Fluorescence Wound Imaging for Real-Time Bacterial Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wound care methods lack a non-invasive, real-time imaging technology to objectively assess biological and molecular changes in wounds, particularly for early detection of bacterial infections, which are often delayed and inaccurate, leading to increased morbidity and mortality.
Innovation Solution
A fluorescence-based imaging device for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of wounds that utilizes excitation light sources and spectral filtering to detect bacterial, fungal, and microbial fluorescence, providing high-resolution images and guiding targeted swab or biopsy collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional visual inspection and bacterial swabbing are used, then the assessment can be performed with simple equipment, but the detection is delayed, subjective, and often insensitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical swabbing and visual inspection with fluorescence-based optical detection. The system uses excitation light sources to induce fluorescence in bacteria and tissue components, then detects this fluorescence signal to identify and locate bacteria in wounds, eliminating the need for invasive swabs and providing objective, real-time imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent exploits fluorescence emission (color change) as a detection mechanism. When excitation light illuminates the wound, bacteria and certain tissue components emit fluorescence at different wavelengths, creating distinct color signals that allow visual or digital identification of bacterial presence and location without physical contact.
2Reliability
If bacterial swabs and tissue biopsies are collected, then bacterial identification can be achieved, but the process is invasive, laborious, and results are delayed by 2-3 days
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of bacterial presence and location through fluorescence imaging before traditional culture results are available. By visualizing bacterial fluorescence signals in real-time, clinicians can immediately identify infection sites and guide targeted sampling or treatment, eliminating the 2-3 day delay inherent in conventional culture methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical swabbing and biopsy procedures with non-invasive optical detection. The fluorescence imaging system can detect bacteria through the wound surface without physical contact, providing immediate results while avoiding the trauma and time delay of traditional sampling methods.
3Productivity
If qualitative visual assessment is used, then the evaluation is simple and rapid, but it only provides a gross view and lacks information about underlying biological and molecular changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple visual assessment with fluorescence-based optical imaging that can penetrate tissue to detect molecular and cellular changes. The system visualizes fluorescence signals from bacteria, collagen, elastin, and other tissue components, providing detailed information about biological processes at the cellular level while maintaining rapid assessment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits differential fluorescence emission at various wavelengths to reveal underlying biological and molecular changes in tissue. Different tissue components and bacteria emit distinct fluorescence colors when excited, allowing simultaneous visualization of multiple biological processes and structural changes that are invisible to conventional white light imaging.
4Measurement precision
If multiple bacterial swabs are collected from the wound site, then bacterial presence can be detected, but the process is laborious and may spread microorganisms around with the wound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces multiple invasive swabbing procedures with non-invasive fluorescence imaging. The system can detect and locate bacterial fluorescence signals directly through the wound surface, eliminating the need for repeated physical contact and swabbing that may spread contaminants and cause patient discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluorescence imaging system provides visual identification of bacterial locations through their fluorescent emission, allowing precise targeting of infection sites without the need for multiple blind swabs. This color-based detection enables operators to focus sampling or treatment only at specific fluorescent areas, improving efficiency and reducing contamination risk.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables early detection of bacterial infections and other biological changes in wounds, facilitating precise intervention and reducing morbidity by integrating into routine wound care practices and telemedicine.
Implementation Method 1
a first excitation light source positioned to substantially uniformly illuminate a target surface with excitation light during imaging
Implementation Method 2
a spectral filtering mechanism configured to permit passage of optical signals responsive to illumination of the wound and having at least one wavelength corresponding to bacterial, fungal, and/or other microorganism autofluorescence
Data Source
AI summary
A system for acquiring data regarding a wound in tissue comprises at least one excitation light source configured to directly illuminate a wound with excitation light; a spectral filtering mechanism configured to permit passage of optical signals responsive to illumination of the wound and having at least one wavelength corresponding to bacterial, fungal, and/or other microorganism autofluorescence and/or bacterial, fungal, viral, and/or microbial fluorescence, the spectral filtering mechanism including a plurality of selectable filters respectively corresponding to different discrete spectral bandwidths; an optical sensor configured to detect the spectrally filtered signals; and a processor configured to receive the detected, filtered signals and to identify a fluorescent signature of bacteria in the wound based at least in part on the detected, filtered signals and to output data regarding the bacterial, fungal, viral, and/or microbial fluorescent signature.