Patent · US Expired

Luminal diagnostics employing spectral analysis

US6129667A · kind A · utility

88Cited by
26References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 2, 1998
Grant dateOct 10, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 2, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B5/062
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An invasive probe for determining the morphological characteristics of walls of a lumen employs a real-time tracking means and an optical spectral measurement means. As the probe is advanced within the lumen, the real-time tracking means provides three-dimensional coordinates of the probe's position and orientation. Concurrent with probe localization, measurement of the spectral properties of the lumen wall are made by detecting the reflectance and/or absorption of light at the lumen wall. Both the probe position and the spectral measurement are sent to a data acquisition system which in turn provides an graphic or numeric display to the operator. Probe tracking can be performed with radio-frequency, magnetic resonance, ultrasonic techniques or the like. If desired, spectral measurements can be made in the visible, ultra-violet or infra-red spectral bands to provide optimized detection of chemical species of interest.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.