Method and apparatus for noninvasive measurement of carotenoids and related chemical substances in biological tissue
US6205354A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 18, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 18, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/656
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for the determination of levels of carotenoids and similar chemical compounds in biological tissue such as living skin. The method and apparatus provide a noninvasive, rapid, accurate, and safe determination of carotenoid levels which in turn can provide diagnostic information regarding cancer risk, or can be a marker for conditions where carotenoids or other antioxidant compounds may provide diagnostic information. Such early diagnostic information allows for the possibility of preventative intervention. The method and apparatus utilize the technique of resonance Raman spectroscopy to measure the levels of carotenoids and similar substances in tissue. In this technique, laser light is directed upon the area of tissue which is of interest. A small fraction of the scattered light is scattered inelastically, producing the carotenoid Raman signal which is at a different frequency than the incident laser light, and the Raman signal is collected, filtered, and measured. The resulting Raman signal can be analyzed such that the background fluorescence signal is subtracted and the results displayed and compared with known calibration standards.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.