Apparatus and method for characterizing optical sources used with human and animal tissues
First Claim
1. A method for characterizing an optical source comprising:
- obtaining light from the optical source;
providing a tissue phantom having a light-input face and a light-output face opposite the light-input face, wherein the light-input face includes a first planar area;
at a first time, transmitting a portion of the light through a first volume of the tissue phantom that is located between the first planar area of the light-input face and the light-output face such that the light enters the first volume of the tissue phantom through the first planar area of the light-input face and the portion of the light that transmits through the first volume of the tissue phantom exits the first volume of the tissue phantom through a second planar area of the light-output face that is opposite the first planar area of the light-input face;
at the first time, receiving the transmitted light from the second planar area of the light-output face that is opposite the first planar area of the light-input face as a characterization of the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom, wherein the receiving of the transmitted light further comprises generating an electrical signal that characterizes the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom and electrically processing the electrical signal; and
displaying a representation of the characterization associated with the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom, wherein the displaying includes displaying a representation of the electrically processed characterization associated with the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom, wherein the displaying includes displaying an iso-intensity map of the transmitted light, wherein the first area of the light-input face of the first volume on the tissue phantom is not parallel to the light-output face of the first volume opposite the first area, such that there is a continuously varying thickness between the first area of the light-input face and the light-output face opposite the first area, and wherein the thickness varies at a constant rate.
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Abstract
Medical researchers use various optical devices for diagnosis, detection, treatment, and therapy. In some embodiments, they do not have the equipment necessary to determine how much light is emitted by the optical device or how far it penetrates tissue. The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for characterizing light from an optical device by using a tissue phantom. The method includes coupling light from an optical source into a device, transmitting the light through a tissue phantom, detecting a transmitted light, optionally electrically processing the detected output, and displaying the corresponding optical characterization. In some embodiments, the apparatus obtains input light from an optical source, and may include a tissue phantom, an optical detector, an electrical processing unit, and a display for displaying the corresponding optical characterization.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for characterizing an optical source comprising:
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obtaining light from the optical source; providing a tissue phantom having a light-input face and a light-output face opposite the light-input face, wherein the light-input face includes a first planar area; at a first time, transmitting a portion of the light through a first volume of the tissue phantom that is located between the first planar area of the light-input face and the light-output face such that the light enters the first volume of the tissue phantom through the first planar area of the light-input face and the portion of the light that transmits through the first volume of the tissue phantom exits the first volume of the tissue phantom through a second planar area of the light-output face that is opposite the first planar area of the light-input face; at the first time, receiving the transmitted light from the second planar area of the light-output face that is opposite the first planar area of the light-input face as a characterization of the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom, wherein the receiving of the transmitted light further comprises generating an electrical signal that characterizes the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom and electrically processing the electrical signal; and displaying a representation of the characterization associated with the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom, wherein the displaying includes displaying a representation of the electrically processed characterization associated with the portion of the light transmitted through the first volume of the tissue phantom, wherein the displaying includes displaying an iso-intensity map of the transmitted light, wherein the first area of the light-input face of the first volume on the tissue phantom is not parallel to the light-output face of the first volume opposite the first area, such that there is a continuously varying thickness between the first area of the light-input face and the light-output face opposite the first area, and wherein the thickness varies at a constant rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for characterizing an optical source comprising:
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a first port configured to receive light from the optical source; a tissue phantom having a light-input face and a light-output face opposite the light input face, wherein the light-input face includes a first planar area, wherein the tissue phantom is positioned such that, at a first time, a portion of the light passes through a first volume of the tissue phantom such that the light enters the first volume of the tissue phantom through the first planar area of the light-input face and the portion of the light that transmits through the first volume of the tissue phantom exits the first volume of the tissue phantom through a second planar area of the light-output face that is opposite the first planar area of the light-input face; an optical detector operatively coupled to receive the portion of the light that passed through the first volume of the tissue phantom at a first time, and operable to generate a signal representing a characteristic of the light received by the optical detector; an electrical processing unit operatively coupled to receive the signal from the optical detector and operable to generate displayable information based on the signal; and a display operatively coupled to the electrical processing unit and configured to display the displayable information, wherein the displayable information further comprises an iso-intensity map of the light received by the optical detector, wherein the first area of the light-input face of the first volume of the tissue phantom is not parallel to the light-output face of the first volume opposite the first area, such that there is a continuously varying thickness between the first area of the light-input face and the light-output face opposite the first area, wherein the thickness varies at a constant rate. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification