Optical Endothelial Response Measurement via Skin Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for evaluating vascular endothelial function are invasive, require specialized equipment, and take significant time, making it difficult to diagnose cardiovascular conditions early and effectively.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive, rapid, and real-time monitoring system using imaging devices such as high-resolution spectrophotometric cameras and THz cameras to capture and analyze skin responses to vasoactive stimuli, allowing for continuous and near-real-time assessment of endothelial function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive catheterization procedures are used to measure endothelial function, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical catheterization procedures with non-invasive optical imaging systems. Specifically, it uses high-resolution spectrophotometric cameras and THz cameras to capture skin responses to vasoactive stimuli, substituting the mechanical intrusion of catheters with optical detection methods that measure endothelial function through skin color and spectral changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces skin as an intermediary medium to indirectly measure endothelial function. Instead of directly measuring arteries through catheterization, the system applies vasoactive agents to the skin and uses optical cameras to detect the resulting color and spectral changes, which serve as proxies for endothelial response.
2Measurement precision
If catheterization procedures are used for endothelial assessment, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming catheterization procedures with rapid optical imaging. The system captures baseline skin images, applies vasoactive agents, and records the response in real-time using high-resolution cameras, reducing the testing duration from 25 minutes to a much shorter period while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous real-time monitoring of endothelial function through sequential imaging. The system continuously captures skin color changes and spectral responses as vasoactive agents are applied and metabolized, providing ongoing measurement data rather than discrete snapshots, which accelerates the assessment process.
3Measurement precision
If specialized equipment is used for endothelial measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex catheterization equipment with standard optical imaging devices such as high-resolution spectrophotometric cameras and THz cameras. These optical systems are easier to operate as they do not require invasive procedures, specialized catheter handling skills, or complex equipment setup, while still providing precise endothelial function measurements through non-invasive skin imaging.
4Ease of operation
If non-invasive imaging methods are used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the precision of non-invasive imaging by changing the parameters of optical detection. It uses high-resolution spectrophotometric cameras that detect subtle spectral changes in skin color, and THz cameras that detect terahertz radiation patterns. These parameter changes in detection sensitivity and spectral analysis compensate for the non-invasive approach, maintaining measurement precision while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses skin as an intermediary with high sensitivity to endothelial function. The skin's capillary networks and blood flow responses to vasoactive agents provide a magnified optical signal that can be detected by standard cameras, allowing non-invasive measurement to achieve precision comparable to invasive methods through the skin's natural physiological response.
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 cardiovascular conditions by providing rapid, objective quantification of endothelial responses to vasoactive agents, facilitating timely intervention and personalized medication management.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging device (for example, a color digital camera) which captures a first images of an observed area of a subject's skin
Implementation Method 2
The image is analyzed to detect the state of the vascular endothelium in the observed area
Data Source
AI summary
A method for evaluating the response of the vascular endothelium of a human subject to a stimulus, by observing the reaction of the endothelium before and after the topical application of a vasoactive substance, before and after application of the stimulus. The observation is carried out by at least one camera device, which may be a high-resolution spectrophotometric, THz, infrared, ultraviolet optical coherence tomography, or optical elasticity camera, which device is used to observe a skin area or areas of the subject. One device may take the measurements of the area of skin before and after topical application of a vasocative substance, or two devices may be used contemporaneously to each measure an area of skin with and without the topical substance. The device may be applied to the skin, or remote from the skin, or implanted in or under the skin.