US 5,386,827 A · Quantitative and qualitative in vivo tissue examination using time resolved spectroscopy

Abstract

A system for examination of biological tissue of a subject includes a light source, a light detector, a gated integrator and a integrator timing control adapted to integrate detected photons over at least two selected time intervals. The light source is adapted to introduce into the tissue, at an optical input port, pulses of electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength in the visible or infra-red range having duration on the order of a nanosecond or less. The detector detects, at an optical detection port, photons of modified pulses that have migrated in the tissue from the input port. The integrator and the integrator timing control register all photons arriving at the detector port over preselected time intervals of the arrival time of the modified pulses. The time-dependent shape of the modified pulses reflects the scattering and absorptive properties of the examined tissue. A processor adapted to receive data from the integrator determines a physiological property of the examined tissue based on the number of photons integrated over each time interval.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A method of examination of biological tissue of a subject, the scattering and absorptive properties of the examined tissue being determined by photons migrating between an optical input port and an optical detection port, said method comprising the steps of:

introducing into the tissue, at the input port, pulses of electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength in the visible or infra-red range, said pulses having duration on the order of a nanosecond or less;
detecting, at the detection port, photons of modified pulses that have migrated in the tissue from the input port;
integrating said photons over at least two selected time intervals separately spaced over the arrival time of said modified pulses;
and
determining a physiological property of the examined tissue based on the number of photons integrated over each time interval.

2 more elements

A system for examination of biological tissue of a subject, the scattering and absorptive properties of the examined tissue being determined by photons migrating between an optical input port and an optical detection port, said system comprising:

an optical input port located at a first location to introduce light to the biological tissue;
an optical detection port located at a second location spaced apart from said input port to detect light that has migrated through the biological tissue;
the source means for introducing into the tissue, at the input port, pulses of electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength in the visible or infra-red range, said pulses having duration on the order of a nanosecond or less;
detector means for detecting, at the detection port, photons of modified pulses that have migrated in the tissue from the input port;
integrator means, coupled to said detector means, for integrating said photons over at least two selected time intervals separately spaced over the arrival time of said modified pulses;
and
processor means, coupled to said integrator means, for determining a physiological property of the examined tissue based on the number of photons integrated over each time interval.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Quantitative and qualitative in vivo tissue examination using time resolved spectroscopy

Life of this patent

Quantitative and qualitative in vivo tissue examination using time resolved spectroscopy

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30