Temperature sensing apparatus for use with a photo-thermal targeted treatment system and associated methods

Abstract

A temperature measurement system for measuring a temperature of a measured surface includes: 1) a first temperature sensor; and 2) a reference surface including a second temperature sensor integrated therein. The first temperature sensor includes a field of view simultaneously covering both at least a portion of the measured surface and at least a portion of the reference surface, thus is configured for simultaneously taking a first measurement of both the portion of the measured surface and the portion of the reference surface. The first measurement of the reference surface taken by the first temperature sensor is compared to a second measurement taken by the second temperature sensor for use in calibrating the first temperature sensor.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]The present application claims the benefit of copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62 / 804,719, filed Feb. 12, 2019 and entitled “Temperature Sensing Apparatus for Use with a Photo-Thermal Targeted Treatment System and Associated Methods,” which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to energy-based treatments and, more specifically, systems and methods for improving the accuracy of temperature measurements used during an energy-based dermatological treatment.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Sebaceous glands and other chromophores embedded in a medium such as the dermis, can be thermally damaged by heating the chromophore with a targeted light source, such as a laser. However, the application of enough thermal energy to damage the chromophore can also be damaging to the surrounding dermis and the overlying epidermis, thus leading to epidermis and dermis damage as w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This system significantly enhances the accuracy of contact-less temperature measurements, reducing errors and ensuring safer and more effective dermatological treatments by providing a fast, inexpensive, and compact solution for real-time temperature adjustments during procedures.

Problems solved by technology

Sebaceous glands and other chromophores embedded in a medium such as the dermis, can be thermally damaged by heating the chromophore with a targeted light source, such as a laser.

However, the application of enough thermal energy to damage the chromophore can also be damaging to the surrounding dermis and the overlying epidermis, thus leading to epidermis and dermis damage as well as pain to the patient.

1. Cooling the epidermis, then applying the photo-thermal treatment; and

2. Cool the epidermis, also condition (i.e., preheat) the epidermis and dermis in a preheating protocol, then apply photo-thermal treatment in a distinct treatment protocol. In certain instances, the preheating protocol and the treatment protocol are performed by the same laser, although the two protocols involve different laser settings and application protocols, thus leading to further complexity in the treatment protocol and equipment.

However, accurate contact-less measurements of of the skin surface are challenging to perform, particularly when the dermatological procedure involves external mechanisms that can affect the temperature measurement apparatus as well as the skin temperature.

For instance, the use of air cooling prior to and during the dermatological procedure can cool the skin surface as well as impact the performance of the sensor that is making the contact-less skin surface measurement.

However, the absolute accuracy (i.e., the absolute recorded value of the temperature measured by each pixel or by averaging the measurements recorded by several adjacent pixels) has a measurement error that may prohibit the use of a contact-less sensor for skin surface measurements.

For instance, even the most sophisticated IR cameras are subject to poor absolute accuracy, where a surface measured as 5° C. is actually at 8° C. due to a calibration offset error in the camera.

Another inaccuracy phenomenon is “camera drift” where the accuracy of the camera varies over time, such as due to changes in the overall environmental temperature of the environment in which the procedure is taking place, or for reasons related to the dermatological procedure, such as when, over time, a laser source heats the structure onto which the camera is mounted or when spill-over air from air cooling impinges on the camera and affects the temperature of the camera body, which in turn leads to a measurement error.

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