Vasculature and lymphatic system imaging and ablation associated with a reservoir

• US 8,285,367 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wattenburg, Willard H., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Zare, Richard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Jacqueline
• Application Number:
  US11/973,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 604/6.15, 604/8, 604/20, 604/27, 604/28, 604/40, 604/65, 604/328, 604/408, 604/93.01, 600/407
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6862 Stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 : Details of data transmission or power supply

Abstract

In an embodiment, a system includes one or one or more reservoirs responsive to control circuitry for receiving target(s) associated with one or more blood or lymph vessel of a subject. The system includes one or more first energy source associated with the one or more reservoirs for providing energy to elicit image response(s) associated with the target(s). The system includes one or more sensors associated with the one or more reservoirs for capturing the image response(s). Control circuitry is provided and coupled to the sensors for at least partially identifying the target(s) based at least partially on the captured image response(s) during an expected transit time of the target(s) through a detection area. Attachment unit(s) responsive to the control circuitry are provided for attaching the one or more reservoirs to the blood or lymph vessel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

locally capturing image information associated with a lumen of a local bypass, the local bypass associated with one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel in a subject;

analyzing the image information to at least partially identify a plurality of targets exhibiting a disease or disorder during an expected transit time of the plurality of targets through a detection area; and

locally collecting the plurality of identified targets in one or more reservoirs having a plurality of different compartments; and

segregating the plurality of identified targets into the plurality of different compartments at least partially based on the disease or disorder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein segregating the plurality of identified targets into the plurality of different compartments at least partially based on the disease or disorder includes segregating one or more cancer cell types into one or more of the plurality of different compartments.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein segregating the plurality of identified targets into the plurality of different compartments at least partially based on the disease or disorder includes segregating one or more infectious agent types into one or more of the plurality of different compartments.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein segregating the plurality of identified targets into the plurality of different compartments at least partially based on the disease or disorder includes segregating cancer cells into one or more of the plurality of different compartments and segregating infectious agents into another one or more of the plurality of different compartments.

5. A system comprising:

one or more reservoirs responsive to control circuitry, and configured to receive one or more targets and to function in one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel of a subject;

one or more energy source located in the one or more reservoirs, and configured to provide energy to elicit one or more image responses associated with the one or more targets;

one or more sensors configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs, and to capture the one or more image responses, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to orient to the one or more energy source; and

control circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors, and responsive to at least partially identify the one or more targets during an expected transit time of the one or more targets through a detection area in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs at least partially based on the captured one or more image responses.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the one or more sensors are located in the one or more reservoirs.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more energy source is further configured to provide ablation energy to the one or more targets responsive to the control circuitry at least partially identifying the one or more targets.

8. A system comprising:

one or more reservoirs responsive to control circuitry, and configured to receive one or more targets and to function in, or proximal to, a local bypass, the local bypass configured to function in, or proximal to, one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel of a subject;

one or more first energy source configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs, and to provide energy configured to elicit one or more image responses associated with the one or more targets;

one or more sensors configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs, and to capture the one or more image responses, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to orient to the one or more first energy source;

control circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors, and responsive to at least partially identify the one or more targets during an expected transit time of the one or more targets through a detection area in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs at least partially based on the captured one or more image responses; and

one or more inserts responsive to the control circuitry, and configured to modulate a diameter of a lumen of the one or more reservoirs.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

one or more second energy source responsive to control circuitry, and configured to provide ablation energy to a target area during the expected transit time of the one or more targets through the target area.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more inserts are configured to modulate an inner and/or outer diameter of the lumen of the one or more reservoirs.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is configured to modulate the diameter of the lumen of the one or more reservoirs at selected time intervals.