Devices for non-contact thermographic mapping of tissue for viability assessment and methods of their use
First Claim
1. A method of assessing tissue viability, the method comprising:
- providing at least one source of thermal stimulation of a tissue, wherein the at least one source of thermal stimulation provides at least one thermal stimulus;
providing a measurement system for obtaining response data related to at least one response to the at least one thermal stimulus by the tissue;
applying the at least one thermal stimulus to the tissue, wherein applying the at least one thermal stimulus comprises;
applying a first thermal stimulus for a first period of time;
applying a null stimulus for a second period of time, wherein the null stimulus comprises a thermal stimulus at about ambient temperature or at about normal human core temperature; and
applying a second thermal stimulus for a third period of time;
measuring, by the measurement system, at least some tissue response data related to a response of the tissue to the at least one thermal stimulus;
calculating, by an electronic system, a comparison between the tissue response data and at least one viability threshold value; and
determining, by the electronic system, the tissue viability based at least in part on the comparison.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for remote thermographic assessment of tissue viability are disclosed. A system may include a controllable source of one or more thermal stimuli to be applied to a tissue, a measurement system to measure a heat response of the tissue before, during, and/or after the application of the thermal stimuli, and an electronic device that may control either one or both of the source of thermal stimuli and the measurement system. The electronic device may also receive tissue thermal response data from the measurement system, and may further calculate a measure of tissue viability. A method of determining tissue viability may include supplying a thermal stimulus to a tissue, receiving, by a measurement device, the thermal response of the tissue to the stimuli, and a comparison of the thermal response data to at least some viability threshold values. The results may be displayed in a graphical manner.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of assessing tissue viability, the method comprising:
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providing at least one source of thermal stimulation of a tissue, wherein the at least one source of thermal stimulation provides at least one thermal stimulus; providing a measurement system for obtaining response data related to at least one response to the at least one thermal stimulus by the tissue; applying the at least one thermal stimulus to the tissue, wherein applying the at least one thermal stimulus comprises; applying a first thermal stimulus for a first period of time; applying a null stimulus for a second period of time, wherein the null stimulus comprises a thermal stimulus at about ambient temperature or at about normal human core temperature; and applying a second thermal stimulus for a third period of time; measuring, by the measurement system, at least some tissue response data related to a response of the tissue to the at least one thermal stimulus; calculating, by an electronic system, a comparison between the tissue response data and at least one viability threshold value; and determining, by the electronic system, the tissue viability based at least in part on the comparison. - 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification