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:
Aug. 31, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 30, 2009
Lee Grodzins, Lexington, MA (US);
Lee Grodzins, Lexington, MA (US);
Thermo Niton Analyzers LLC, Billerica, MA (US);
Abstract
Methods for in vivo measurement of lead or other trace elements in bone by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) without independent measurement of underlying tissue thickness are disclosed. In one method, the lead concentration is calculated based on the intensity of a first characteristic fluoresced peak and a function having as an argument the intensity ratio of first and second characteristic fluoresced peaks, with at least one parameter of the function being empirically determined by measurements of calibration phantoms having differing thicknesses of tissue surrogate material. In another method, the lead concentration is measured by estimating tissue thickness based on the intensity of the Compton scattering peak, or ratio of Compton/Rayleigh intensities, and the intensity of a characteristic fluoresced x-ray peak corrected for attenuation by tissue of the estimated thickness. Also disclosed is a method for determining the calcium concentration and density of bone based on XRF spectrum data.