Detection probe for optical spectroscopy and spectrometry

Details Detection probe for optical spectroscopy and spectrometry Detection probe for optical spectroscopy and spectrometry

2001-06-05

2003-04-29

Lee, Kevin (Department: 3736)

Surgery

Diagnostic testing

Measuring or detecting nonradioactive constituent of body...

C600S342000, C385S117000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06556851

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates detection probes for in depth resolving optical spectroscopy and spectrometry.
Various possibilities for detecting the light scattered in tissue in dependence on the distance from the source of illumination already exist. Apart from the use of photodetector arrays directly on the tissue surface, there is the possibility of transmitting the light to the detectors by an arrangement of light guides.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,930 discloses an apparatus for monitoring metabolisms in bodies, in which a probe which contains a plurality of deflecting devices, to be specific bent light guides, is placed on the skin.
A corresponding device is also known from DE-A-25 17 129, as a photoelectric pulse pick-up with fiber optics.
In a known configuration, as represented in FIG.
1
and described in EP 771 546 A2, optical fibers in a certain arrangement, which determines the depth of detection and the in-depth resolution, can be placed on the tissue in abutting manner. At the same time, the fibers (illumination fiber
1
, detection fibers
2
) are cemented into a corresponding fiber holder
3
(material: e.g. PEEK, high-grade steel) or fixed in relation to one another at previously defined spacings by a casting compound (e.g. epoxy casting compound Epo-Tek 301-2). For reasons of biocompatibility, corresponding materials must be used. Also shown in
FIG. 1
is the tissue
4
, into which light is coupled from the fiber
1
, and the paths
5
of the scattered light, which is picked up by the individual detection fibers
2
. Because of the relatively unfavorable leverage, such a detection probe must have a wide base plate to allow it to be fixed securely. The use of more than three fibers
1
,
2
makes the feeding-in fiber optic cable quite rigid, resulting in great bending radii and consequently a great space requirement.
The direct coupling of the scattered light into the fiber makes the known arrangement very effective. However, this is at the expense of convenient handling and fixing. With this type of optical detection, a fiber diameter beginning from 50 &mgr;m is adequate in the case of a fiber spacing of 0.3 mm.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Against this background, it is an object of the invention to reduce the overall size of the detection probe and improve handling.
A detection probe with the features of claim
1
is proposed to achieve this object. Configurations of the invention are the subject of subclaims.
An orthogonal detection of the scattered light is preferably provided, with a fiber guided parallel to the tissue surface and with a deflection of the light of between 0° and 180°, preferably by 90°, with at least one mirror surface.
The invention allows the detection probes to be made especially flat, thereby reducing the overall size and improving handling. Electrodes can be easily fixed, in a way similar to the electrodes in the case of an electrocardiogram, and are also not felt to be a hindrance, since the“leads” lie flat against the body and do not protrude perpendicularly from it.
Further aims, advantages, features and application possibilities of the present invention emerge from the following description of an exemplary embodiment on the basis of the drawing. All the features described and/or graphically presented here form the subject-matter of the present invention in themselves or in any desired meaningful combination, even independently of how they are combined in the claims or the way in which the latter relate back to one another.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4321930 (1982-03-01), Jobsis et al.
patent: 5217013 (1993-06-01), Lewis et al.
patent: 5259382 (1993-11-01), Kronberg
patent: 5299570 (1994-04-01), Hatschek
patent: 5584296 (1996-12-01), Cui et al.
patent: 2517129 (1976-06-01), None
patent: 771546 (1997-05-01), None
M. Cope & D. T. Delpy: “System for long-term measurement of cerebral blood and tissue oxygenation on newborn infants by near infra-red transillumination”, Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing May 1988, pp. 289-294.
Weija Cui & Lee E. Ostrander: “In Vivo Reflectance of Blood and Tissue as a Function of light Wavelength”, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, Jun. 1990, No. 6, pp. 632-639.

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