Device, system and method for in vivo analysis

• US 8,738,106 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Rabinowitz, Elisha, Katz, Emil-Israel
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US11/831,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,492 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/342, 600/473, 600/476, 600/104, 600/109, 600/160, 422/82.05, 422/82.06, 422/82.07, 422/82.08, 422/82.09, 422/82.11, 356/300
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0002 General or multifunctional contrast agents, e.g. chelated agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0084 liposome, i.e. bilayered vesicular structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0093 Nanoparticle, nanocapsule, nanobubble, nanosphere, nanobead, i.e. having a size or diameter smaller than 1 micrometer, e.g. polymeric nanoparticle

Abstract

A device for in vivo analysis includes: a reaction chamber to store a detecting reagent able to react with a sample collected in vivo; and optionally a labeled-substance chamber to store a labeled substance able to bind to at least a portion of a compound resulting from a reaction of the detecting reagent and the sample. The in-vivo imaging device, typically an autonomous capsule, may have a housing, the housing comprising a window; an illumination source located within the housing to illuminate a body lumen through the window; an imager to receive light reflected from the body lumen through the window; and a transmitter to transmit image data to a receiving system. The window is coated with liposomes containing a marker such that the imager may acquire images which include the marking.

Claims

1. An in vivo device to detect the presence of an analyte in a fluid sample comprising:

an inlet for obtaining the fluid sample in vivo;

a reaction chamber in which nanocontainers are immobilized, said nanocontainers carrying imaging agents that are reactant to a target analyte in the fluid sample; and

an imager on board said in vivo device for imaging the reaction chamber.

2. The in vivo device according to claim 1 wherein said nanocontainers are liposomes.

3. The in vivo device according to claim 2, wherein said liposomes comprise bilayers of phospholipids around a hydrophobic core.

4. The in vivo device according to claim 2, wherein said liposomes comprise a multilayer of confronting lipid layers around a hydrophobic core.

5. The in vivo device according to claim 1, wherein said imaging agents are a signaling material.

6. The in vivo device according to claim 5, wherein said signaling material is a pH sensitive color in low strength buffer possessing a pH different from that of the sample and/or analyte.

7. The in vivo device according to claim 5, wherein said signaling material is a fluorescent material capable of changing optical properties of the target analyte.

8. The in vivo device according to claim 5, wherein said signaling material has a first color, which is modified to a second, different color when said signaling material reacts with a target analyte in the fluid sample.

9. The in vivo device according to claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a storage chamber including a dry buffer, and a gate to fluidically connect the storage chamber to the reaction chamber.

10. The in vivo device according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises a plurality of storage chambers, reaction chambers, and waste chambers to simultaneously test for different analytes in a sample.

11. The in vivo device according to claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a storage chamber comprising an antibody-antigen-congregate at a predetermined concentration to serve as a reference to the reaction chamber.

12. The in vivo device according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the reaction chamber is transparent and is in an optical path of the imager.

13. The in vivo device according to claim 1 wherein the in vivo device is an autonomous ingestible capsule.

14. The in-vivo device according to claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a waste chamber and a gate to fluidically connect the reaction chamber to the waste chamber.

15. The in vivo device according to claim 14, wherein a pressure gradient between the waste chamber and the reaction chamber facilitates flow when the gate is opened.

16. A method for detecting the presence of an analyte in an in vivo fluid sample, the method comprising:

collecting the in vivo fluid sample into a detection system in vivo, wherein the detection system comprises;

an inlet for obtaining the fluid sample in vivo;

a reaction chamber in which nanocontainers are immobilized, said nanocontainers carrying imaging agents that are reactant to a target analyte in the fluid sample; and

detecting a reaction between an analyte in the fluid sample and the nanocontainer; and

imaging the reaction chamber.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein said nanocontainers are liposomes.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said reaction between an analyte in the fluid sample and the nanocontainer results in rupture of the nanocontainer, which exposes the imaging agents to be optically detectable and/or visible.

19. A system to detect the presence of an analyte in a fluid sample comprising:

an in vivo device comprising;

an inlet for obtaining the fluid sample in vivo;

a reaction chamber in which nanocontainers are immobilized, said nanocontainers carrying imaging agents that are reactant to a target analyte in the fluid sample;

an imager for imaging in vivo and a portion of the reaction chamber; and

a transmitter for transmitting image data;

an external receiver device;

an external processor with a display unit;

wherein the external processor is configured to display images obtained by the imager.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the fluid sample is of the GI tract.

21. The in vivo device according to claim 19, wherein said nanocontainers are liposomes.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein said device further comprises a waste chamber and a gate to fluidically connect the reaction chamber to the waste chamber.