Abstract: Methods and systems for use in sperm analysis are described. A method for processing measured data comprising at least interferometric phase data of label-free sperm cell(s), the processing comprising determining topographic optical phase delay map of the label-free sperm, determining at least one physical parameter of the label-free sperm, and generating data indicative of sperm quality for the label-free sperm. A device comprising a flow channel comprising an inlet for receiving fluid containing cells, a selection zone and at least two outlets at said selection zone; and a flow-driving mechanism comprising a flow-driving unit configured and operable to generate flow of said fluid from said inlet towards at least first of said at least two outlets, and a collecting driving unit selectively operating along the direction of a second outlet of said at least two outlets to direct a portion of interest of said fluid towards said second outlet.

Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating fertility potential of a living sperm cell are presented and involve providing a predetermined classification function correlating between one or more physio spatial parameters of sperm cells and DNA fragmentation distribution in sperm cells, providing data indicative of the one or more physio spatial parameters of the living sperm cell, and applying the classification function to the one or more physio spatial parameters of the living sperm cell to thereby determine a DNA fragmentation level, inside the DNA fragmentation distribution, in the living sperm cell, the DNA fragmentation level being indicative of the fertility potential of the living sperm cell.

Abstract: Methods and systems for use in sperm analysis are described. A method for processing measured data comprising at least interferometric phase data of label-free sperm cell(s), the processing comprising determining topographic optical phase delay map of the label-free sperm, determining at least one physical parameter of the label-free sperm, and generating data indicative of sperm quality for the label-free sperm. A device comprising a flow channel comprising an inlet for receiving fluid containing cells, a selection zone and at least two outlets at said selection zone; and a flow-driving mechanism comprising a flow-driving unit configured and operable to generate flow of said fluid from said inlet towards at least first of said at least two outlets, and a collecting driving unit selectively operating along the direction of a second outlet of said at least two outlets to direct a portion of interest of said fluid towards said second outlet.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for use in monitoring blood flow conditions in a region of interest in a patient's body, such as a brain or kidney region. The monitoring system comprises a blood flow sensing system, and a control unit configured for communication with the sensing system to operate and to process and analyze output data of the sensing system.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided including directing acoustic radiation toward a region of interest within a subject's body. Light is transmitted from a light emitter to a light detector such that a first light portion is transmitted without passing through the subject's tissue, and a second light portion is transmitted via the region of interest. Scattered light of the second light portion contains a tagged component corresponding to photons tagged by the acoustic radiation, and an untagged component corresponding to photons untagged by the acoustic radiation. Light of the first light portion undergoes an interaction with light of the second light portion at the light detector. A property of tissue of the region of interest is determined, by decoupling from each other the tagged and untagged components of the second light portion, based upon the interaction between the light of the first and second light portions.

Abstract: A fluid flow monitoring system is provided that has a processor utility which is connectable to an acoustic generator associated with acoustic ports and is operable for generating signals S0 to activate the acoustic ports for irradiating a region of interest with acoustic radiation of a certain frequency range centered at a frequency F0 and is connectable to at least one light output port associated with one or more light detectors for receiving light of at least one wavelength ? from the region of interest including light tagged by said acoustic radiation. The processor utility may be configured for analyzing the generated signals S0 and data indicative of the received light including light tagged by the corresponding acoustic radiation and determining correlation between the signals S0 and the data indicative of the received light, the correlation being informative of a measure of fluid flow in a turbid medium.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a parameter of a region of interest (ROI) within a first tissue type within a body. A control unit drives a measurement unit to provide an operating condition such that acoustic waves overlap with a region within the ROI that is illuminated by illuminating light such as to generate a first set of tagged photons, and such that the acoustic waves overlap with a region of tissue within a second tissue type that is illuminated by illuminating light such as to generate a second set of tagged photons, the first and second sets of tagged photons being distinguishable from one another. The control unit determines the parameter of the ROI by extracting data portions associated with, respectively, the light response of the ROI and the light response of the second tissue type, by distinguishing between the sets of tagged photons.

Abstract: A measurement system and method are presented for use for non-invasive measurements in a human body. Acoustic radiation is applied to a certain illuminated region in the body, with at least two different conditions of the applied radiation achievable by varying at least one characteristic of the acoustic radiation. Light scattered from the body part is detected, and measured data indicative of detected photons tagged and untagged by the acoustic radiation is generated. The measured data is analyzed to extract therefrom a data portion corresponding to the tagged photons and being therefore associated with a light response of said certain region, thereby enabling determination of tissue properties of said certain region based on a relation between the measured data portions corresponding to the at least two different operating conditions.

Abstract: A monitoring system is presented for monitoring fluid flow in turbid medium. The fluid flow monitoring system comprises a processor utility which is connectable to an acoustic generator associated with one or more acoustic ports and is operable for generating signals S0 to activate said one or more acoustic ports for irradiating a region of interest with acoustic radiation of a certain frequency range centered at a frequency F0 and is connectable to at least one light output port associated with one or more light detectors for receiving light of at least one wavelength ? from the region of interest including light tagged by said acoustic radiation.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a parameter of a region of interest (ROI) within a first tissue type within a body. A control unit drives a measurement unit to provide an operating condition such that acoustic waves overlap with a region within the ROI that is illuminated by illuminating light such as to generate a first set of tagged photons, and such that the acoustic waves overlap with a region of tissue within a second tissue type that is illuminated by illuminating light such as to generate a second set of tagged photons, the first and second sets of tagged photons being distinguishable from one another. The control unit determines the parameter of the ROI by extracting data portions associated with, respectively, the light response of the ROI and the light response of the second tissue type, by distinguishing between the sets of tagged photons.

