Method for the non-invasive measurement of tissue function and metabolism by determination of steady-state fluorescence anisotropy
First Claim
1. A method for non-destructively evaluating the functional capacity of a human tissue using a signal processing apparatus configured for non-invasive evaluation of the tissue in a clinical setting, the method comprising:
- irradiating the tissue in a resting state with polarized light so as to cause one or more endogenous fluorophores in the tissue to fluoresce, the one or more endogenous fluorophores comprising lipoamide dehydrogenase (LipDH);
determining a resting steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of emitted fluorescence in tissue in the resting state;
stimulating the tissue to change its metabolism from the resting state into a stimulated state;
irradiating the tissue in the stimulated stated with polarized light so as to cause one or more endogenous fluorophores in the tissue to fluoresce;
determining a stimulated steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of emitted fluorescence in the tissue in the stimulated state;
constructing a resting fluorescence anisotropy map based on the resting steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and a stimulated fluorescence anisotropy map based on the stimulated steady-state fluorescence anisotropy;
determining a the functional capacity of the tissue by subtracting point by point or pixel by pixel the resting fluorescence anisotropy map from the stimulated fluorescence anisotropy map over the entire maps or within an area of interest; and
comparing the functional capacity of the tissue to a functional capacity of a control tissue similarly evaluated to identify a tissue dysfunction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-invasive measurement of biological tissue reveals information about the function of that tissue. Polarized light is directed onto the tissue, stimulating the emission of fluorescence, due to one or more endogenous fluorophors in the tissue. Fluorescence anisotropy is then calculated. Such measurements of fluorescence anisotropy are then used to assess the functional status of the tissue, and to identify the existence and severity of disease states. Such assessment can be made by comparing a fluorescence anisotropy profile with a known profile of a control.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for non-destructively evaluating the functional capacity of a human tissue using a signal processing apparatus configured for non-invasive evaluation of the tissue in a clinical setting, the method comprising:
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irradiating the tissue in a resting state with polarized light so as to cause one or more endogenous fluorophores in the tissue to fluoresce, the one or more endogenous fluorophores comprising lipoamide dehydrogenase (LipDH); determining a resting steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of emitted fluorescence in tissue in the resting state; stimulating the tissue to change its metabolism from the resting state into a stimulated state; irradiating the tissue in the stimulated stated with polarized light so as to cause one or more endogenous fluorophores in the tissue to fluoresce; determining a stimulated steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of emitted fluorescence in the tissue in the stimulated state; constructing a resting fluorescence anisotropy map based on the resting steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and a stimulated fluorescence anisotropy map based on the stimulated steady-state fluorescence anisotropy; determining a the functional capacity of the tissue by subtracting point by point or pixel by pixel the resting fluorescence anisotropy map from the stimulated fluorescence anisotropy map over the entire maps or within an area of interest; and comparing the functional capacity of the tissue to a functional capacity of a control tissue similarly evaluated to identify a tissue dysfunction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification