Detection system and method for aerosol delivery

#A section of the disclosure of this patent document contains material subject, to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

#The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for measuring quantities of aerosolized compounds. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention can relate to systems and methods for accurately delivering atomized substances, such as therapeutic agents,

#A variety of substances, such as therapeutic agents, may be delivered by inhalation, including aerosolized liquids and powder drugs, for the therapeutic treatment of the lungs and inhalation passageways and/or for the delivery of systemic agents. The inhalation of systemic therapeutic agents is considered a potential alternative to injections and other types of drug delivery systems. For example, insulin may be delivered by inhalation in aerosolized form, thus avoiding the need for the injection of insulin into a patient,

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for delivering aerosol according to an embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a light scatter detector according to an embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a light scatter detector including a beam dump, according to an embodiment of the invention.

#Embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for measuring, analyzing, and metering aerosols. For purposes of this application, the term aerosol includes airflows containing particles, such as aerosolized liquids, powders, and combinations of these, as well as airflows that do not contain any aerosolized particles. One use for the invention is as a real time aerosol volume transducer. With this use, aerosol density (for example, aerosol particles per liter) in a system can be measured by light scatter. If airflow (for example, liters per second) is also determined, then these two parameters multiplied together yield the number of aerosol particles per second passing through the chamber. The number of particles per second can then be integrated to calculate the total number of aerosol particles (i.e. volume) that passed through the system. The volume measurement can be repeated, and a comparison of volume measurements can be fed back to a system to, for example, meter subsequent amounts of aerosol

#FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a contextual overview for employing embodiments of the present invention. In this overview, a substance, which can be a liquid or solid form of a therapeutic agent or which can be any liquid or solid capable of being converted to an aerosol, is contained in aerosol selector 101. Aerosol, selector 101 includes atomizer 102, and is coupled to aerosol flow path 103 such that an aerosol can be introduced from atomizer 102 into aerosol flow path 103. For purposes of the application, the term atomizer includes any devise or component that is capable of producing an aerosol from solids, liquids, or any combination thereof.

#In one embodiment of the invention, aerosol flow path 103 includes a light source 104, a light detector 105 and a pressure sensor 107. Light detector 105 and pressure sensor 107 are coupled to processor 106. Processor 106 can be configured to receive a signal from light defector 105 and a signal from pressure sensor 107. The respective signals can be sent to processor 106 in substantially real time, or in some way that associates the respective signals.