Claims
- 1. A device for maintaining a predetermined location on the skin of a patient to facilitate use of a noninvasive optical measurement system, said device comprising:
a generally flat member having an aperture passing from a first surface of said flat member to a second surface of said flat member, said aperture being adapted to allow substantially unimpeded transmission of thermal spectra to and from skin of a patient through the flat member, said first surface comprising a contact surface which presses against the skin of the patient when the flat member is attached thereto, said second surface comprising an interface surface which is shaped to receive said noninvasive optical measurement system; wherein said flat member and said aperture cooperate to grip the skin of the patient when applied to the skin.
- 2. The device of claim 1, wherein a fastening strap is connected to said flat member and is adapted to attach the flat member to said predetermined location on the skin of the patient.
- 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said flat member is made of a flexible, semi-compliant material.
- 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said flat member is made of a rigid material.
- 5. The device of claim 4, wherein said flat member is made of injection-molded plastic.
- 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined location on the patient is a forearm.
- 7. The device of claim 6, wherein said injection-molded plastic comprises a material which minimizes a formation of condensation thereon.
- 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said cross-sectional shape of the aperture is substantially circular.
- 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said aperture has a diameter of about 2.0 inches.
- 10. The device of claim 1, wherein said contact surface has a radius of curvature such that said flat member conforms to the topology of said predetermined location on the patient.
- 11. The device of claim 10, wherein said radius of curvature is about 3.0 inches
- 12. The device of claim 1, wherein said fastening strap comprises a fixed end and an adjustable end, said fixed end passed through a first of opening within said flat member and said adjustable end passed through a second of opening within the flat member such that the fastening strap assumes an annular configuration having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said fixed end folded back and affixed to the interior surface of the fastening strap, said adjustable end folded over and removably attached to the exterior surface of the fastening strap.
- 13. The device of claim 12, wherein said fixed end comprises Velcro™.
- 14. The device of claim 12, wherein said adjustable end comprises Velcro™.
- 15. The device of claim 1, wherein said aperture comprises at least one protrusion which facilitates attaching said noninvasive optical measurement system to said flat member such that said interface surface receives the noninvasive optical measurement system.
- 16. The device of claim 1, wherein said interface surface comprises at least one raised section which facilitates orienting said noninvasive optical measurement system relative to said flat member such that the noninvasive optical measurement system assumes angular and axial alignment with said aperture.
- 17. A method for consistently isolating regions of living tissue for transfer of thermal spectra between the tissue and a noninvasive optical measurement system, said method comprising:
attaching a site selector to a predetermined region of skin on a patient, said site selector comprising a generally flat member having an aperture passing from a first surface to a second surface of the flat member, said first surface comprising a contact surface which presses against the skin of the patient when said flat member is attached thereto, said second surface comprising an interface surface which is adapted to receive said noninvasive optical measurement system, said aperture being adapted to allow substantially unimpeded transmission of thermal spectra through the flat member between the contact surface and the interface surface; and placing said noninvasive optical measurement system in intimate contact with said interface surface of the site selector such that a window of the noninvasive optical measurement system interfaces with said aperture and is placed in thermal contact with said predetermined region of skin on the patient.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein pressure between said site selector and the patient's skin causes a perimeter of said aperture to enter into a gripping relationship with the skin thereby minimizing relative motion between the site selector and the skin, said gripping relationship providing location stability whereby the site selector is prevented from sliding across the skin when the site selector is pushed or otherwise acted on by an external force.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein said noninvasive optical measurement system is removably attachable to the site selector such that the noninvasive optical measurement system may be attached to and detached from the site selector while the site selector remains attached to the skin of the patient such that a consistent measurement site on the skin is maintained.
- 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising applying at least one alignment mark to said predetermined region of the skin on the patient, aligning said site selector with the alignment mark and securing the site selector with respect to the skin, and coupling said noninvasive optical measurement system to the site selector, thereby bring said window of the noninvasive optical measurement system into thermal contact with the predetermined region of the skin on the patient.
- 21. A device for consistent placement of a predetermined region of a patient's skin against an analysis window of a noninvasive optical measurement system, said device comprising:
a contact surface of said noninvasive optical measurement system comprising said analysis window, and a first alignment window and a second alignment window; a first alignment mark printed on the patient; and a second alignment mark printed on the patient; wherein alignment of the first and second alignment windows respectively with the first and second alignment marks causes said predetermined region to align with said analysis window.
- 22. The device of claim 21, wherein said first and second alignment windows each provides optical access to skin of the patient, said optical access enabling visual navigation of said noninvasive optical measurement system on the skin.
- 23. The device of claim 21, wherein said predetermined location on the patient is a forearm.
