Optical process and apparatus for non-invasive detection of melanoma
Inventors
Noto, John • Kerr, Robert • Ferre, Maurice
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11298025-B2
Publication Date
2022-04-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A non-invasive, optical method and device for the detection of melanoma in skin lesions. The detection of the presence of melanoma is accomplished optically by looking for specific changes (signatures) in the spectrum of optical light elastically scattered off melanoma molecules. Elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS) converts subcellular morphological changes into scattering spectrum signatures. A melanoma discrimination analysis is performed by illuminating the lesion with a handheld device that also collects a portion of the scattered light, converts it into digital signals, analyzes the requisite spectral signatures, and provides a logical output showing the user the presence (or absence) of melanoma in the subject lesion.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a process and spectrophotometric apparatus for optical determination of benign naevi-containing tissue and malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue in a targeted area of skin. The targeted area is illuminated sequentially with light at a plurality of wavelengths including a first wavelength and a second wavelength, using one or more light emitters and a fiber optic illumination source placed in contact with the targeted area of skin. Elastic scattering spectra are collected from the targeted area while the fiber optic collector remains in contact with the skin during the collection.
A sensor or detector receives the elastic scattering spectrum at each of the first and second wavelengths of the plurality of wavelengths and determines a measure of intensity over the plurality of wavelengths. The processor computes a comparison result by comparing the measure of intensity to a known range of spectral signatures indicative of known malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue stored in memory. The spectral signatures are derived at least in part from a ratio of the amount of light scattered in a first spectral region and a second spectral region, and by comparing that ratio to a known range of light scattered by known benign naevi-containing tissue stored in the memory including each of the first and second spectral regions.
The processor further derives known malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue discriminators by determining a first average rate of change value in the amount of light scattered at the first wavelength and the second wavelength, and determining a second average rate of change value in the amount of light scattered by the known benign naevi-containing tissue with the first wavelength and the second wavelength. A difference value between the first average rate of change value and the second average rate of change value is computed, and a result indicating a presence of the malignant melanoma lesion in the targeted area of skin is determined based on the comparison result. The result includes a first region of a graphical curve illustration of the measure of intensity being less than a threshold value and a second region exceeding the threshold value, and the determined result is output to a display device with a message to a user.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are provided. Across both independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on multi-wavelength illumination of a targeted skin area, fiber-contact elastic scattering spectrum collection, intensity-based spectral signature comparison using stored malignant/benign ranges, and threshold- and curve-region-based result output indicating malignant melanoma lesion presence.
Sequential multi-wavelength elastic scattering illumination and collection in contact with skin
Illuminating the targeted area of skin sequentially with light at a plurality of wavelengths including a first wavelength and a second wavelength, and placing a fiber optic illumination source in contact with the targeted area of skin; collecting, at a fiber optic collector, an elastic scattering spectrum from the targeted area of skin with the fiber optic collector in contact with the targeted area during collection.
Intensity measure across wavelengths
Receiving the elastic scattering spectrum at each of the first wavelength and the second wavelength; determining a measure of intensity of the received elastic scattering spectrum over the plurality of wavelengths including the first wavelength and the second wavelength.
Comparison to stored malignant/benign spectral signature ranges
Computing a comparison result by comparing the measure of intensity over the plurality of wavelengths to a known range of spectral signatures indicative of known malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue stored in memory, including at least one spectral signature derived by determining a ratio of light scattered in a first spectral region and a second spectral region and comparing that ratio to a known range of light scattered by known benign naevi-containing tissue stored in memory, wherein the known benign range includes each of the first and second spectral regions.
Rate-of-change difference between malignant and benign
Determining a first average rate of change value in the amount of light scattered by the known malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue at the first wavelength and the second wavelength; determining a second average rate of change value in the amount of light scattered by the known benign naevi-containing tissue with the first wavelength and the second wavelength; computing a difference value between the first average rate of change value and the second average rate of change value.
Threshold-based graphical curve regions with user output
Determining a result indicating a presence of the malignant melanoma lesion in the targeted area of skin based on the comparison result, wherein the result includes a first region of the graphical curve illustration of the measure of intensity being less than a threshold value and a second region exceeding the threshold value; outputting the determined result to a display device and displaying a message indicating the presence of the malignant melanoma lesion to a user.
Spectrophotometric apparatus with stored spectral signature memory
A spectrophotometric apparatus comprising one or more light sources; a memory having stored a known range of a plurality of spectral signatures indicative of known malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue; a processor configured to illuminate the targeted area sequentially at a plurality of wavelengths including a first wavelength and a second wavelength; a collector configured to collect an elastic scattering spectrum from the targeted area with the collector in contact during collection; and a detector configured to receive the elastic scattering spectrum at each of the first wavelength and the second wavelength.
Apparatus intensity measure and spectral-signature comparison using malignant ratio and benign range
Determining a measure of intensity of the received elastic scattering spectrum over the plurality of wavelengths; computing a comparison result by comparing the measure of intensity to the known range of spectral signatures indicative of known malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue stored in memory, wherein comparison includes determining a ratio of an amount of light scattered by malignant melanoma-containing tissue in a first spectral region and a second spectral region and comparing that ratio to a known range of light scattered by known benign naevi-containing tissue stored in memory including each of the first and second spectral regions.
The independent claim set covers a multi-wavelength optical determination approach in which an elastic scattering spectrum from a targeted skin area, collected in contact via fiber optics, is converted into intensity-based measures, compared against stored malignant melanoma and benign naevi spectral signature ranges, and converted into a threshold- and curve-region-defined result that is displayed as an indication of malignant melanoma lesion presence.
Stated Advantages
Discriminates benign naevi-containing tissue and malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue in a targeted area of skin using stored spectral signatures and a comparison result.
Provides a result indicating a presence of the malignant melanoma lesion based on threshold value graphical curve regions and displays a message to a user.
Documented Applications
Optical determination of benign naevi-containing tissue and malignant melanoma-containing lesion tissue in a targeted area of skin.
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