Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for determining target depth, brightness and size within a body region

US7764986B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
82References
20Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateJul 29, 2007
Grant dateJul 27, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 6, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/6428
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of investigating the location and size of a light-emitting source in a subject is disclosed. In practicing the method, one first obtains a light intensity profile by measuring, from a first perspective with a photodetector device, photons which (i) originate from the light-emitting source, (ii) travel through turbid biological tissue of the subject, and (iii) are emitted from a first surface region of interest of the subject. The light-intensity profile is matched against with a parameter-based biophotonic function, to estimate function parameters such as depth and size. The parameters so determined are refined using data other than the first measured light intensity profile, to obtain an approximate depth and size of the source in the subject. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the method.

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