System and method of using ultrafast raman spectroscopy and a laser for quasi-real time detection and eradication of pathogens

Abstract

Resonance Raman scatter is used to differentiate in quasi-real time (QRT) surfaces bearing pathogens from adjacent pathogen-free surface regions. The fingerprint generated from pathogens on a selected surface by a 1 second pulse of 532 nm emission for approximately one second is collected and is relayed by fiber-optic to a computerized controller that determines whether the target selected surface is contaminated by pathogens or is pathogen-free. If contaminated the pathogens are eradicated by UVC radiation. This is performed by a pattern of Resonance Raman diagnostic emission and diagnostic sensor fibers. The data received by the computer is examined instantly, and should the site be diagnosed as contaminated with pathogens, UVC radiation is repeated immediately and repeated until the selected surface is read as being pathogen-free.

1 . A medical device for diagnosing and eliminating or compromising organic micro-organisms, including viruses (collectively “pathogens”), on a selected surface comprising a first source for directing excitation radiation at a selected surface to produce resonance Raman scattering (RRS) representative of the pathogens; a second source for directing UVC radiation at the selected surface to destroy or compromise detected pathogens; detecting means for detecting Raman scatter at said selected surface when excitation radiation impinges on the pathogens; determining means for determining whether said detected Raman scatter is indicative of the presence of a pathogen sought to be destroyed or compromised; activation means for activating said second source for directing UVC radiation at the pathogens issuing said Raman scatter to destroy or compromise the pathogens only when these are determined to be the pathogens sought to be destroyed or compromised. 
     
     
         2 . A medical device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said excitation and UVC radiations are delivered to said selected surface through fiber optic light conduits arranged in a pattern to create a pathogen-free zone. 
     
     
         3 . A medical device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said excitation and UVC radiations are delivered to said selected surface through fiber optic light conduits arranged in a pattern to maximize efficiency of detection and eradication of pathogens. 
     
     
         4 . A device for detecting and eradicating pathogens on a selected surface comprising
 a first source for directing an array of excitation radiation at a selected surface to produce resonance Raman scattering (RRS);   a second source for directing an array of UVC radiation at the selected surface to irradiate pathogens at the selected surface;   fiber optic or waveguide light conduits arranged in a pattern to deliver said array of excitation radiation and said array of UVC radiation to the selected surface target site;   detecting means for detecting said RRS at said target site when excitation radiation impinges on the selected surface; and   determining means for determining whether said detected RRS is indicative of the presence of the pathogen on the selected surface; and   activation means for activating said second source to direct the array of UVC radiation at the selected surface to irradiate the selected surface only when the selected surface is determined to support or exhibit the pathogen to create a peripheral pathogen-free zone circumscribing pathogens at the selected surface target site.   
     
     
         5 . A medical device as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said first source emits radiation having a wavelength for producing RRS in organic molecules including excitation radiation having a wavelength approximately equal to 532 nm. 
     
     
         6 . A medical device as defined in  claim 4 , further comprising directing means for propagating said excitation radiation to selected portions of the selected surface. 
     
     
         7 . A medical device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said directing means includes a probe. 
     
     
         8 . A device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said directing means includes a confocal microscope. 
     
     
         9 . A device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said fiber optic or waveguide light conduits are interposed between said radiation sources and said directing means. 
     
     
         10 . A device as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said detecting means comprises a sensor for sensing said RRS and a spectrometer for analyzing said RRS to establish a detected fingerprint identifying the nature of the pathogen. 
     
     
         11 . A device as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said determining means comprises a computer and a database stored on said computer containing at least one reference fingerprint associated with the pathogen, said computer being programmed to compare said detected fingerprint against said at least one reference fingerprint in said database. 
     
     
         12 . A device as defined in  claim 10 , wherein a fiber optic conduit transmits the RRS to said sensor. 
     
     
         13 . A device as defined in  claim 4 , further comprising a robotic controller programmed to repeatedly actuate said first source. 
     
     
         14 . A device as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said activation means includes a controller and further comprising a robot system responding to said controller and configured to move a probe or confocal microscope in relationship to the selected surface, wherein the controller is programmed to repeatedly actuate said sources to emit said excitation radiation; and in, response to a control signal, emit said UVC radiation to initiate eradication of pathogens and then move either the probe or the microscope arrays to a next successive portion of the selected surface. 
     
     
         15 . A device as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said computer is programmed to control a robotic controller to move to next adjacent areas of the targeted selected surface if the selected surface is determined to be pathogen-free or eradicate the pathogens on the selected surface until a pathogen-free region is detected. 
     
     
         16 . A device as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said fiber optic or waveguide light conduits are arranged to form an array of optical fibers that expose a predetermined portion of the target selected surface to said UVC radiation. 
     
     
         17 . A device as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising means for moving said directing means over at least portions of the target selected surface within a peripheral pathogen-free zone. 
     
     
         18 . A device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said directing means includes means for directing said radiations along tracks within said peripheral pathogen-free zone until the entire area therein has been analyzed. 
     
     
         19 . A device as defined in  claim 14 , further comprising a probe or confocal microscope for propagating said excitation radiation to selected portions of the selected surface at the target site and a robot system responding to the controller, and configured to move the probe or confocal microscope in relationship to the selected surface, wherein the controller is programmed and repeatedly actuates the first source to emit the excitation radiation; and in response to a control signal, actuate the second source of the UVC energy, and then actuate the robot system to move the probe or the confocal microscope. 
     
     
         20 . A method of diagnosing and eradicating pathogens comprising the steps of
 directing an array of excitation radiation at a selected surface target site with fiber optic or waveguide light conduits arranged in a pattern to produce resonance Raman resonance RRS at said target site when excitation radiation impinges on the selected surface; and;   directing an array of UVC radiation at the selected surface target site with fiberoptic or waveguide light conduits arranged in a pattern to destroy or compromise pathogens on the selected surface; detecting said RSS at said target site when excitation radiation impinges on the selected surface; and   determining whether said detected RRS is indicative of the presence of pathogens,   whereby directing UVC eradication radiation at the selected surface target site to eradicate the pathogens at said selected surface at the target site is performed only when the selected surface target site is determined to exhibit pathogen to create a peripheral pathogen-free zone circumscribing a pathogen-free region at the selected surface target site.   
     
     
         21 . A method as defined in  claim 20 , further comprising using a robot system to successively move arrays of said radiations in a programmed manner in relationship to the selected surface to repeatedly expose successive portions of the selected surface within the peripheral pathogen-free zone to emit said excitation radiation; and in response to a control signal, emit said UVC eradication radiation and then move said arrays to a next successive portion of the selected surface target site until the entire area within said peripheral pathogen-free zone has been examined and treated. 
     
     
         22 . A medical device for detecting and diagnosing organic micro-organisms, including viruses (collectively “pathogens”), on a selected surface comprising a source for directing excitation radiation at a selected surface to produce resonance Raman scattering (RRS) representative of the pathogens; detecting means for detecting Raman scatter at said selected surface when excitation radiation impinges on the pathogens; and
 determining means for determining whether said detected Raman scatter is indicative of the presence of a pathogen sought to be diagnosed.