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US 12,642,589 B2Granted
Device and method for in vivo detection of clots within circulatory vessels
AssigneeBioVentures, LLC
InventorsVladimir Pavlovich Zharov, Ekaterina Galanzha
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Abstract
A device and method of using the device to detect the presence and composition of clots and other target objects in a circulatory vessel of a living subject is described. In particular, devices and methods of detecting the presence and composition of clots and other target objects in a circulatory vessel of a living subject using in vivo photoacoustic flow cytometry techniques is described.
Claims14
A method for monitoring of a circulatory vessel of a living organism, the method comprising:
- pulsing circulating target objects comprising red blood cells and at least one clot within the circulatory vessel with at least one pulse of laser energy at a first pulse wavelength ranging between 400 nm and 2500 nm, wherein the first pulse wavelength induces a photoacoustic signal from the circulating target objects, wherein the at least one clot is a hemoglobin-rich red clot, a platelet-rich white clot, or a combination thereof and wherein the hemoglobin-rich red clot is more light absorbing than the platelet-rich white clot;
- pulsing circulating target objects comprising one or more of red blood cells, at least one clot, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) within the circulatory vessel at a second wavelength:
- obtaining a photoacoustic pattern induced by the at least one pulse of laser energy, wherein the photoacoustic pattern comprises at least one photoacoustic signal comprising a blood background signal produced by the red blood cells;
- obtaining fluorescence, scattering, and photothermal signals from the circulating target objects, via a photodetector;
- analyzing a combination of the photoacoustic patterns at the first and second pulse wavelengths and the fluorescence, scattering, and/or photothermal signals to detect the CTCs, wherein analyzing the photoacoustic pattern comprises determining a presence of positive and negative contrasts in the photoacoustic pattern, wherein simultaneous positive and negative contrasts indicate detection of CTCs associated with the at least one clot;
- and
- increasing the laser energy of the laser pulses to increase emitted photoacoustic signals and ablate the clot.
4 more elements
A device for continuous monitoring of a circulating of a circulatory vessel of a living organisms, comprising:
- an in vivo flow cytometer, wherein the in vivo flow cytometer comprises:
- a pulsed laser configured to:
- pulse circulating target objects comprising red blood cells and at least one clot within the circulatory vessel with at least one pulse of laser energy at a first pulse wavelength ranging between 400 nm and 2500 nm, wherein the at least one clot is a hemoglobin-rich red clot, a platelet-rich white clot, or a combination thereof and wherein the hemoglobin-rich red clot is more light absorbing than the platelet-rich white clot;
- and
- pulse circulating target objects comprising one or more of red blood cells, at least one clot, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) within the circulatory vessel at a second wavelength;
- and
- an ultrasound transducer for receiving photoacoustic signals emitted by the circulating target objects in response to the pulses of laser energy at the first and second wavelengths, wherein the photoacoustic signals comprise at least one photoacoustic signal comprising a blood background signal produced by the red blood cells;
- a photodetector configured to obtain fluorescence, scattering, and photothermal signals from the circulating target objects;
- a processor configured to analyze a combination of the photoacoustic signals at the first and second pulse wavelengths and the fluorescence, scattering, and/or photothermal signals to detect the CTCs, wherein analyzing the photoacoustic signals comprises determining a presence of positive and negative contrasts in the photoacoustic signals, wherein simultaneous positive and negative contrasts indicate detection of CTCs associated with the at least one clot;
- and
- optical elements for directing the pulsed laser energy to the at least one clot within an area of interest.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.