Abstract: A method and system for noninvasive monitoring of at least one parameter of a region of interest in a human body. The system comprises a measurement unit and a control unit. The measurement unit comprises an optical unit having an illumination assembly (101A) and a light detection assembly (101B) to generate measured data indicative of collected light; and an acoustic unit (110) configured to generate acoustic waves of a predetermined ultrasound frequency range. The measurement unit provides an operating condition such that the acoustic waves overlap with an illuminating region within the region of interest and substantially do not overlap outside the region of interest. The measured data is indicative of scattered light having both ultrasound tagged and untagged light portions, enabling to distinguish between light responses of the region of interest and the region outside the region of interest.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods including a probe device for monitoring a parameter of a region of interest in a human body. A support structure of the device carries an arrangement of light output ports of a light source assembly, light input ports of a light detection assembly, and an acoustic output port of an acoustic unit. The arrangement is such as to enable selection of a light output port, a light input port, and an acoustic output port for an operating condition at which, acoustic waves from the acoustic output port and illuminating light from the light output port overlap in a region within the region of interest in the body thereby inducing tagging of light by the acoustic waves, and the light input port collects light scattered from the overlapping region and light scattered from outside the region of interest. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A monitoring system is presented for monitoring fluid flow in turbid medium. The fluid flow monitoring system comprises a processor utility which is connectable to an acoustic generator associated with one or more acoustic ports and is operable for generating signals S0 to activate said one or more acoustic ports for irradiating a region of interest with acoustic radiation of a certain frequency range centered at a frequency F0 and is connectable to at least one light output port associated with one or more light detectors for receiving light of at least one wavelength ? from the region of interest including light tagged by said acoustic radiation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented for non-invasively monitoring at least one characteristic of a region of interest in a body. The body is illuminated by pulsed light to induce a photoacoustic effect. Acoustic radiation is detected, and measured data indicative thereof is generated. The photoacoustic effect is controlled by carrying out at least one of the following: providing the pulsed light of at least two different wavelength, analyzing the measured data to determine time variations of at least one predetermined parameter of a time dependent acoustic signal for each of wavelength, and determining oxygen saturation level in the region of interest; and operating a plurality of acoustic elements configured for detection of the acoustic radiation, to thereby define a focal volume for acoustic radiation detection to match dimensions of the region of interest.

Abstract: A measurement system and method are presented for use for non-invasive measurements in a human body. Acoustic radiation is applied to a certain illuminated region in the body, with at least two different conditions of the applied radiation achievable by varying at least one characteristic of the acoustic radiation. Light scattered from the body part is detected, and measured data indicative of detected photons tagged and untagged by the acoustic radiation is generated. The measured data is analyzed to extract therefrom a data portion corresponding to the tagged photons and being therefore associated with a light response of said certain region, thereby enabling determination of tissue properties of said certain region based on a relation between the measured data portions corresponding to the at least two different operating conditions.

Abstract: Apparatus (20, 100) for assaying a target analyte in a localized tissue region (22) that may include the target and other analytes comprising: a light source (34, 104) that illuminates the region with light at each of a plurality of wavelengths at which light is absorbed and/or scattered by tissue in the region wherein light at a least one of the wavelengths is absorbed or scattered by the target analyte; a signal generator (40) that generates signals responsive to intensity of the light from the light source (34, 104) at different locations in the localized region (22); and a controller (32, 102) that: receives the generated signals; processes the signals to determine an extinction coefficient for light in the localized region at each wavelength; and determines the concentration of the target analyte responsive to a solution of a set of simultaneous equations having as unknown variables concentrations of a plurality of analytes in the region (22), one of which is the target analyte, wherein each equation in

Abstract: A method of assaying an analyte in a body part comprising: illuminating the body part with at least one pulse of light at each of first and second wavelengths that stimulates photoacoustic waves in a first, target, region and a second, reference, region of the body part, wherein the reference region interfaces with the target region and has at least one known optoacoustic property and wherein light at the first wavelength is absorbed by the analyte; sensing pressure in the photoacoustic waves from the target and reference regions stimulated by the light at the first and second wavelengths; and using the sensed pressures and the at least one known optoacoustic property to assay the analyte in the target region.

Abstract: A method and system for noninvasive monitoring of at least one parameter of a region of interest in a human body. The system comprises a measurement unit and a control unit. The measurement unit comprises an optical unit having an illumination assembly (101A) and a light detection assembly (101B) to generate measured data indicative of collected light; and an acoustic unit (110) configured to generate acoustic waves of a predetermined ultrasound frequency range. The measurement unit provides an operating condition such that the acoustic waves overlap with an illuminating region within the region of interest and substantially do not overlap outside the region of interest. The measured data is indicative of scattered light having both ultrasound tagged and untagged light portions, enabling to distinguish between light responses of the region of interest and the region outside the region of interest.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a position of an instrument in a subject includes a light transmission medium configured to transmit light pulses to a desired region to produce an acoustic signal, at least one ultrasound sensor configured to receive the acoustic signal and to produce a transduced signal from the acoustic signal, and a processing unit connected to the at least one ultrasound sensor and configured to locate a source of the acoustic signal using the transduced signal.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in noninvasive monitoring at least one parameter of a region of interest in a human body. The system comprises a measurement unit and a control unit. The measurement unit comprises an optical unit having an illumination assembly configured to define at least one output port for illuminating light, and a light detection assembly configured to define at least one light input port for collecting light and to generate measured data indicative of the collected light; and an acoustic unit configured to generate acoustic waves of a predetermined ultrasound frequency range.