Abstract: The disclosure provides methods for accurately quantifying optical properties of skin in subjects that have varying skin tones, and applications thereof.

Abstract: A compact, handheld device can be used to treat a sebaceous follicle disorder in a preselected dermal region of mammalian skin. A treatment can ameliorate at least one symptom of a lesion characteristic of the disorder.

Abstract: A barb connector (2) for use in a medical drainage device for draining fluid from a pleural cavity of a patient comprises a gripping portion (10), two cylindrical tubular members (11) extending outwardly from the gripping portion (10), and a plurality of annular protrusions (13) spaced-apart along the external surface of each of the tubular members (11). Each tubular member (11) comprises a plurality of recesses spaced-apart along the external surface of the tubular member (11), and the protrusions (13) are mounted in the recesses. Each protrusion (13) is of a compressible material. Upon insertion of a tubular member (11) into a lumen defined through a drain tube of the medical drainage device, the protrusions (13) engage the internal surface of the drain tube and deform to sealingly engage the internal surface.

Abstract: A fluid flow indicator (3) for use in a medical drainage device for draining fluid from a pleural cavity of a patient comprises an upper housing part (20), a lower housing part (21), a balloon member (22), a sampling port (23), and a control mechanism to selectively control flow of a body fluid through the balloon member (22) or through the sampling port (23). The balloon member (22) defines a lumen therethrough. Upon flow of a body fluid into the balloon member (22), for example upon inhalation of a patient, the balloon member (22) inflates from a deflated rest configuration to an inflated flow configuration. This inflation of the balloon member (22) provides a visual indication to an operator of the flow of the body fluid through the balloon member (22). When flow of the body fluid ceases, for example upon exhalation of a patient, the balloon member (22) deflates from the inflated flow configuration to the deflated rest configuration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assessing bone tissue comprises the steps of and means for: exposing a sample to nonionizing radiation; detecting nonionizing radiation after transit in the bone tissue; measuring optical properties from the detected nonionizing radiation to characterize bone tissue across an entire selected spectral range using a continuous wave model, a frequency domain model or a combination of both wave model and frequency domain models; and determining composition, structure, physiology or a combination thereof of bone tissue from the measured optical properties.

Abstract: An improvement in a method for quantitative modulated imaging to perform depth sectioned reflectance or transmission imaging in a turbid medium, such as human or animal tissue is directed to the steps of encoding periodic pattern of illumination preferably with a fluorescent excitation wavelength when exposing a turbid medium to the periodic pattern to provide depth-resolved discrimination of structures within the turbid medium; and reconstructing a non-contact three dimensional image of the structure within a turbid medium. As a result, wide field imaging, separation of the average background optical properties from the heterogeneity components from a single image, separation of superficial features from deep features based on selection of spatial frequency of illumination, or qualitative and quantitative structure, function and composition information is extracted from spatially encoded data.

Abstract: A method for noninvasively determining deep tissue temperature comprises measuring data relating to spectral shifts of chromophore absorption in tissue using broadband diffuse optical spectroscopy and generating a temperature reading corresponding to the spectral shift of an absorption peak of the chromophore. A bound water correction is made to the spectral shift. A frequency domain measurement at multiple wavelengths is made to determine the absolute absorption and scattering values between 600 and 1050 nm. The measurement of an absolute absorption comprises measuring an absolute absorption coefficient of selected tissue and further comprising deducing concentrations of tissue composition including lipids, deducing information related to heterogeneity and integrity of tissue matrix, and deducing temperature heterogeneity related to vulnerable plaque in vascular tissue. The measurement comprises making a measurement in the range of 600-1100 nm to interrogate a vessel wall in the presence of blood.

Abstract: A device and method for accurately performing quantitative diffuse optical spectroscopy on a sample includes a light source and a source optical fiber that is optically coupled to the light source. A diffuser material is interposed between the source optical fiber and the sample, the diffuser material comprising a high scattering, low absorption material. The diffuser material effectively increases the photon path length from the light source to the sample, which limits the depth of interrogation to superficial volumes despite the penetrating nature of the radiation typically used. A detector optical fiber is provided adjacent to or laterally disposed from the source optical fiber. The detector optical fiber is coupled to a detector which detects photons collected in the detector optical fiber. The detector optical fiber and the source optical fiber may be separated by a distance of less than 5 mm while still permitting the diffusion approximation to remain valid.

Abstract: A digital imaging system provides color information of an entire port wine stain or other skin condition with a single image in CIE L*a*b* color space (L*, a*) derived from RGB pixel data (R, G, B). Cross-polarization optics produce marked reduction in specularly reflected light in the images. A patient positioning device allows for repeatable positioning of the patient's head or body portion. The digital nature of the system provides a near real-time mapping of melanin and erythema or other skin chromophore metrics. The cross-polarized diffuse reflectance color digital imaging system obtains subsurface skin color information and acquisition of facial images in a reproducible fashion at a fixed distance from an illumination source at optimized angles of view depending on the region of interest being imaged.