EP0359433A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Physiological probe
Assignee: Polartechnics Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-08-29
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2009-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A method of, and apparatus for, identifying human tissue which is suspected of being physiologically changed as a result of commencement of neoplastic activity or pre-activity, is disclosed. The tissue is preferably irradicated with light at wavelengths of 660nm and 940nm (6, 3, 7, 4). The magnitudes of the reflected (5, 8), or non-absorbed, light at the two wavelengths is compared (20), preferably after being normalised by the magnitude of ambient light reflected from the tissue immediately prior to each measurement. The invention finds application in detecting cervical lesions but is also applicable to endoscope inspectable tissues such as the lungs and alimentary canal tissues.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith William Jeffcoat
- 👤 David William Bishop
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 07:53
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0059; A61B5/0082; A61B5/0084; A61B5/43; A61B5/4306; A61B5/4318; A61B5/4331; A61B5/0086
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A physiological probe for identifying tissue which is suspected of being physiologically changed as a result of commencement of neoplastic activity or pre-activity, said probe comprising at least two paths for electromagnetic radiation in the range of from 200nm to 12,000nm, at least one of said paths leading to said tissue and at least one of said paths leading from, said tissue, a first electromagnetic generator to transmit electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength within said range along one of said paths, a second electromagnetic generator to transmit electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength within said range along one of said paths, said second wavelength being different from said first wavelength, receiver means to receive said radiation at said first and second wavelengths reflected, or non-absorbed, by said tissue, and comparator means to compare the ratio of the magnitudes of said received radiation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
A physiological probe for identifying tissue which is suspected of being physiologically changed as a result of commencement of neoplastic activity or pre-activity, said probe comprising at least two paths for electromagnetic radiation in the range of from 200nm to 12,000nm, at least one of said paths leading to said tissue and at least one of said paths leading from, said tissue, a first electromagnetic generator to transmit electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength within said range along one of said paths, a second electromagnetic generator to transmit electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength within said range along one of said paths, said second wavelength being different from said first wavelength, receiver means to receive said radiation at said first and second wavelengths reflected, or non-absorbed, by said tissue, and comparator means to compare the ratio of the magnitudes of said received radiation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
A probe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said receiver means receives ambient light reflected, or non absorbed, from said tissue and said comparator means generates a ratio formed by the difference between the magnitude of the received ambient light and the magnitude of the received first wavelength radiation, divided by the difference between the magnitude of the received ambient light and the magnitude of the received second wavelength radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A probe as claimed in claim 2 wherein said generators and receiver are controlled by a timing circuit to respectively generate timed pulses of said first and second wavelenghts and activate said receiver to determine both the magnitude of the received pulses of said first and second wavelengths and the magnitude of said received ambient light just prior to receipt of said received pulses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A probe as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least two paths for electromagnetic radiation are provided leading to said tissue to one of which said first generator is connected and to the other of which said second generator is connected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A probe as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first and second generators lead to the same path for electromagnetic radiation leading to said tissue and said timing circuit is arranged to generate said first and second wavelength pulses in sequence.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A probe as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said paths for electromagnetic radiation comprise optical fibers, said first wavelength is in the range of from 650nm to 850nm, said second wavelength is in the range of from 850nm to 1000nm, and an alarm activatable if said ratio diverges from approximately unity is connected to the output of said comparator means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of identifying tissue which is suspected of being physiologically changed as a result of commencement of neoplastic activity or pre-activity, said method comprising the steps of irradiating said tissue with electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength, irradiating said tissue with electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength, said first and second wavelengths being different and within the range of from 200nm to 12,000nm, receiving the radiation at said first and second wavelengths reflected, or non-absorbed, by said tissue, and comparing the ratio of the magnitudes of said received radiation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of identifying tissue which is suspected of being physiologically changed as a result of commencement of neoplastic activity or pre-activity, said method comprising the steps of irradiating said tissue with electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength, irradiating said tissue with electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength, said first and second wavelengths being different and within the range of from 200nm to 12,000nm, receiving the radiation at said first and second wavelengths reflected, or non-absorbed, by said tissue, and comparing the ratio of the magnitudes of said received radiation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 including the step of receiving ambient light reflected, or non-absorbed, by said tissue, and measuring the ratio formed by the difference between the magnitude of the received ambient light and the magnitude of the received first wavelength radiation, divided by the difference between the magnitude of the received ambient light and the magnitude of the received second wavelength radiation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said difference is formed by the magnitude of the received ambient light measured just before the measurement of the received first or second wavelength radiation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein said tissue is irradiated with timed pulses of said first and second wavelength radiation and/or wherein said first wavelength is in the range of from 650nm to 850nm and said second wavelength is in the range of from 850nm to 100nm.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
21 words
A method according to any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the tissue is irradiated while removed from the body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.