
(c) detecting the pulsed visible light output of the ambient artificial lighting, and defining the maxima and minima of said pulsed visible light output of said ambient artificial lighting;
(d) pulsing said illumination source in synchronization with the minima of said pulsed visible light output from said ambient artificial lighting;
(e) detecting the illumination received from said pulsed illumination source that is reflected from, backscattered from or transilluminated through said body portion at the minima of said pulsed visible light output of said ambient artificial light ; and
(f) producing an image from the detected illumination.
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Abstract
System and method are described for synchronizing a pulsed source of the near infrared illumination used in visualizing subcutaneous structures with the background illumination normally extant in medical treatment settings that allow both enhanced image acquisition and use of higher power pulsed infrared illumination sources.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for imaging of subcutaneous natural structures including veins or arteries or subcutaneous foreign structures in a human or animal body under ambient artificial lighting that produces a pulsed visible light output having light intensity maxima and minima in the output, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an illumination source configured to illuminate a human or animal body portion containing subcutaneous natural structures including veins or arteries or subcutaneous foreign structures; (b) illuminating said body portion with illumination from said illumination source from outside the body; (c) detecting the pulsed visible light output of the ambient artificial lighting, and defining the maxima and minima of said pulsed visible light output of said ambient artificial lighting; (d) pulsing said illumination source in synchronization with the minima of said pulsed visible light output from said ambient artificial lighting; (e) detecting the illumination received from said pulsed illumination source that is reflected from, backscattered from or transilluminated through said body portion at the minima of said pulsed visible light output of said ambient artificial light ; and (f) producing an image from the detected illumination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for enhancing the visualization of subcutaneous natural structures including veins or arteries or subcutaneous foreign structures in a human or animal body under ambient artificial lighting that produces a pulsed visible light output having light intensity maxima and minima in the output, comprising:
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(a) an illumination source configured to illuminate a human or animal body portion containing subcutaneous natural structures including veins or arteries or subcutaneous foreign structures with illumination from outside the body; (b) a visible light detector configured to detect the pulsed visible light output of the ambient artificial lighting, and to define the maxima and minima of said pulsed visible light output of said ambient artificial lighting; (c) a logic and pulsing circuit configured to pulse the illumination of said illumination source and to synchronize the pulsing of the illumination of said illumination source with the minima of said pulsed visible light output of said ambient artificial lighting; and (d) an imaging detector configured to detect the illumination received from said illumination source that is reflected from, backscattered from or transilluminated through the said body portion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for visualizing a subcutaneous structure inside a human or animal body portion, the system comprising:
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(a) an illumination source configured to illuminate a human or animal body portion with illumination from outside the body; (b) a receiver configured to receive light from the illumination source that is reflected from, backscattered from or transilluminated through the body portion during at least two discrete temporal intervals; (c) a first light detector coupled to the receiver; (d) a second light detector configured to detect a pulsed visible light output of light from an ambient artificial lighting having an intensity maxima and minima in the output, (e) a controller selected from a source controller and a receiver controller, in communication with said second light detector and configured to selectively synchronize the illumination of the illumination source received during the at least two discrete temporal intervals with a temporal interval during the intensity minima of the detected pulsed visible light output from the ambient artificial lighting; and (f) a display operatively connected to said first light detector, configured to display an image comprising the light reflected from, backscattered from or transilluminated through the body portion including information about subcutaneous structures inside the body portion. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification