Measuring device for measuring cerebral parameters

• US 9,668,681 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NeMoDevices AG
• Original Assignee: NeMoDevices AG
• Inventors: Frhlich, Jrg Hans, Muser, Markus Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Tse
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, JOANNE M
• Application Number:
  US14/115,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20150011853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14553 specially adapted for cerebral tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a measuring device and to a method for measuring parameters of a body tissue using an elongate probe (1) for insertion into the body tissue, comprising at least one optical waveguide (2) for transmitting light beams that runs along the longitudinal axis of the probe within the probe, an exit region (5) from which light beams emitted from the optical waveguide exit into the body tissue, and at least one receiving region (6) through which light beams reflected and/or scattered in the body tissue enter the probe as input light beams on a photodetector or in an optical waveguide (2; 3). The exit region (5) is provided at the distal end of the probe (1) and is oriented at least partially in the longitudinal direction of the probe (1). At least some of the emitted light beams exit the probe in the longitudinal direction of the probe. The at least one receiving region (6) is located at a distance from the distal end of the probe on a lateral circumferential region of the probe. The input light beams entering a receiving region (6) are subject to a deflection of more than 90° relative to the light beams emitted from the exit region (5).

Claims

1. A measuring device for measuring parameters of a body tissue using an elongated probe (1) for insertion into the body tissue, comprising:

at least one optical guide (2) for transmitting light rays, wherein the at least one optical guide (2) runs along the longitudinal axis of the probe within the probe from a distal end to an opposing proximal end of the probe;

an exit region (5), from which light rays emitted from the optical guide exit into the body tissue and out of the probe;

a plurality of receiving regions (6), through which light rays, which are at least one of reflected or scattered in the body tissue and that have exited from the exit region (5), enter the probe as input light rays on a photo detector or in an optical guide (2;

3); and

a reflection surface (9) oriented in a direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the probe, the reflection surface (9) comprising an opening through which the at least one optical guide (2) extends, the light rays emitted being guided through the opening and travelling in a distal direction that extends from the proximal end toward the distal end of the probe;

wherein;

the exit region (5) is positioned at the distal end of the probe (1) and is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the probe (1), so that light rays emitted by the probe (1) exit the probe (1) such that the light rays emitted travel in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the probe (1); and

the plurality of receiving regions (6) is spaced at a longitudinal distance toward the proximal end of the probe (1) and away from the exit region (5), the at least one receiving region (6) being positioned on a lateral circumferential region of the probe (1).

2. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of receiving regions (6) is oriented substantially radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the probe (1).

3. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of receiving regions (6) are provided distributed around the probe (1) in a circumferential direction.

4. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the bundle (8) of light rays emitted are focused substantially in such a way that these light rays exit out of the optical guide (2) symmetrically around the longitudinal axis of the probe (1).

5. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the spaced distance between the exit region (5) and the receiving region (6) measures between 1 and 40 mm.

6. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the probe (1) has a rigid section (12) having maximally a length of 50 mm.

7. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the exit region (5) comprises an optical element (10) which terminates at the distal end of the probe (1).

8. The measuring device according to claim 7, wherein the optical element (10) is made of a material having a greater refraction index than an adjacent material of the body tissue.

9. The measuring device according to claim 7, wherein the optical element (10) is made of at least one of:

an epoxy resin, a polycarbonate material, a glass material, an acrylate material, a polypropylene material, or a polyimide material.

10. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the optical element (10) is disposed in distal direction behind the reflection surface (9).

11. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the emitted light rays have one or more wavelengths in the range between 600 nm and 1000 nm.

12. A method for measuring the parameters of a body tissue using a measuring device according to claim 1, input light rays entering at a receiving region (6) being subjected to a deflection of more than 90°

relative to light rays emitted from the exit region (5).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a predominant portion of the emitted light rays are subjected to a deflection in the range of about 270°

until entrance at a receiving region (6).

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein light rays exiting out of the optical guide (2) are diffracted away from the longitudinal axis of the probe (1), on a surface of the optical element (10).

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one optical guide (2) runs along the longitudinal axis of the probe and within the probe, such that the light rays transmitted there-through and emitted there-from travel along the longitudinal axis.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light rays re-enter the probe after having been at least one of reflected or scattered in and exited from the body tissue.