# US 10,441,211 B1 · Method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light

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- Number: US 10,441,211 B1
- Document ID: US10441211B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/225,526
- Filed: 2018-12-19
- Granted: 2019-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-19
- Applicants: Ali Hajjiah; Ebraheem Sultan; Kawther Al Mejadi; Sara Al Omran; Shemoukh Al Failakawi; Sara Borjaib
- Inventors: Ali Hajjiah; Ebraheem Sultan; Kawther Al Mejadi; Sara Al Omran; Shemoukh Al Failakawi; Sara Borjaib
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441211B1

## CPC

- A61B 5/4504: {Bones (A61B5/4547 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/0059: {using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence (photoacoustic A61B5/0093; optical measurement of heart rate A61B5/02416; optical measurement of blood flow A61B5/0261; optical measurement of analytes A61B5/1455)}
- A61B 5/0075: {by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy (A61B5/0071 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/0082: {adapted for particular medical purposes}
- A61B 5/0062: {Arrangements for scanning}
- A61B 5/1455: using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
- A61B 5/14551: {for measuring blood gases}
- G01N 21/359: using near infrared light
- G01N 21/4795: {spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium (in vivo A61B)}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light makes use of backscattered near infrared (NIR) light to determine if a body part of a patient is healthy, has a bone fracture, or has an edema. An incident beam of near infrared light is generated by a light source, and has both an incident amplitude and an incident phase. The incident beam of NIR light is directed toward the patient's body part, and a backscattered beam of NIR light is received from the body part. The backscattered beam of NIR light has a backscattered amplitude and a backscattered phase. The determination of whether the body part is healthy, has a bone fracture or has an edema is made based on the level of absorption of the incident beam of NIR light and/or based on the amount of scattering, based on the phase difference, of the incident beam of NIR light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light, comprising the steps of:
generating an incident beam of near infrared light having an incident amplitude, AI, and an incident phase, ϕI, associated therewith;
directing the incident beam of near infrared light toward a body part of a patient;
receiving a backscattered beam of near infrared light from the body part of the patient, the backscattered beam of near infrared light having a backscattered amplitude, ABS, and a backscattered phase, ϕBS, associated therewith;
measuring the backscattered amplitude and the backscattered phase of the backscattered beam of near infrared light;
calculating an insertion loss, IL, as
I
L
=
20
⁢
⁢
log
⁢
⁢
A
BS
A
I
;
calculating an insertion phase difference, IPD, as IPD=ϕBS−ϕI; and
determining that the body part of the patient has a bone fracture if the insertion loss is above a first loss threshold and the insertion phase difference is below a first phase threshold, thereby determining that the body part of the patient is healthy if the insertion loss is below a second loss threshold and the insertion phase difference is above a second phase threshold, and determining that the body part of the patient has an edema if the insertion loss is between the first loss threshold and the second loss threshold, and if the insertion phase difference is between the first phase threshold and the second phase threshold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 1, wherein the incident beam of near infrared light is generated using first, second and third light sources.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third light sources generate functional near infrared light at wavelengths of 670 nm, 795 nm, and 850 nm, respectively.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 1, wherein the incident beam of near infrared light is generated using a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser.

### Claim 5

A method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light, comprising the steps of:
generating an incident beam of near infrared light having an incident amplitude, A_I, associated therewith;
directing the incident beam of near infrared light toward a body part of a patient;
receiving a backscattered beam of near infrared light from the body part of the patient, the backscattered beam of near infrared light having a backscattered amplitude, A_BS, associated therewith;
measuring the backscattered amplitude of the backscattered beam of near infrared light;
calculating an insertion loss, IL, as
I
L
=
20
⁢
⁢
log
⁢
⁢
A
BS
A
I
;
and
determining that the body part of the patient has a bone fracture if the insertion loss is above a first loss threshold, thereby determining that the body part of the patient is healthy if the insertion loss is below a second loss threshold, and determining that the body part of the patient has an edema if the insertion loss is between the first loss threshold and the second loss threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 5, wherein the incident beam of near infrared light is generated using first, second and third light sources.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third light sources generate functional near infrared light at wavelengths of 670 nm, 795 nm, and 850 nm, respectively.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 5, wherein the incident beam of near infrared light is generated using a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser.

### Claim 9

A method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light, comprising the steps of:
generating an incident beam of near infrared light having an incident phase, ϕI, associated therewith;
directing the incident beam of near infrared light toward a body part of a patient;
receiving a backscattered beam of near infrared light from the body part of the patient, the backscattered beam of near infrared light having a backscattered phase, ϕBS, associated therewith;
measuring the backscattered phase of the backscattered beam of near infrared light;
calculating an insertion phase difference, IPD, as IPD=ϕBS−ϕI; and
determining that the body part of the patient has a bone fracture if the insertion phase difference is below a first phase threshold, thereby determining that the body part of the patient is healthy if the insertion phase difference is above a second phase threshold, and determining that the body part of the patient has an edema if the insertion phase difference is between the first phase threshold and the second phase threshold.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 9, wherein the incident beam of near infrared light is generated using first, second and third light sources.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 10, wherein the first, second, and third light sources generate functional near infrared light at wavelengths of 670 nm, 795 nm, and 850 nm, respectively.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light according to claim 9, wherein the incident beam of near infrared light is generated using a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser.