Quantitative pneumatic otoscopy using coherent light ranging techniques
First Claim
1. A pneumatic otoscopic imaging system comprising:
- a. a source of light;
b. a hand-held otoscope for abutment with an ear canal for directing the light to ear tissue and for collecting scattered light from the ear tissue;
c. an interferometer for combining the scattered light from the ear tissue with a reference beam for generating an interferometry signal;
d. a pneumatic port coupled to the hand-held otoscope for governing a pressure within the ear canal;
e. a pump for varying the pressure within the ear canal;
f. one of a pressure sensor and a pump controller for generating a pressure signal; and
g. a processor for receiving the interferometry signal and the pressure signal and for generating therefrom a quantitative characterization of the ear tissue under a specified condition of pressure within the ear canal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for performing interferometric measurements on ear tissue within a person'"'"'s ear, wherein the measurements are performed as a function of pressure within the ear canal. Measurements may be performed at a plurality of pressures, including pressures greater than, and less than, atmospheric pressure. Using an apparatus in accordance with the invention, methods are provided for characterizing a tympanic membrane, as well as a biofilm adjacent to the tympanic membrane, and an effusion in the middle ear. The tympanic membrane may be characterized as to geometrical features and mobility. Characterizations provided by the apparatus serve to diagnose ear pathology.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A pneumatic otoscopic imaging system comprising:
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a. a source of light; b. a hand-held otoscope for abutment with an ear canal for directing the light to ear tissue and for collecting scattered light from the ear tissue; c. an interferometer for combining the scattered light from the ear tissue with a reference beam for generating an interferometry signal; d. a pneumatic port coupled to the hand-held otoscope for governing a pressure within the ear canal; e. a pump for varying the pressure within the ear canal; f. one of a pressure sensor and a pump controller for generating a pressure signal; and g. a processor for receiving the interferometry signal and the pressure signal and for generating therefrom a quantitative characterization of the ear tissue under a specified condition of pressure within the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A hand-held pneumatic otoscope comprising:
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a. an otoscopic tip for insertion into an ear canal; b. focusing optics for directing light to ear tissue via the ear canal and for collecting scattered light from the ear tissue; c. a pneumatic port for modulating a pressure within the ear canal; d. a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure within the ear canal and for generating a pressure signal; and e. an optical coupler for directing the scattered light to an interferometer for interfering the scattered light from the ear tissue with a reference beam to generate an interference signal under a specified condition of pressure within the ear canal; and f. a processor for receiving the interference signal and the pressure signal and for generating therefrom a quantitative characterization of the ear tissue under a specified condition of pressure within the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for characterizing a tympanic membrane of a person, the method comprising:
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a. illuminating the tympanic membrane of an ear of a person with a broadband optical beam, the ear of the person having an ear canal; b. interfering light scattered by the tympanic membrane with a reference beam for generating an interferometric signal; c. varying pressure within the ear canal; and d. deriving a derivative of a displacement, with respect to pressure within the ear canal, of a position on the tympanic membrane relative to a fiducial position; and e. processing the interference signal and the pressure signal and generating therefrom a quantitative characterization of the ear tissue under a specified condition of pressure within the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method for characterizing at least one of biofilm adjacent to a tympanic membrane of a person and an effusion in a middle ear of the person, the method comprising:
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a. illuminating the tympanic membrane of an ear of a person with a broadband optical beam, the ear of the person having an ear canal; b. interfering light scattered by the tympanic membrane with a reference beam for generating an interferometric signal; c. varying pressure within the ear canal; d. recording the interferometric signal as a function of a pressure signal; e. processing the interferometric signal and the pressure signal and generating therefrom a quantitative characterization of any biofilm adjacent to the tympanic membrane and any effusion within the middle ear of the person under a specified condition of pressure within the ear canal; and f. ascertaining a specified parameter of the biofilm adjacent to the tympanic membrane and the effusion within the middle ear of the person on the basis of the interferometric signal at more than a single value of the pressure within the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for measuring tympanic membrane mobility of a tympanic membrane of a person, the method comprising:
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a. illuminating the tympanic membrane with a broadband optical beam via an ear canal of the person; b. interfering light scattered by the tympanic membrane with a reference beam derived from the broadband optical beam to generate an interferometric signal; c. modulating an air pressure internal to the ear canal; d. processing the interferometric signal and the pressure signal and generating therefrom a quantitative characterization of the tympanic membrane under a specified condition of pressure within the ear canal; e. quantifying a geometrical characteristic of the tympanic membrane as a function of air pressure in the ear canal based on the interferometric signal; and f. deriving tympanic membrane mobility based on the quantified geometrical characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification