System and method for detection of brain edema using spectrophotometry
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient. One embodiment of the present invention includes emitting a first light into the patient's brain tissue at a first wavelength, emitting a second light into the patient's brain tissue at a second wavelength, detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at a detector, and determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.
1. A method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient, comprising:
emitting a first light into the patient's brain tissue at a first wavelength through a partial bone region of the patient's skull, wherein the partial bone region of the patient's skull is approximately 3 cm behind a coronal suture of the patient's skull, wherein the coronal suture includes a suture between parietal and frontal bones of the patient's skull;
emitting a second light into the patient's brain tissue at a second wavelength through said partial bone region;
detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at a detector; and
determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising emitting a third light into the patient's brain tissue at a third wavelength.
3. The method of claim 2 , comprising detecting the third light after reflection or dispersion by the brain tissue.
4. The method of claim 3 , comprising determining the amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected third light in combination with the detected first and second lights.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising emitting the first and second lights from at least approximately 5 mm away from the detector.
6. The method of claim 1 , comprising emitting the first and second lights from approximately 10-30 mm away from the detector.
7. The method of claim 1 , comprising emitting the first and second lights from approximately 1-5 mm away from the detector.
8. The method of claim 1 , comprising penetrating approximately 16 mm into the patient with the first and second lights.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second wavelengths are within a 1050-1350 nm spectral region.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second wavelengths are within a 1500-1800 nm spectral region.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second wavelengths are within a 2100-2300 nm spectral region.
12. The method of claim 2 , comprising emitting the third light into the brain tissue via the partial bone region.
13. A method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient, comprising:
emitting a first light into the patient's brain tissue at a first wavelength approximately 1-5 mm away from a detector, wherein the first wavelength is within a 2100-2300 nm spectral region and wherein the first light is emitted through a partial bone region of the patient's skull approximately 3 cm behind a coronal suture of the patient's skull, wherein the coronal suture includes a suture between parietal and frontal bones of the patient's skull;
emitting a second light into the patient's brain tissue at a second wavelength approximately 1-5 mm away from the detector, wherein the second wavelength is within the 1500-2300 nm spectral region and wherein the second light is emitted through said partial bone region;
detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at the detector; and
determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.
14. The method of claim 13 , comprising detecting a pressure within the patient's skull.
15. The method of claim 14 , comprising determining a perfusion status and a tissular hydration value based on the pressure and the detection of the first and second lights.
16. A method of detecting or monitoring brain edema in a patient, comprising:
emitting a first light into the patient's brain tissue at a first wavelength approximately 10-30 mm away from a detector through a partial bone region of the patient's skull approximately 3 cm behind a coronal suture of the patient's skull, wherein the coronal suture includes a suture between parietal and frontal bones of the patient's skull, and wherein the first wavelength is within a 1050-1350 nm spectral region;
emitting a second light into the patient's brain tissue at a second wavelength approximately 10-30 mm away from the detector through said partial bone region, wherein the second wavelength is within the 1050-1350 nm spectral region;
detecting the first and second lights after dispersion by the brain tissue at the detector; and
determining an amount of water proximate the brain tissue based on the detected first and second lights.