US5071416A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for laser-assisted therapy
Assignee: INNOVATIVE HEALTH CONCEPTS Inc
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Filing: 1990-05-02
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Granted: 1991-12-10
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Expires: 2010-05-02
Abstract
Abstract A laser beam from a tunable solid state laser such as an alexandrite laser passes through a Raman shifter to produce a Raman-emitted beam with wavelength shifted so as to be able to activate a preselected photosensitizer for medical treatment. A combination of a laser and a Raman shifter with or without additionally a harmonic generator such as a frequency doubler may be also selected such that radiation with two different wavelengths can be obtained for treatment and detection.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald F. Heller
- 👤 John C. Walling
- 👤 Robert S. Anderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:30
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/30; A; A61; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/06; A61N5/0601; A61N5/0613; A61N5/062; A61N5/067
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of using laser light for medical therapy comprising the steps of selecting a target wavelength within a certain wavelength region for medical application, selecting a combination of a laser and a Raman shifter such that said laser can emit a laser beam having a preselected wavelength which, when passed through said Raman shifter, can produce frequency-upshifted light with said target wavelength by anti-Stokes effect, applying a photosensitizer to a target region, causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength and to have said laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said Raman shifter to thereby produce Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said target wavelength, and causing said Raman-emitted light with said target wavelength to be made incident on said target region for said therapy.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of using laser light for medical therapy comprising the steps of selecting a target wavelength within a certain wavelength region for medical application, selecting a combination of a laser and a Raman shifter such that said laser can emit a laser beam having a preselected wavelength which, when passed through said Raman shifter, can produce frequency-upshifted light with said target wavelength by anti-Stokes effect, applying a photosensitizer to a target region, causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength and to have said laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said Raman shifter to thereby produce Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said target wavelength, and causing said Raman-emitted light with said target wavelength to be made incident on said target region for said therapy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said laser is a turnable solid state laser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said laser is an alexandrite laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said laser is a titanium sapphire laser.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said target wavelength is between 630 nm and 690 nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said photosensitizer is dihematoporphyrin-ether and said target wavelength is 630 nm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said photosensitizer is benzo-porphyrin derivative and said target wavelength is 690 nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said photosensitizer is tin(4)etiopurpurin dichloride and said target wavelength is 660 nm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said target wavelength is selected such that laser light of said target wavelength can activate said photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said laser is a Q-switched laser.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said laser is a mode-locked laser.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said Raman-shifter is contained in said laser.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of introducing a harmonic generator into said combination such that emission at said target wavelength is produced also through passage through said harmonic generator.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of using laser light for medical therapy comprising the steps of selecting a first target wavelength for laser beam to be used for treatment, selecting a second target wavelength for laser beam to be used for detection of disorders, selecting a combination of a laser and a Raman shifter such that said laser can emit a laser beam having a preselected wavelength which, when passed through said Raman shifter, can produce by anti-Stokes effect frequency-upshifted emission with both said first target wavelength and said second target wavelength, causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength and to have said laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said Raman shifter to thereby produce Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with both said first target wavelength and said second target wavelength, and selectably (1) applying a photosensitizer to a selected treatment region and causing said Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength to be made incident on said selected treatment region for said treatment or (2) causing said Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said second target wavelength to be made incident on a selected detection region for said detection of disorders.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of using laser light for medical therapy comprising the steps of selecting a first target wavelength for laser beam to be used for treatment, selecting a second target wavelength for laser beam to be used for detection of disorders, selecting a combination of a laser and a Raman shifter such that said laser can emit a laser beam having a preselected wavelength which, when passed through said Raman shifter, can produce by anti-Stokes effect frequency-upshifted emission with both said first target wavelength and said second target wavelength, causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength and to have said laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said Raman shifter to thereby produce Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with both said first target wavelength and said second target wavelength, and selectably (1) applying a photosensitizer to a selected treatment region and causing said Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength to be made incident on said selected treatment region for said treatment or (2) causing said Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said second target wavelength to be made incident on a selected detection region for said detection of disorders.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said laser is a tunable solid state laser.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said laser is an alexandrite laser.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said laser is a titanium sapphire laser.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said first target wavelength is between 630 nm and 690 nm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said photosensitizer is dihematoporphyrin-ether and said first target wavelength is 630 nm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said first target wavelength is selected such that laser light of said first target wavelength can activate said photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
238 words
A method of using laser light for medical therapy comprising the steps of selecting a first target wavelength for laser beam to be used for treatment, selecting a second target wavelength for laser beam to be used for detection of disorders, selecting a combination of a laser, a Raman shifter and a harmonic generator such that said laser can emit a laser beam having a preselected wavelength which, when passed through said Raman shifter, can produce by anti-Stokes effect Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength and, when passed through said harmonic generator, can produce laser light with said second target frequency, selectably (1) applying a photosensitizer to a selected treatment region and causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength, causing said emitted laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said Raman shifter to thereby produce Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength and causing said Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength to be made incident on said selected treatment region for said treatment, or (2) causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength, causing said emitted laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said harmonic generator to thereby produce laser light with said second target frequency and causing said laser light with said second target frequency to be made incident on a selected detection region for said detection of disorders.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
238 words
A method of using laser light for medical therapy comprising the steps of selecting a first target wavelength for laser beam to be used for treatment, selecting a second target wavelength for laser beam to be used for detection of disorders, selecting a combination of a laser, a Raman shifter and a harmonic generator such that said laser can emit a laser beam having a preselected wavelength which, when passed through said Raman shifter, can produce by anti-Stokes effect Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength and, when passed through said harmonic generator, can produce laser light with said second target frequency, selectably (1) applying a photosensitizer to a selected treatment region and causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength, causing said emitted laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said Raman shifter to thereby produce Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength and causing said Raman-emitted frequency-upshifted light with said first target wavelength to be made incident on said selected treatment region for said treatment, or (2) causing said laser to emit a laser beam with said preselected wavelength, causing said emitted laser beam with said preselected wavelength to pass through said harmonic generator to thereby produce laser light with said second target frequency and causing said laser light with said second target frequency to be made incident on a selected detection region for said detection of disorders.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said laser is a tunable solid state laser.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said laser is an alexandrite laser.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said laser is a titanium sapphire laser.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said first target wavelength is between 630 nm and 690 nm.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said photosensitizer is dihematoporphyrin-ether and said first target wavelength is 630 nm.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said first target wavelength is selected such that laser light of said first target wavelength can activate said photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy.
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