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-11559209-B2
Publication Date
2023-01-24
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 an examined tissue by actively thermomodulating at least a portion of the examined tissue. During and after thermomodulation, 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. For each coordinated location, a thermal transfer index I is calculated from the time-resolved thermal data using the formula T=a+b*exp(−I*t), where T is temperature at said time t and a and b are constants.
The method further calculates a ratio between each thermal transfer index for each of said plurality of coordinated locations. Tissue is then determined to be irregular if, for at least one coordinated location, the thermal transfer index I is greater than a measured value I of a baseline tissue, or if, for at least two coordinated locations, a ratio between a first I and a second I is greater than a predetermined value Iirr. This uses multi-location thermal transfer index comparison to identify irregular tissue regions.
In addition, a system is provided that includes an active thermomodulator configured to apply thermomodulating to at least a portion of the examined tissue and at least one thermal sensor configured to provide at least one signal related to temperature. A processor executes instructions to collect time-resolved and spatially-resolved thermal data by converting the sensor signal, calculates the thermal transfer index I for each coordinated location and calculates the ratio between thermal transfer indices, and determines irregular tissue based on at least one of the baseline comparison criterion or the multi-location ratio criterion. The system is configured to guide treatment of the irregularity based on said determining steps.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover a thermal-inference diagnostic approach in which an active thermomodulator and thermal sensing enable computation of a thermal transfer index I and index ratios across multiple coordinated locations, followed by irregularity determination using baseline and/or ratio thresholds. Across the independent claims, the core inventive elements include time-resolved thermomodulated measurement and spatially-resolved thermal data acquisition, calculation of I via T=a+b*exp(−I*t) plus ratios of I, and classification of tissue as irregular using baseline I or a predetermined inter-location ratio Iirr.
Actively thermomodulating and computing thermal transfer index per coordinated location
Actively thermomodulating at least a portion of the examined tissue; collecting time-resolved thermal data at predetermined time intervals over time t for a plurality of coordinated locations; calculating a thermal transfer index I for each coordinated location according to T=a+b*exp(−I*t), where T is temperature at said time t and a and b are constants.
Baseline comparison criterion for irregular tissue
Determining tissue at at least one coordinated location as irregular if, for said at least one of said plurality of coordinated locations, said I is greater than a measured value I of a baseline tissue.
Inter-location ratio criterion for irregularity
Determining tissue at a first coordinated location as irregular if, for at least two of said plurality of coordinated locations, a ratio between a first Ifirst for a first coordinated location and a second Isecond for a second coordinated location is greater than a predetermined value Iirr.
System for detecting, diagnosing, and guiding treatment using active thermomodulation and thermal sensing
Providing an active thermomodulator configured to apply thermomodulating to at least a portion of an examined tissue; providing at least one thermal sensor configured to provide at least one signal related to temperature in at least a part of the examined tissue; executing instructions to collect time-resolved thermal data at predetermined intervals over time t of a plurality of coordinated locations by converting said signal to time-resolved and spatially-resolved thermal data; calculating thermal transfer index I for each coordinated location and a ratio between each thermal transfer index; determining irregular tissue based on baseline comparison and/or predetermined ratio criterion.
Across the independent claims, the claims cover computing a thermal transfer index I from time-resolved thermomodulated thermal data using T=a+b*exp(−I*t), computing ratios between I values across coordinated locations, and determining irregular tissue based on either a baseline comparison or an inter-location ratio criterion, with a corresponding system that also guides treatment.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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