Blood vessel wall analyzing device and blood vessel wall analyzing method

A blood vessel wall analyzing method of analyzing a composition of a measured portion in a blood vessel by using a blood vessel wall analyzing apparatus comprising:

• illuminating means for illuminating at least a light component in a measurement wavelength range of 780 nm to 2750 nm onto a measured portion within a blood vessel, the illuminating means including:
• a light illuminating unit installed at a first location at a first predetermined distance away from the blood vessel;
• and a light source that outputs the light component to be illuminated onto the measured portion through the light illuminating unit;
• detecting means for detecting the light component from the measured portion, the detecting means including:
• a light entering unit installed at a second location, at a second predetermined distance away from the blood vessel, where the light component from the measured portion reaches;
• and a light receiving unit that detects the light component introduced through the light entering unit;
• analyzing means for analyzing composition of the measured portion based on intensity information on the light component detected by the detecting means;
• and
• a spectroscope arranged in one of a light path between the light source and the light illuminating unit and a light path between the light entering unit and the light receiving unit, the spectroscope selecting, from light outputted from the light source, the light component within a detection wavelength range that is included in the measurement wavelength range and is narrower than the measurement wavelength range,
• the method comprising:
• arranging:
• (1) one of the light illuminating unit and the light entering unit on epidermis of a neck, while the other is arranged in an esophagus;
• (2) both the light illuminating unit and the light entering unit on the epidermis of the neck while being separated from each other;
• or (3) both the light illuminating unit and the light entering unit in the esophagus while being separated from each other;
• illuminating the light outputted from the light source onto the measured portion through the light illuminating unit;
• selecting the light component with the detection wavelength range from the light outputted from the light source, by using the spectroscope;
• detecting the light component that has selected by using the spectroscope and entered through the light entering unit from the measured portion;
• and
• generating analysis data for identifying the composition of the measured portion from intensity information on the detected light component.