The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 10, 2004
Filed:
May. 07, 2002
Stephen D. Walker, Boulder, CO (US);
Peter E. Nelson, Longmont, CO (US);
R. Dale Zellers, Lafayette, CO (US);
Nostix LLC, Boulder, CO (US);
Abstract
A diagnostic apparatus includes a near infrared spectrophotometer (NIRS) and an ultrasound transducer that operate in combination to improve diagnostic measurements. The diagnostic apparatus includes a near infrared spectrophotometer that measures an analyte, for example tissue oxygenation, in an optical sample volume and an ultrasound imager to accurately position the optical sample volume in biological tissue or vessels. In one example, the diagnostic apparatus includes an optical source, a linear array of ultrasound transducers, and an optical photodetector arranged in the same plane so that the ultrasound sample volume interrogated by the ultrasound transducers intersects the optical sample volume formed by the optical source and detector.