Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-29
2001-11-27
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C600S179000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324418
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for diagnosing tissue. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable tissue spectroscopy apparatus and a method of performing tissue spectroscopy.
BACKGROUND
Tissue spectroscopy involves determining one or more characteristics of tissue inside a body by subjecting the tissue to light and detecting spectroscopic properties of the illuminated tissue. Tissue spectroscopy techniques are undergoing rapid development. For example, numerous light sources and detectors for use in tissue spectroscopy are being tested clinically. Current tissue spectroscopy systems tend to be large, bulky and expensive as they require external power supplies, light sources and spectrometer detection equipment.
In a typical tissue spectroscopy system, the excitation light from an external light source is delivered in vivo through an optical fiber to illuminate internal tissue. The optical fiber is placed inside a probe capable of being inserted inside a body cavity. The light emitted by the illuminated tissue, which indicates tissue characteristics, is delivered to an external detector through an optical fiber also placed inside the probe. The external devices tend to be bulky because-researchers are still exploring the use of various light excitation wavelengths, detection wavelengths and associated algorithms that may be found useful for detecting certain types of diseases. These diseases include cancer, displasia, various types of infections, viruses, inflammations, connective tissue disorders and autoimmune diseases.
Development of tissue spectroscopy devices tends to be slow, because research and validation work must be performed ahead of product design, which must then be approved by the various regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and their foreign equivalents. To expedite the application of tissue spectroscopy, there remains a need for simple tissue spectroscopy devices that can be used in clinical settings. An example of such a device would be a portable tissue spectroscopy device which integrates all the features needed to successfully perform tissue spectroscopy in a simple housing insertable inside a body cavity. A portable tissue spectroscopy device which is simple to use and which displays the tissue spectroscopy result in an easily readible manner can also be used by patients as a self-test device.
For portable tissue spectroscopy devices to be successful, the devices need to be manufactured inexpensively and operate safely. The devices should be manufacturable with a small number of parts using existing manufacturing technologies. In addition, portable tissue spectroscopy devices should be able to protect the patients and the device operators from electrical shock and overexposure to light, which might occur with high power research units. The portable tissue spectroscopy devices should also permit reconfiguration for multiple uses over a variety of wavelengths of light, which may require the use of light wavelength ranges not typically used today, such that large amounts of hardware and expensive display equipment does not become obsolete in the future.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention relates to a tissue spectroscopy apparatus for determining characteristic of tissue in a body. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing, at least one light source, at least one light detector, a power source and a display. The housing is insertable in a body cavity. The light sources illuminate tissue in the body. The light detectors detect spectroscopic properties of the illuminated tissue. The power source provides power to at least one of the light sources and at least one of the light detectors. The display may be located on a proximal end of the housing. The display indicates spectroscopic properties of the illuminated tissue.
The tissue spectroscopy apparatus can be a probe having a distal end insertable in the body cavity and a hand-holdable proximal end remaining outside the body. The distal end of the probe has a window and at least one of the light sources is positioned adjacent the window. The distal end of the housing may be angled to provide better contact between the window and the tissue. The probe can also comprise an actuator disposed adjacent a proximal end of the housing for actuating the apparatus. The probe can also include a control module disposed in the housing in communication with the power source.
In another embodiment, the invention features a tissue spectroscopy capsule for diagnosing tissue inside a body. The capsule includes a housing insertable in a body, at least one light emitter disposed in the capsule for illuminating tissue, and at least one light detector disposed in the housing for detecting spectroscopic properties of the tissue.
The capsule can include additional monitoring sensors such as pressure sensors or position sensors. The capsule can also include a transmitter disposed in the capsule and a receiver disposed external to the capsule for receiving signals from the transmitter. The receiver may be capable of storing data over a time period for subsequent recovery.
In another aspect, the invention features a method for performing tissue spectroscopy. In one embodiment, a capsule is inserted inside the body. Tissue inside the body is illuminated with at least one light source disposed in the capsule, and spectroscopic properties of the illuminated tissue is detected with at least one light detector disposed in the capsule. The capsule may further include a transmitter and a signal representative of the detected property is transmitted to a receiver outside the body. The signal is processed to provide information about the tissue.
In another embodiment, a probe is inserted in a body cavity such that a distal end of the probe is positioned adjacent tissue, while a proximal end remains outside the body cavity. The tissue is illuminated with at least one light source disposed in the probe. Spectroscopic properties of the illuminated tissue are detected with at least one light detector disposed in the probe. The detected spectroscopic properties are displayed on a display located on the proximal end of the probe.
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Crowley Robert J.
Hamm Mark A.
Boston Scientific Corporation
Lateef Marvin M.
Shaw Shawna J
Testa Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP
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