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US 4,515,165 AGranted
Apparatus and method for detecting tumors
AssigneeEnergy Conversion Devices, Inc.
InventorRobert Carroll
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AssigneeEnergy Conversion Devices, Inc.
InventorRobert Carroll
Estimating the term…
A device and method for the detection of tumors in human and animal tissue using transmission or reflection of nonionizing radiation, in particular, visible light having a wavelength most advantageously in the range of 400 to about 700 nanometers, and infrared light having a wavelength in the range of 700 nanometers to about 4 microns (4000 nanometers). Measurement of the amount of absorption and scatter in regions of the tissue involved is in a scanning mode to produce a shadowgraph image using either single wavelength grey scale or preferably multispectral multiple wavelength false color imaging techniques. The apparatus and method also advantageously can be used in conjunction with computer image reconstruction similar to that employed in computerized axial tomography of the type used in X-ray diagnostic techniques. In one of its more advantageous aspects, the apparatus and method are used to differentiate between benign and malignant human breast tumors.
A method of detecting the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said method comprising the steps of scanning a test region in said body by individually applying at discrete locations on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a greater degree by a cancerous tumor relative to a non-cancerous tumor and by surrounding normal healthy tissue and which is absorbed or scattered to a lesser degree relative to a non-cancerous tumor than by normal healthy tissue and cancerous tumors, and detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation emanating from the skin surface of the body at a discrete point of the skin surface no greater than 2 mm thereacross on the opposite side of the test region where the radiation is expected to emanate for each individual application of radiation as the radiation being directed into the skin surface irradiates said region of the body where a tumor may be located and determining from said detecting and measuring if any tumors are present and if present distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors.
A method of detecting cancerous female breast tumors in situ within the body of a human being, said method comprising the steps of scanning a test region in said body by individually applying to various discrete points of the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having dimensions no greater than about 2 mm thereacross and having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much greater degree by a cancerous tumor than by surrounding normal healthy breast tissue, detecting the radiation at discrete points of the skin surface on the opposite side of the breast where the radiation beam is expected to emanate from the breast after interrogating the test region thereof to obtain measurements identifying the presence of cancerous tumors.
A method of detecting tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said method comprising the steps of scanning a test region in said body by individually applying to discrete points of the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having dimensions no greater than about 2 mm thereacross and having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much different degree by a tumor than by surrounding normal healthy tissue, detecting the radiation at discrete points of the skin surface where the radiation beam is expected to emanate from the skin surface after interrogating the test regions of the body, to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and forming from such detected radiation an image of the region scan where the color, intensity or darkness of the different areas of the image is a function of the magnitude of the radiation detected at said discrete points.
A method of detecting the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said method comprising the steps of directing at different points on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a first visible or infrared radiation beam having a tumor distinguishing wavelength which is scattered or absorbed to different degrees by a cancerous tumor, a non-cancerous tumor and normal healthy tissue, and a second visible or infrared radiation beam having a wavelength which will be absorbed to near the same degree by cancerous and non-cancerous tumorous and normal healthy tissue, detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation resulting from said first and second radiation beams emanating from different points on the skin surface of the body after the radiation beams involved have irradiated said region of the body where a tumor may be located, obtaining modified measurements by subtracting or forming a ratio with the measured magnitudes of radiation emitted from said different points so that the differences in the resulting measurements are due primarily to the specific wavelength absorption or scattering effects from tumors involved, and forming from such modified measurements images of the regions interrogated where the color, intensity or darkness of the different areas of the image distinguishes the tumors from normal healthy tissue and cancerous from non-cancerous tumors.
Apparatus for detecting the presence of tumors and for distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said apparatus comprising means for scanning a test region in said body by individually directing at discrete points on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having dimensions no greater than about 2 mm thereacross and having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much greater degree by a cancerous tumor than by a non-cancerous tumor and by normal healthy tissue, and which is absorbed or scattered to a lesser degree by a non-cancerous tumor than by a cancerous tumor and by normal healthy tissue and means for detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation emanating from the skin surface of the body as the radiation beam directed into the skin surface irradiates said region of the body where a tumor may be located to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors.
Apparatus for detecting tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said apparatus comprising means for scanning a test region in said body by individually applying to discrete points of the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having dimensions no greater than about 2 mm thereacross and having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much different degree by a tumor than by normal healthy tissue, means for detecting the radiation at discrete points of the skin surface where the scanning radiation beam is expected to emanate from the skin surface after interrogating the test regions of the body, to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and means for forming from such detected radiation an image of the region interrogated where the color, intensity or darkness of the different areas of the image is a function of the magnitude of the radiation detected at said discrete points and which image distinguishes tumors from normal healthy tissue.
