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US5046501A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Atherosclerotic identification

Assignee: Wayne State University
•
Filing: 1989-01-18
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Granted: 1991-09-10
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Expires: 2009-01-18
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Abstract

Abstract A method of identifying atherosclerotic plaque versus structurally viable tissue includes the steps of emitting a fluorescent beam at a single excitation wavelength of between 350 and 390 nm at a tissue and detecting and quantifying the emission spectrum of the emitted beam at critical points chosen to optimize the difference between atherosclerotic plaque and structurally viable tissue. The presence of the atherosclerotic plaque is distinguished from structurally viable tissue by the presence or absence of the intensity of emissions at the critical points of optimum distinguishing wavelengths. 8

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard Crilly

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 16:45
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0059; A61B5/0082; A61B5/0084; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B18/245; A61B5/0071; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00057; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00904; A61B5/0075

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 91 words
A method of identifying atherosclerotic plaque versus structurally viable tissue, said method including the steps of: emitting a beam of light at a single excitation wavelength of between 350 an 390 nm at a tissue; detecting an quantifying the fluorescence emission spectrum of the emitted beam at critical points of optimum distinguishing emission from atherosclerotic plaque and structurally viable tissue; and distinguishing the presence of atherosclerotic plaque from structurally viable tissue by the presence of absence of the quantity of intensity of emissions at the critical points of optimum distinguishing emission.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 91 words
A method of identifying atherosclerotic plaque versus structurally viable tissue, said method including the steps of: emitting a beam of light at a single excitation wavelength of between 350 an 390 nm at a tissue; detecting an quantifying the fluorescence emission spectrum of the emitted beam at critical points of optimum distinguishing emission from atherosclerotic plaque and structurally viable tissue; and distinguishing the presence of atherosclerotic plaque from structurally viable tissue by the presence of absence of the quantity of intensity of emissions at the critical points of optimum distinguishing emission.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 79 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said distinguishing step is reduced to a single judgement parameter by comparing the ratio of the quantity of the intensity of emission of at least two of the critical points of optimum distinguishing emission from atheroscleric plaque tissue and two critical points from normal structural tissues against a standard compilation of ratios of normal and atherosclerotic tissue, wherein a threshold limit for normal tissue, is used in identifying atherosclerotic tissue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the threshold is set by data at the 99.9 confidence limit of the variation in a contrast function for structurally viable tissue.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein critical points of optimum distinguishing emission from the atherosclerotic plaque are 570 and 600 nm and from the normal structural tissue at 480 and 500 nm using an excitation wavelength of 370 nm.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4479499A Cited
US4556057A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-09-09 1995-03-11 1995-09-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-09-09 1999-03-11 1999-09-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-09-09 2003-03-11 2003-09-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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