Induced fluorescence spectroscopy blood perfusion and pH monitor and method

A method of determining a pre-existing physiological property of an organ having constituents including NADH and collagen comprising:

• directing excitation light at the organ to cause the organ to produce return light, such return light including fluorescent light produced by constituents present in the organ;
• monitoring the return light and generating first and second signals, the first signal indicative of the intensity of the return light within a first wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of NADH and the second signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a second wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of collagen;
• and
• processing the first and second signals to produce an output signal, based on the first and second signals, that represents the physiological property of the organ.

Apparatus for determining the acidity or alkalinity of tissues of an organ, the tissues having constituents including NADH and collagen, comprising:

• a light source that emits excitation light;
• a first fiber-optic waveguide that transmits the excitation light from the light source to the tissues to cause the tissues to produce return light, such return light including fluorescent light produced by any compounds present in the tissues;
• a second fiber-optic waveguide that transmits the return light from the tissues;
• a sensor, associated with the second waveguide, for monitoring the return light, wherein the sensor generates a first signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a first wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of NADH and generates a second signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a second wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of collagen;
• and
• a processor that processes the first and second signals and produces an output signal that represents the acidity or alkalinity of the tissues.

Apparatus for determining the perfusion of the tissues of an organ, the tissues having constituents including NADH, collagen and elastin, comprising:

• a light source that emits excitation light;
• a first fiber-optic waveguide that transmits the excitation light from the light source to the tissues to cause the tissues to produce return light, such return light including fluorescent light produced by any compounds present in the tissues;
• a second fiber-optic waveguide that transmits the return light from the tissues;
• a sensor, associated with the waveguide, for monitoring the return light;
• wherein the sensor generates a first signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a first wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of NADH, generates a second signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a second wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of collagen, and generates a third signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a third wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of elastin;
• and
• a processor that processes the first, second, and third signals and produce an output signal that represents the blood perfusion of the tissues.

Apparatus for determining a pre-existing physiological property of an organ's tissues which include metabolic and structural constituents, comprising:

• a light source that emits excitation light;
• a first fiber-optic waveguide that transmits the excitation light from the light source to the tissues of an organ to cause the tissues to produce return light, such return light including fluorescent light produced by any compounds present in the tissues;
• a second fiber-optic waveguide that transmits the return light from the tissues;
• a sensor, responsive to the return light transmitted by the second waveguide, wherein the sensor monitors the return light and generates a first signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a first wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of a metabolic constituent, and generates a second signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a second wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of a structural constituent;
• and
• a processor that processes the first and second signals and produces an output signal that represents the physiological property.

Apparatus for determining a pre-existing physiological property of an organ having constituents including NADH and collagen, comprising:

• a light source that emits excitation light which is directed at an organ to produce return light from the organ, such return light including fluorescent light produced by any constituents present in the organ;
• a sensor having at least one output terminal for transmitting signals produced by the sensor in response to the return light, wherein the sensor monitors the return light and generates a first signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a first wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of NADH and generates a second signal indicative of the intensity of return light within a second wavelength band associated with the fluorescence of collagen;
• and
• a processor having at least one input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the processor receives the first and second signals from the sensor using the at least one input terminal, processes the first and second signals, and produces an output signal at the output terminal, that represents the physiological property.