Multiplexed / pathlength resolved noninvasive analyzer apparatus and method of use thereof

Abstract

A noninvasive analyzer apparatus and method of use thereof is described using a plurality of time resolved sample illumination zones coupled to at least one two-dimensional detector array monitoring a plurality of detection zones. Control of illumination times and/or patterns along with selected detection zones yields pathlength resolved groups of spectra. Sectioned pixels and/or zones of the detector are optionally filtered for different light throughput as a function of wavelength. The pathlength resolved groups of spectra are subsequently analyzed to determine an analyte property. Optionally, in the mapping and/or collection phase, incident light is controllably varied in time in terms of any of: sample probe position, incident light solid angle, incident light angle, depth of focus, energy, intensity, and/or detection angle. Optionally, one or more physiological property and/or model property related to a physiological property is used in the analyte property determination.

1 . An apparatus for noninvasive spectroscopic analysis of a component of a human subject, comprising:
 a near-infrared noninvasive analyzer, comprising:
 a near-infrared source; 
 a photon transport system configured to transport photons from said near-infrared source to an illumination zone proximate a subject interface zone; 
 at least one two-dimensional near-infrared detector array configured to detect diffusely reflected photons from a detection zone proximate the subject interface zone, said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array within ten centimeters of the illumination zone during use; and 
 a processor configured to convert signals from said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array into a vibrational spectroscopy reading. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said source configured to provide photons at least in a range of 1500 to 1800 nanometers, the photons comprising the diffusely reflected photons detected by said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array during use. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array comprising:
 at least three columns of detector elements; and   at least three rows of detector elements,   said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array comprising at least indium, gallium, and arsenide.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said noninvasive analyzer further comprising:
 a two-dimensional transmittance filter array, each element of said transmittance filter array optically coupled to at least one detector element of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each element of said transmittance filter array optically couples to at least three detector elements of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 said two-dimensional transmittance filter array comprising at least two distinct optical filters differing by at least twenty percent transmittance at at least one wavelength in a range of 1100 to 2500 nm.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , said two-dimensional transmittance filter array further comprising:
 at least two filter types, comprising:
 a first filter comprising a first cut-on transmittance inflection point at a first wavelength in a range of 1200 to 2500 nanometers; 
 a second filter comprising a second cut-on transmittance inflection point at a second wavelength, said second wavelength at least one hundred nanometers shorter than said first wavelength, 
 said first filter positioned closer to the illumination zone than said second filter. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a two-dimensional detector optic array each element of said two-dimensional detector optic array optically coupled to at least one detector element of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array; and   a two-dimensional transmittance filter array, each element of said transmittance filter array optically coupled to at least one detector element of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array further comprising:
 a first optic configured to collect light from a first area of the detection zone, said first optic configured to focus light onto at least a first detection element of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array;   a second optic configured to collect light from a second area of the detection zone, the second area at least twenty percent larger than the first area, said second optic configured to focus light onto at least a second detection element of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , said first optic configured to direct light on a first path comprising a vector component away from a center of the illumination zone, said second optic configured to direct light on a second path comprising a vector component toward a center of the illumination zone. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said photon transport system further comprising:
 a first optic optically coupled to a first line of detection elements of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array; and   a second optic optically coupled to a second line of detection elements of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array, said first optic comprising a first transmittance differing from a second transmittance of said second optic by at least twenty percent at at least three wavelengths separated from each other by at least one hundred nanometers in a range of 1100 to 2500 nm.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an array of optics, individual optical elements of said array of optics optically coupled to individual elements of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an array of dynamically controllable optics, said array of dynamically controllable optics optically linked to said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said photon transport system further comprising:
 a computer controlled optic, said computer controlled optic configured to direct light from said source to physically separated regions of said illumination zone as a function of time during a time period used to determine one concentration of the component.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first optical filter comprising transmittance of at least sixty percent of light in a range of 1500 to 1700 nm and transmittance of less than twenty percent in a range of 2100 to 2350 nm, said first optical filter optically coupled to a first group of detectors of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array; and   a second optical filter comprising transmittance of at least sixty percent of light in a range of 2100 to 2300 nm and transmittance of less than twenty percent in a range of 1600 to 1700 nm, said second optical filter optically coupled to a second group of detectors of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array further comprising:
 an array of detector wells, wherein a first element of said array of detector wells comprises a first total surface area, wherein a second element of said array of detector wells comprises a second total surface area, said second total surface area at least fifty percent larger than said first total surface area.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array comprising a set of detector elements symmetrically positioned about a line through a center of the detection zone and a center of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array comprising a set of detector elements non-symmetrically positioned about a line through a center of the detection zone and a center of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said noninvasive analyzer further comprising:
 a wireless transmitter, and a controller configured to use said wireless transmitter to communicate with a remote personal communication device.   
     
     
         20 . A method for noninvasive spectroscopic analysis of a component of a subject, comprising the steps of:
 providing a near-infrared noninvasive analyzer, said analyzer comprising:
 a near-infrared source; 
 a photon transport system; and 
 a two-dimensional near-infrared detector array; 
   transporting photons from said near-infrared source to an illumination zone proximate a subject interface zone using said photon transport system;   detecting diffusely reflected photons from a detection zone proximate the subject interface zone using said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array, said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array positioned within ten centimeters of the illumination zone; and   converting signals from said two-dimensional array detector into a vibrational spectroscopy reading using a processor.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 focusing, using a first focusing optic, light collected from a first area of the detection zone onto a first detection element of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array; and   simultaneously focusing, using a second focusing optic, light collected from a second area of the detection zone onto a second detection element of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array, the second area at least twenty percent larger than the first area.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 guiding the photons with said photon transport system to a set of mean radial distances from a center of a sample site of the subject;
 wherein a first member of said set of mean radial distances, comprises a first distance of less than two and a half millimeters and greater than six hundred micrometers, 
 wherein a second member of said set of mean radial distances comprises a second distance of less than one millimeter and greater than one-half millimeter, and 
 wherein a third member of said set of radial distances comprises a third distance of less than one-half millimeter; and 
   simultaneously detecting the photons traversing through each of said first member, said second member, and said third member of said set of mean radial distances using said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 collecting a plurality of mapping spectra of the subject using a first set of optical configurations;   calculating a metric related to skin tissue physiology of the subject using the mapping spectra;   based on the metric, setting up a second set of optical configurations, the first set of optical configurations configured to deliver light to the subject in a manner different than the second set of optical configurations; and   collecting subject specific noninvasive spectra of the subject using the second set of optical configurations.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining a measure of spectral quality for each of a majority of signals from independent detector elements of said two-dimensional near-infrared detector array; and   calculating a concentration of the component of the subject, using a sub-set of the majority of signals and the associated measure of spectral quality.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 organizing the signals into a plurality of finite width channels, a majority of said finite width channels correlating with probed tissue pathlength; and   processing the signals using cross-coherence between said finite width channels.