Device and method for cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment guidance using active thermal imaging
Inventors
TOLEDANO, Shani • ROSENBACH, Yoav • Tshuva, Moshe • GAT, Sharon
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11219372-B2
Publication Date
2022-01-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention discloses means and methods for detecting irregularities in the cells throughout a healthy tissue. The method generally relates to cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment, and more specifically pertains to detection, diagnosis and treatment guidance of cancerous or precancerous conditions through the use of thermal imaging technology and analysis.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method of detecting and diagnosing at least one irregularity in examined tissue by actively thermomodulating at least a portion of the examined tissue and applying the active thermomodulation selected from heating, cooling, and any combination thereof according to a pre-determined protocol selected from continuous manner, pulsed manner, and any combination thereof. Time-resolved thermal data are collected at predetermined time intervals over time t for a plurality of coordinated locations of at least a portion of the examined tissue.
The method calculates, according to the time-resolved thermal data, a thermal transfer index, I, for each of the plurality of coordinated locations, and also calculates a ratio between each thermal transfer index for each of the plurality of coordinated locations. Tissue is determined as irregular when I is greater than a measured value I of a baseline tissue, or when a ratio between a first I and a second I is greater than a predetermined value Iirr.
A visual presentation of the coordinated locations is generated according to the I or an inferential thereof, and the thermal transfer index I is defined according to the formula T=a+b*exp(−I*t), where T is temperature at time t and a and b are constants. The system and non-transitory computer readable medium embodiments include converting temperature-related signals into time-resolved and spatially-resolved thermal data and generating a three-dimensional thermal map.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three core invention categories: a method, a system for detecting, diagnosing and guiding treatment, and a non-transitory computer readable medium. Across these independent claims, the coverage is centered on computing a thermal transfer index I and a ratio of I across coordinated locations, then determining irregular tissue based on baseline and predetermined thresholds while using a temperature expression T=a+b*exp(−I*t).
Active thermomodulation with time-resolved spatial thermal data
Actively thermomodulating at least a portion of an examined tissue with heating, cooling, or any combination thereof according to a pre-determined protocol selected from continuous manner, pulsed manner, and any combination thereof; collecting time-resolved thermal data at predetermined time intervals over time t for a plurality of coordinated locations of at least a portion of the examined tissue.
Thermal transfer index computation and inter-location I ratio
Calculating, according to the time-resolved thermal data, a thermal transfer index, I, for each of the plurality of coordinated locations, and calculating a ratio between each thermal transfer index for each of the plurality of coordinated locations.
Irregularity determination using baseline I and predetermined Iirr ratio threshold
Determining tissue at least one coordinated location as irregular if I is greater than a measured value I of a baseline tissue; and determining tissue at a first coordinated location as irregular if, for at least two of the plurality of coordinated locations, a ratio between a first I at a first coordinated location and a second I at a second coordinated location is greater than a predetermined value Iirr.
Temperature expression definition for I via T=a+b*exp(-I*t)
Defining I according to the formula T=a+b*exp(−I*t), where T is temperature at the time t and a and b are constants.
Visual presentation or three-dimensional thermal map generation from I
Generating a visual presentation of the coordinated locations according to the I or an inferential thereof, and configuring the processor to generate a three-dimensional thermal map of the at least a portion of the examined tissue.
Conversion of sensor signal into time- and spatially-resolved thermal data
Converting a signal from at least one thermal sensor to time-resolved and spatially-resolved thermal data for the plurality of coordinated locations, collected at predetermined intervals over time t.
Non-transitory medium instructions to collect and calculate irregularity criteria from I
Providing a non-transitory computer readable medium with instructions which cause one or more computers to collect time-resolved thermal data of a plurality of coordinated locations and calculate I and ratios between I values; determining irregular tissue when I exceeds a baseline measured value and/or when an inter-location ratio exceeds a predetermined value Iirr, using T=a+b*exp(−I*t).
Across the independent claims, the central inventive coverage is the combination of actively thermomodulating tissue, collecting time-resolved thermal data over coordinated locations, calculating a thermal transfer index I and ratios of I across locations, and determining irregularity using baseline I and a predetermined Iirr ratio threshold, with I defined via T=a+b*exp(−I*t). The system further includes generating a three-dimensional thermal map and converting sensor signals to time- and spatially-resolved thermal data, while the non-transitory medium recites corresponding executable instructions.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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