Oral cancer screening device

Abstract

An oral cancer screening device 10 used for the detection of pre-cancerous and cancerous tissue has a power supply 100 , an illumination source 200 , a selector switch 300 that enables the activation of a specific wavelength of light from the illumination source 200 , an electrical system 400 in communication with the selector switch 300 and the illumination source 200 , a heat sink 500 in thermal communication with the illumination source, a filter or cover 600 to protect the illumination source, and a transparent sheath 700 for providing a sanitary shield for the device when it is brought into contact or close proximity with the patient oral cavity. The sheath may optionally have an angled mirror incorporated at a distal end of the sheath to provide the operator with a reflected image of the illuminated tissue 900 . The operator will optionally utilize head mounted lenses 800 to assist the operator's visualization of the light from the illuminated oral cavity.

1 . An oral screening device comprising:
 a power housing containing a power supply positioned at a first end of the device;   an illumination source, wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of light emitters mounted on a second end of the device;   a selector switch including a plurality of positions;   an electrical system in communication with the illumination source and the selector switch positions, wherein a designated circuit in communication with one or more light emitters is selectably activated by each selector switch position;   a heat sink in thermal communication with the light emitters;   an electrical housing enclosing the electrical system, the illumination source, and the heat sink; and   an operator head mounted lens.   
     
     
         2 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination source includes a LED main chip mounting one LED emitter that emits red light, one LED emitter that emits blue light, and one LED emitter that emits green light. 
     
     
         3 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein a first position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit white light, a second position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit amber light, and a third position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit violet light. 
     
     
         4 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , further comprising a protective cover positioned between the illumination source and the sheath. 
     
     
         5 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical system includes a microprocessor. 
     
     
         6 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein the head mounted lens include two sections with each section having a different optical characteristic. 
     
     
         7 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein the head mounted lens contains a long pass filter that passes light having a wavelength of 435 nm or more. 
     
     
         8 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination source includes two LED main chips. 
     
     
         9 . The oral screening device of  claim 8 , wherein one LED main chip includes one LED emitter that emits red light, one LED emitter that emits blue light, and one LED emitter that emits green light and a second LED main chip includes a LED emitter that emits violet light. 
     
     
         10 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply is rechargeable. 
     
     
         11 . The oral screening device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink includes a thermostat in communication with the microprocessor. 
     
     
         12 . An oral device for screening for precancerous and cancerous tissue, the device comprising:
 a power housing containing a power supply positioned at a first end of the device;   an illumination source, wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of light emitters mounted on a second end of the device;   a selector switch including a plurality of positions, wherein each position activates a designated circuit in communication with one or more light emitters;   an electrical system in communication with the illumination source and the selector switch positions, wherein the electrical system includes a microprocessor in communication with the selector switch;   a heat sink in thermal communication with the light emitters;   an electrical housing enclosing the electrical system, the illumination source, and the heat sink;   a selectably attachable optically transparent sheath that covers the second end of the device when the sheath is attached to the device; and   a protective cover for the illumination source positioned between the illumination source and the sheath.   
     
     
         13 . The oral device of  claim 12 , wherein the illumination source includes light emitters that emit white light, amber light, red light, blue light, green light, and violet light. 
     
     
         14 . The oral device of  claim 12 , wherein a first position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit white light, a second position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit amber light, and a third position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit violet light. 
     
     
         15 . The oral device of  claim 12 , further comprising an operator head mounted lens. 
     
     
         16 . The oral device of  claim 15 , wherein the head mounted lens contains a long pass filter that passes light having a wavelength of 435 nm or more. 
     
     
         17 . The oral device of  claim 15 , wherein the head mounted lens include two sections with each section having a different optical characteristic. 
     
     
         18 . The oral device of  claim 12 , wherein the illumination source includes two LED main chips. 
     
     
         19 . The oral device of  claim 18 , wherein one LED main chip includes one LED emitter that emits red light, one LED emitter that emits blue light, and one LED emitter that emits green light and a second LED main chip includes a LED emitter that emits violet light. 
     
     
         20 . The oral device of  claim 12 , wherein the power supply is rechargeable. 
     
     
         21 . The oral device of  claim 12 , wherein the heat sink includes a thermostat in communication with the microprocessor. 
     
     
         22 . The oral device of  claim 12 , wherein the heat sink includes various protrusions in thermal communication with the electrical housing. 
     
     
         23 . A method of using the oral device of  claim 12 , to screen the oral cavity for precancerous and cancerous tissue. 
     
     
         24 . An oral device for screening for precancerous and cancerous tissue, the device comprising:
 a power housing containing a power supply positioned at a first end of the device;   an illumination source, wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of light units mounted on a second end of the device, each light unit mounting a light emitter;   a selector switch including a plurality of positions, wherein each position activates a designated circuit in communication with one or more light emitters;   an electrical system in communication with the illumination source and the selector switch positions, wherein the electrical system includes a microprocessor in communication with the selector switch;   a heat sink in thermal communication with the light emitters;   an electrical housing enclosing the electrical system, the illumination source, and the heat sink;   a selectably attachable optically transparent sheath that covers the second end of the device when the sheath is attached to the device;   a cover for at least one light emitter positioned between the illumination source and the sheath; and   a viewing lens including a long pass filter.   
     
     
         25 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the illumination source includes light emitters that emit white light, amber light, red light, blue light, green light, and violet light. 
     
     
         26 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein a first position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit white light, a second position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit amber light, and a third position of the selector switch activates the illumination source to emit violet light. 
     
     
         27 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the long pass filter passes light having a wavelength of 435 nm or more. 
     
     
         28 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the viewing lens has two sections with each section having a different optical characteristic. 
     
     
         29 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of LED emitters. 
     
     
         30 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the illumination source includes a laser diode 
     
     
         31 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the illumination source includes two LED main chips. 
     
     
         32 . The oral device of  claim 31 , wherein one LED main chip includes one LED emitter that emits red light, one LED emitter that emits blue light, and one LED emitter that emits green light and a second LED main chip includes a LED emitter that emits violet light. 
     
     
         33 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the cover has optical mixing qualities. 
     
     
         34 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the cover has beam shaping qualities. 
     
     
         35 . The oral device of  claim 24 , wherein the cover is a short pass filter. 
     
     
         36 . A method for screening a patient's oral cavity for precancerous and cancerous tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
 powering up an oral screening device having a power housing containing a power supply positioned at a first end of the device; an illumination source, wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of light emitters mounted on a second end of the device; a selector switch including a plurality of positions, wherein each position activates a designated circuit in communication with one or more light emitters; an electrical system in communication with the illumination source and the selector switch positions, wherein the electrical system includes a microprocessor in communication with the selector switch; a heat sink in thermal communication with the light emitters; an electrical housing enclosing the electrical system, the illumination source, and the heat sink; a selectably attachable optically transparent sheath that covers the second end of the device when the sheath is attached to the device; and a protective cover for the illumination source positioned between the illumination source and the sheath;   turning the selector switch to a first position to activate one or more light emitters to produce white light;   examining the oral cavity with white light;   turning the selector switch to a second position to activate one or more light emitters to produce violet light;   examining the oral cavity with violet light; and   turning the selector switch to a third position to activate one or more light emitters to produce amber light; and   examining the oral cavity with amber light.