US20030088189A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and methods for monitoring tissue impedance
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 2002-01-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2022-01-16
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for differentiating in a given area of tissue a tumorous tissue from a normal tissue, the method comprising measuring a plurality of tissue impedance over a range of tissue temperatures and comparing the measured tissue impedance with reference tissue impedance of the normal tissue adapted for tissue differentiation. The management of tissue temperatures may be accomplished with a probe arrangement comprising two elements of different electromotive potential conductively connected at a probe junction, and passing an electrical current through the elements to reduce or raise a temperature of the probe junction in accordance with the Peltier effect.
Inventors
- 👤 Hosheng Tu
- 👤 Rodolfo Quijano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:23
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/05; A61B5/053; A61B5/43; A61B5/4375; A61B5/4381; A61B5/68; A61B5/6846; A61B5/6847; A61B5/6848
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
1 . An apparatus for differentiating in a given area of tissue a tumorous tissue from a normal tissue, comprising: electrode means for continuous or time-discrete measurement of tissue impedance over a range of tissue temperatures; instrument means for effecting and monitoring said tissue temperatures; and comparing said measured tissue impedance over at least a portion of the range of tissue temperatures with reference tissue impedance of the normal tissue adapted for tissue differentiation, wherein said reference tissue impedance is measured over said range of tissue temperatures.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
1 . An apparatus for differentiating in a given area of tissue a tumorous tissue from a normal tissue, comprising: electrode means for continuous or time-discrete measurement of tissue impedance over a range of tissue temperatures; instrument means for effecting and monitoring said tissue temperatures; and comparing said measured tissue impedance over at least a portion of the range of tissue temperatures with reference tissue impedance of the normal tissue adapted for tissue differentiation, wherein said reference tissue impedance is measured over said range of tissue temperatures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said given area of tissue is breast tissue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said given area of tissue is prostate tissue.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said given area of tissue is brain tissue.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said range of tissue temperatures is between 20° C. and 45° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said range of tissue temperatures is between 20° C. and about 38° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said instrument means further comprises a thermoelectric device using Peltier effect for achieving said range of tissue temperatures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said thermoelectric device comprises elements of different electromotive potential conductively connected at a probe junction adjacent said electrode means; and current means for passing an electrical current through said elements to reduce or raise temperature of said probe junction in accordance with the Peltier effect.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
9 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the instrument means for monitoring said tissue temperatures comprises a temperature sensor at about said electrode means of the apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
10 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the instrument means for effecting said tissue temperatures comprises radiofrequency heating and circulating a cooled medium inside said apparatus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
11 . The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising cooling means for achieving said range of tissue temperatures between 20 and 38° C., wherein the cooling means comprises circulating a cooled medium inside said apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising treating means for delivering therapeutic drugs for treating the tumorous tissue at about said given area of tissue.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising treating means for delivering nondrug therapy for treating the tumorous tissue at about said given area of tissue, wherein said nondrug therapy is selected from a group consisting of chemotherapy, radiation, thermal energy, cryogenic energy, and combination thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprises an ultrasonic sensor with an ultrasound transducer having an outer layer, wherein the electrode means comprises said outer layer of the ultrasound transducer of said ultrasonic sensor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises an operating frequency up to 300 MHz.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
102 words
16 . An apparatus for differentiating in a given area of tissue a tumorous tissue from a normal tissue, comprising: electrode means for continuous or time-discrete measurement of tissue impedance over a range of tissue temperatures; instrument means for effecting and monitoring said tissue temperatures; processing means for analyzing tissue impedance data over the range of tissue temperatures to obtain a first impedance-temperature derivative of the tissue impedance versus tissue temperatures; and comparing said first impedance-temperature derivative at a tissue temperature of interest with reference first impedance-temperature derivative of the normal tissue at said tissue temperature of interest adapted for tissue differentiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
102 words
16 . An apparatus for differentiating in a given area of tissue a tumorous tissue from a normal tissue, comprising: electrode means for continuous or time-discrete measurement of tissue impedance over a range of tissue temperatures; instrument means for effecting and monitoring said tissue temperatures; processing means for analyzing tissue impedance data over the range of tissue temperatures to obtain a first impedance-temperature derivative of the tissue impedance versus tissue temperatures; and comparing said first impedance-temperature derivative at a tissue temperature of interest with reference first impedance-temperature derivative of the normal tissue at said tissue temperature of interest adapted for tissue differentiation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said given area of tissue is selected from a group consisting of breast tissue, prostate tissue, and brain tissue.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said range of tissue temperatures is between 20° C. and 45° C.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
72 words
19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said instrument means further comprises a thermoelectric device using Peltier effect for achieving said range of tissue temperatures, said thermoelectric device comprising elements of different electromotive potential conductively connected at a probe junction adjacent said electrode means and current means for passing an electrical current through said elements to reduce or raise temperature of said probe junction in accordance with the Peltier effect.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
115 words
20 . A method of differentiating in a given area of tissue a tumorous tissue from a normal tissue, comprising: a) advancing an apparatus to said given area, wherein said apparatus comprises electrode means for continuous or time-discrete measurement of tissue impedance over a range of tissue temperatures and comprises instrument means for effecting and monitoring said tissue temperatures; b) acquiring tissue impedance data over the range of tissue temperatures to obtain a first impedance-temperature derivative of the tissue impedance versus tissue temperatures; and c) comparing said first impedance-temperature derivative at a tissue temperature of interest with reference first impedance-temperature derivative of the normal tissue at said tissue temperature of interest adapted for tissue differentiation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
115 words
20 . A method of differentiating in a given area of tissue a tumorous tissue from a normal tissue, comprising: a) advancing an apparatus to said given area, wherein said apparatus comprises electrode means for continuous or time-discrete measurement of tissue impedance over a range of tissue temperatures and comprises instrument means for effecting and monitoring said tissue temperatures; b) acquiring tissue impedance data over the range of tissue temperatures to obtain a first impedance-temperature derivative of the tissue impedance versus tissue temperatures; and c) comparing said first impedance-temperature derivative at a tissue temperature of interest with reference first impedance-temperature derivative of the normal tissue at said tissue temperature of interest adapted for tissue differentiation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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