Method and apparatus for diagnosing bone tissue conditions

US8417322B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · US

Inventors

• Michael D. Morris · Ann Arbor, US
• Steven Goldstein · Atlanta, US
• Barbara McCreadie · Ann Arbor, US
• Tso-Ching Chen · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 29, 2004
• Grant date: Apr 9, 2013
• Expiry date: May 23, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/656
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a method for diagnosing or helping to diagnose a bone tissue condition of a patient, a portion of bone tissue of the patient is irradiated using a light source. The bone tissue may be irradiated in vivo through the skin or via an incision, for example. Alternatively, a biopsy of the bone tissue may be irradiated. Then, spectral content information for light scattered, reflected, or transmitted by the bone tissue is determined, and is used, at least in part, to determine whether the patient has a bone tissue condition.