US5377676A
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Method for determining the biodistribution of substances using fluorescence spectroscopy
Assignee: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
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Filing: 1993-03-30
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Granted: 1995-01-03
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Expires: 2013-03-30
Abstract
Abstract A method is disclosed for determining the biodistribution of substances using fluorescence spectroscopy. A photosensitizing agent or other intrinsically fluorescent agent, or an agent labeled with an extrinsic fluorophor is administered to a subject. A fiberoptic probe integrated with an excitation light source illuminates the examined tissue and causes fluorescence. The fluorescence is recorded by a spectrograph and plotted as a spectral curve. The intensity ratio (S1/S2) for the fluorescence from the photosensitizing agent (S1) and autofluorescence (S2) for the examined tissue is used as an index for drug presence and compared with the intensity ratio at the same wavelengths for various tissues.
Inventors
- 👤 Sandor G. Vari
- 👤 Warren S. Grundfest
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B5/00; A61B5/0059; A61B5/41; A61B5/414; A61B5/415; A61B5/416; A61B5/418; G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/62; G01N21/63; G01N21/64; G01N21/6428; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00057; A61B2017/00061; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22082; A61B2017/22087; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/062; A61B90/30; A61B2090/306; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3937; A61B2090/3941
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for determining the biodistribution of a substance in a body comprising: a) administering an effective amount of a substance capable of light-induced fluorescence to tissue to be examined and to tissue whose condition is known; b) exciting said tissue to be examined and said tissue whose condition is known with a beam of light from a light source to cause said substance to emit fluorescence; c) measuring said fluorescence emitted from said tissue to be examined and said tissue whose condition is known each at a first wavelength and a second wavelength; d) calculating a first fluorescence intensity ratio for said examined tissue and a second intensity ratio for said tissue whose condition is known, wherein said intensity ratios are said fluorescence at said first wavelength divided by said fluorescence at said second wavelength; and e) comparing said first intensity ratio with said second intensity ratio and thereby determining the biodistribution of said substance.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for determining the biodistribution of a substance in a body comprising: a) administering an effective amount of a substance capable of light-induced fluorescence to tissue to be examined and to tissue whose condition is known; b) exciting said tissue to be examined and said tissue whose condition is known with a beam of light from a light source to cause said substance to emit fluorescence; c) measuring said fluorescence emitted from said tissue to be examined and said tissue whose condition is known each at a first wavelength and a second wavelength; d) calculating a first fluorescence intensity ratio for said examined tissue and a second intensity ratio for said tissue whose condition is known, wherein said intensity ratios are said fluorescence at said first wavelength divided by said fluorescence at said second wavelength; and e) comparing said first intensity ratio with said second intensity ratio and thereby determining the biodistribution of said substance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 wherein determining the biodistribution of a substance in a body further comprises producing a first signal corresponding to the first fluorescence intensity ratio and a second signal corresponding to the second fluorescence intensity ratio and then displaying said first and second signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substance is intrinsically fluorescent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substance is labelled with an extrinsic fluorophor by connecting said fluorophor to said substance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said light source is a laser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said light source is an arc lamp.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said beam of light is filtered to a specific wavelength.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said beam of light is at least substantially monochromatic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said beam of light is incoherent light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said beam of light is at least substantially monochromatic and further comprises incoherent light.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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