Optical examination device, system and method
AssigneeNon-Invasive Technology, Inc.
InventorBritton Chance
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and an examined body part includes an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support. The optical fibers have the end portions fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when the support is placed on the head or other surface of a subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair.
Claims49
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and the brain or other suitable part of a body of a subject being examined, comprising:
- an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support, said optical fibers being constructed and arranged for transmitting visible or near infra-red light,
- the end portions of the fibers fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when said support is placed on the head or other surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair for transmitting or receiving light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the head or other part of the body, said optical fibers being individually configured to provide separate optical coupling to a spectrophotometer.
The coupler device of constructed as a handheld probe, and being sized and configured to be moved and placed against the breast.
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and the brain or other suitable part of a body of a subject being examined, comprising:
- an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support, said optical fibers being constructed and arranged for transmitting visible or near infrared light,
- the end portions of the fibers fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when said support is placed on the head or other surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair for transmitting or receiving light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the head or other part of the body, and
- a second array of said optical fibers, wherein the first-mentioned array is associated with said source for transmitting light separately by individual fibers to the scalp or skin from the source, and the second array of fibers is associated with said detector for receiving light separately that has migrated to the scalp or skin from a known distance from the first-mentioned array of fibers for transmission to the detector.
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and the brain or other suitable part of a body of a subject being examined, comprising:
- an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from support,
- the end portions of the fibers fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when said support is placed on the head or other surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair for transmitting or receiving light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the head or other part of the body, and
- peripheral elements at the ends of at least some of the fibers arranged to engage the tissue to block transfer of light along the scalp or skin.
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and the brain or other suitable part of a body of a subject being examined, comprising:
- an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support, said optical fibers being constructed and arranged for transmitting visible or near infrared light,
- the end portions of the fibers fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when said support is placed on the head or other surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair for transmitting or receiving light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the head or other part of the body, wherein the fibers are disposed in a predetermined array, each fiber or small grouping of the fibers being associated with a discrete detector so that fiber tips simultaneously engage an area of the subject sufficient to provide data that enables processing to provide a back projection image.
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and the brain or other suitable part of a body of a subject being examined, comprising:
- an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support, said optical fibers being constructed and arranged for transmitting visible or near infrared light,
- the end portions of the fibers fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when said support is placed on the head or other surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair for transmitting or receiving light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the head or other part of the body, and the coupler device being arranged as a helmet or brassier, the fibers being adapted to simultaneously engage different sides of the portion of the subject being examined.
As part of an examination device, an optical coupler constructed and arranged as a conformable brush comprised of freely extending optical fiber end portions adapted to be positioned to engage the skin over an array of points on a body of a subject and to transmit or receive visible or near infra-red light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the body for spectroscopic examination, said optical fibers providing optical coupling to a spectrophotometer.
As part of an examination device, an optical coupler constructed and arranged as a conformable brush comprised of freely extending optical fiber end portions adapted to be positioned to engage the skin over an array of points on a body of a subject and to transmit or receive visible or near-infra-red light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the body for spectroscopic examination, wherein said examination device is arranged as a hematoma detector, hematoma monitor, tumor detector, spectrophotometric imager or metabolic condition monitor.
A device comprising:
- a disposable protective element adapted for engagement with the flesh of a subject comprising an end cup or sleeve disposably surrounding an end portion of an optical fiber freely protruding as a cantilever from a support, and further including several said optical fibers constructed to permit optical access between the ends of the fibers and the subject and to perform spectroscopic examination.
A device comprising:
- a disposable protective element adapted for engagement with the flesh of a subject comprising an end cup or sleeve disposably surrounding an end portion of an optical fiber freely protruding as a cantilever from a support, the support carrying several said optical fibers constructed to permit optical access between the ends of the fiber and the subject for spectroscopic examination, wherein an end region of the cup or sleeve carries a contrast medium.
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and the brain or other suitable part of a body of a subject being examined, comprising:
- an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support,
- the end portions of the fibers fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when said support is placed on the head or other surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair for transmitting or receiving light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the head or other part of the body, and
- a ferrule which extends beyond the end of the freely protruding fiber portion and is adapted to engage the tissue to prevent transfer of light along the surface of the engaged tissue.
As part of an examination device, an optical coupler constructed and arranged as a conformable brush comprised of freely extending optical fiber end portions adapted to be positioned to engage the skin over an array of points on a body of a subject for transmitting or receiving visible or near infra-red light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the body for spectroscopic examination, further including another similar optical coupler, the couplers arranged to engage laterally symmetrical portions of the body, one to provide a reference for the other.
As part of an examination device, an input or output optical coupler device for transmitting photons between an optical source or detector and the brain or other suitable part of a body of a subject being examined, comprising:
- an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support, said optical fibers being constructed and arranged for transmitting visible or near infrared light,
- the end portions of the fibers fabricated, sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair when said support is placed on the head or other surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface of the scalp or skin below the free hair for transmitting or receiving light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions on the head or other part of the body, wherein the optical coupler device is adapted to be connected to a plastic reference member molded to the contour of the subject.
A method of examination of subjects including:
- providing an optical coupler, constructed to transmit photons between an optical source or a detector and biological tissue of the subject being examined, comprising an array of optical fibers with end portions freely protruding as cantilevers from a support in the manner of bristles from a hairbrush, the end portions of the fibers sized and distributed to penetrate freely extending hair on the surface of the subject to make optical contact directly over an array of points with the surface to transmit or receive light that migrates through the tissue between input and receiving regions,
- employing said coupler as an optical examination device using visible or near infrared light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.