Apparatus for detecting female breast cancerous tumors in situ within the body of a human being, said apparatus comprising means for scanning a test region in said breast by individually applying to various discrete points of the skin surface of said breast opposite the test region in said breast where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having dimensions no greater than about 2 mm thereacross and having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much greater degree by a cancerous tumor than by surrounding normal breast tissue and non-cancerous tumors, means for detecting the radiation at discrete points of the skin surface where the radiation beam is expected to emanate from the skin surface after interrogating the test regions of the body, and means for forming from such detected radiation an image of the region interrogated where the color, intensity or darkness of the diffrent areas of the image is a function of the magnitude of the radiation detected at said discrete points and which image distinguishes cancerous tumors from normal healthy tissue and non-cancerous tumors.
Apparatus for detecting the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said apparatus comprising means for scanning a test region in said body by individually directing at different points on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a first visible or infrared radiation beam having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is scattered or absorbed to a greater degree by a cancerous tumor than by a non-cancerous one or by surrounding normal healthy tissue and to a lesser degree by a non-cancerous tumor than by surrounding normal healthy tissue, and a second visible or infrared radiation beam having a wavelength which will be absorbed to near the same degree by cancerous and non-cancerous tumorous and normal healthy tissue, means for detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation resulting from said first and second radiation beams emanating from different points on the skin surface of the body after the radiation beams involved have irradiated said region of the body where a tumor may be located, means for obtaining modified measurements by subtracting or forming a ratio with the measured magnitudes of radiation emitted from said different points so that the differences in the resulting measurements are due primarily to the specific wavelength absorption or scattering effects from tumors in the tissue involved, and means for forming from such modified measurements images of the regions interrogated where the color, intensity or darkness of the different areas of the image distinguish the tumors from normal healthy tissue and cancerous tumors from non-cancerous tumors.
A method of detecting tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said method comprising the steps of directing at a given location on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a greater degree by a cancerous tumor relative to a non-cancerous tumor and by surrounding normal healthy tissue and which is absorbed or scattered to a lesser degree relative to a non-cancerous tumor than by normal healthy tissue and cancerous tumors, detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation emanating from the skin surface of the body as the radiation beam directed into the skin surface irradiates said region of the body where a tumor may be located to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors, wherein for each discrete point of said skin surface receiving a radiation beam there is also detected at a number of radiation detecting points where the beam of radiation emanates from said skin surface the magnitude of the radiation received thereat, and producing a computer tomographic reconstruction image from the variations of the magnitude of the radiation detected at said number of radiation detecting points.
A method of detecting tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said method comprising the steps of directing at a given location on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a greater degree by a cancerous tumor relative to a non-cancerous tumor and by surrounding normal healthy tissue and which is absorbed or scattered to a lesser degree relative to a non-cancerous tumor than by normal healthy tissue and cancerous tumors, wherein said visible or infrared radiation beam at the entrance thereof into the skin surface has dimensions across the beam no greater than about 2 mm in any direction thereacross, and detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation emanating from the skin surface of the body as the radiation beam directed into the skin surface irradiates said region of the body where a tumor may be located to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors.
Apparatus for detecting tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said apparatus comprising means for directing at a given location on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much greater degree by a cancerous tumor than by a non-cancerous tumor and by surrounding normal healthy tissue, wherein said visible or infrared radiation beam has dimensions across the beam no greater than about 2 mm in any direction thereacross, and means for detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation emanating from the skin surface of the body as the radiation beam directed into the skin surface irradiates said region of the body where a tumor may be located to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors.
Apparatus for detecting tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said apparatus comprising means for directing at a given location on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much greater degree by a cancerous tumor than by a non-cancerous tumor and by surrounding normal healthy tissue, and means for detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation emanating from the skin surface of the body as the radiation beam directed into the skin surface irradiates said region of the body where a tumor may be located to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors, wherein there is provided computerized axial tomography means responsive to said detecting and measuring means for constructing tomographic images of the test region.
Apparatus for detecting tumors in situ within the body of a human being or animal, said apparatus comprising means for directing at a given location on the skin surface of said body opposite the test region in said body where a tumor may be located a visible or infrared beam of radiation having a tumor-distinguishing wavelength which is absorbed or scattered to a much greater degree by a cancerous tumor than by a non-cancerous tumor and by surrounding normal healthy tissue, and means for detecting and measuring the magnitude of the radiation emanating from the skin surface of the body as the radiation beam directed into the skin surface irradiates said region of the body where a tumor may be located to obtain measurements identifying the presence of tumors and distinguishing cancerous from non-cancerous tumors, wherein said radiation directing means comprises a plurality of independent radiation sources forming a radiation source array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.