Non-invasive method of determining skin thickness and characterizing layers of skin tissue in vivo
US6671542B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 5, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 30, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG16H50/20
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A novel approach to measuring the overall and layer-by-layer thickness of in vivo skin tissue based on near infrared absorbance spectra is described. The different biological and chemical compounds present in the various layers of a tissue sample have differing absorbance spectra and scattering properties that enable them to be discerned and quantified, thus allowing an estimate of the thickness of the tissue being sampled. The method of the invention also yields the chemical composition of the absorbing and/or scattering species of each layer. Additionally, a method of path length normalization for the purpose of noninvasive analyte prediction on the basis of skin thickness and layer constituents is provided.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.