Apparatus and methods for quantitatively measuring molecular changes in the ocular lens
AssigneeGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsMark A. Samuels, Scott W. Patterson, Jonathan A. Eppstein, Nai T. Yu, Sven-Erik Bursell
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for noninvasively diagnosing diabetes mellitus, the prediabetic condition, and cataracts in the human (or other) body are disclosed. Diagnoses are made by illuminating ocular lens tissue with a narrow-band light source at a selected wavelength, detecting the backscattered radiation intensity at the peak of the fluorescent response, and normalizing the detected value with the intensity of its Rayleigh component. Measurements provided in this manner can be used as improved indicators of the presence or absence of certain diseases or conditions.
Claims16
An apparatus for measuring molecular changes in a patient having an ocular lens that, when illuminated, is capable of backscattering radiation including fluorescent and Rayleigh components of determinable intensities, comprising:
- a. means for illuminating the ocular lens with light having a wavelength between approximately 400-430 nm, thereby causing the ocular lens to backscatter radiation in response to the illumination;
- b. means, responsive to the backscattered radiation, for collecting the backscattered radiation;
- c. means, connected to the collecting means, for separating the backscattered radiation into its fluorescent and Rayleigh components;
- and
- d. means, connected to the separating means, for (i) detecting the intensity of each of the separated fluorescent and Rayleigh components and (ii) forming the ratio of the detected intensities, thereby producing a measurement of molecular changes in the ocular lens.
An apparatus for measuring molecular changes in a patient having an ocular lens having a volume that, when illuminated, is capable of backscattering radiation including fluorescent and Rayleigh components of determinable intensities, comprising:
- a. a laser for providing light having a selected wavelength and power level;
- b. means, optically responsive to the provided light, for adjusting the power level of the light;
- c. a lens, optically connected to the adjusting means, for focussing the light;
- d. a first optical fiber, optically connected to the lens, for receiving the focused light;
- e. a lens system, optically connected to the first optical fiber and defining an aperture having a focus greater than approximately fifteen micrometers, for delivering the focused light to a selected approximately two hundred micrometers of the volume of the ocular lens, thereby causing the ocular lens to backscatter radiation in response to the delivered light;
- f. a collector (i) having a focal point encompassing the selected volume of the ocular lens to which the focused light is delivered and (ii) responsive to the backscattered radiation, for collecting the backscattered radiation;
- g. a second optical fiber, optically connected to the collector, for receiving the collected radiation;
- h. means, connected to the connecting means, for separating the backscattered radiation into its fluorescent and Rayleigh components;
- and
- i. means, connected to the separating means, for (i) detecting the intensity of each of the separated fluorescent and Rayleigh components and (ii) forming the ratio of the detected intensities, thereby producing a measurement of molecular changes in the optical lens.
A method for measuring molecular changes in a patient having tissue that, when illuminated, is capable of backscattering radiation including fluorescent and Rayleigh components of determinable intensities, comprising the steps of:
- a. illuminating the tissue with light having a wavelength selected from the group consisting of between approximately 400-430 nm and between approximately 800-860, thereby causing the tissue to backscatter radiation in response to the illumination;
- b. separating the backscattered radiation into its fluorescent and Rayleigh components;
- c. detecting the intensity of each of the separated fluorescent and Rayleigh components;
- and
- d. forming the ratio of the detected intensities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.