- 24. A method of consistently isolating regions of living tissue for transfer of thermal spectra between the tissue and a noninvasive optical measurement system, said method comprising:
applying a first alignment mark and a second alignment mark to a region of skin on a patient such that when the first alignment mark is coincident with a first alignment detector of said noninvasive optical measurement system and the second alignment mark is coincident with a second alignment detector of said noninvasive optical measurement system, an analysis window of the noninvasive optical measurement system is caused to be centered and aligned with a predetermined location on the skin; and placing said window of the noninvasive optical measurement system in thermal contact with said predetermined location on the skin.
- 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising moving the skin and said noninvasive optical measurement system relatively until said first and second alignment detectors are centered and aligned respectively with said first and second alignment marks.
- 26. A device for consistently isolating regions of living tissue for transfer of thermal spectra between the tissue and a noninvasive optical measurement system, said device comprising:
a site selector comprising a generally flat member having an aperture passing from a first surface of the flat member to a second surface of the flat member, said aperture being adapted to allow substantially unimpeded transfer of thermal spectra through the flat member, said first surface comprising a contact surface which presses against the skin of the patient when said flat member is attached thereto, said second surface comprising an interface surface which is shaped to receive the noninvasive optical measurement system.
- 27. The device of claim 26, wherein an alignment marker is printed onto the skin of the patient wherein aligning said aperture with said alignment mark facilitates orienting said site selector relative to a predetermined location on the patient such that when said noninvasive optical measurement system is coupled with the site selector, the noninvasive optical measurement system is centered and aligned with the predetermined location on the patient.
- 28. The device of claim 27, wherein said alignment marker comprises a first alignment mark and a second alignment mark, wherein the first alignment mark corresponds with a first side of said aperture and the second alignment mark corresponds with a second side of the aperture, said first and second sides of the aperture being disposed oppositely from one another;
- 29. The device of claim 26, wherein said aperture grips the skin of the patient when said site selector is pressed thereon such that relative motion between the site selector and the skin is minimized.
- 30. The device of claim 26, wherein said site selector is coupled with said noninvasive optical measurement system such that removal thereof from the site selector leaves said predetermined location on the patient substantially unaltered.
- 31. The device of claim 26, wherein said predetermined location on the patient is a forearm.
- 32. The device of claim 26, wherein said flat member is made of injection-molded plastic.
- 33. The device of claim 32, wherein said injection-molded plastic comprises a material which minimizes a formation of condensation thereon.
- 34. The device of claim 26, wherein said flat member is made of a flexible, semi-compliant material.
- 35. The device of claim 26, wherein said cross-sectional shape of the aperture is substantially circular.
- 36. The device of claim 35, wherein said aperture has a diameter of about 2.0 inches.
- 37. The device of claim 26, wherein said contact surface has a radius of curvature such that said site selector conforms to the topology of said predetermined location on the patient.
- 38. The device of claim 37, wherein said radius of curvature is about 3.0 inches.
- 39. The device of claim 26, wherein said aperture comprises at least one protrusion which facilitates attaching said noninvasive optical measurement system to said site selector such that said interface surface receives the noninvasive optical measurement system.
- 40. The device of claim 26, wherein said interface surface comprises at least one raised section which facilitates orienting said noninvasive optical measurement system relative to said site selector such that the noninvasive optical measurement system assumes angular and axial alignment with said aperture.
- 41. The device of claim 26, wherein said first and second alignment marks are separated by a distance whereby the first and second alignment marks are covered over when said site selector is properly oriented relative thereto.
- 42. A method for consistently positioning a predetermined region of a patient's skin against a window of a noninvasive optical measurement system, said method comprising:
applying an alignment mark to the skin of the patient; aligning a site selection member with said alignment mark and securing said site selection member with respect to the skin of the patient; and coupling said noninvasive optical measurement system to said site selection member, thereby bringing said window of the noninvasive optical measurement system into thermal contact with said predetermined region on the patient.
- 43. The method of claim 42, wherein said site selection member comprises a flat member having an aperture passing from a first surface of the flat member to a second surface of the flat member, said aperture allowing substantially unimpeded transmission of thermal spectra to and from the skin of said patient through the flat member, said first surface comprising a contact surface which presses against the skin of the patient when said flat member is attached thereto, said second surface comprising an interface surface which is shaped to receive said noninvasive optical measurement system.
- 44. The method of claim 42, further comprising applying a first alignment mark and a second alignment mark the skin of the patient such that when the first and second alignment marks coincide with opposite sides of an aperture of said site selection member, the aperture is caused to be centered and aligned with said predetermined region on the patient.
- 45. The method of claim 44, further comprising pressing said site selection member against to the skin of the patient so that the perimeter of said aperture grips the skin such that relative movement between the skin and the site selection member is minimized.
- 46. The method of claim 44, further comprising moving said site selection member and the skin relatively until said opposite sides of said aperture become centered and aligned with said alignment marks.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/311,521, filed Jul. 17, 2001, entitled DEVICE FOR ISOLATING REGIONS OF LIVING TISSUE, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60311521 |
Aug 2001 |
US |