Methods Useful in Optimizing the Treatment of Neuropathies and Targeting Tissues with Cosmetic Botulinum Injections

Abstract

The present invention pertains to methods of determining where, on the skin, a diagnostic, therapeutic, or cosmetic agent is likely to be most effectively applied (e.g., injected), and to methods for monitoring a patient after such an agent has been administered. The monitoring can produce information useful in determining whether a diagnostic, therapeutic (e.g., surgical), or cosmetic regime should be initiated, continued, continued in a modified fashion, or terminated (e.g., for a brief or prolonged period of time). The methods can be repeated periodically and use a non-invasive, in vivo form of digital image speckle correlation (DISC) to track deformation of the skin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-invasive technique for assessing nerve function in the skin, the method comprising photographing a patient suspected of having compromised nerve function, wherein the photographs are taken of one or more areas of the patient's skin while the patient is at rest and again while the patient is performing an action, and subjecting the photographs to DISC analysis. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient is suspected of having an acoustic neuroma and the one or more areas of the patient's skin comprises skin of the face or neck. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the patient is instructed to perform one or more of the following movements: moving the jaw, lips, or tongue; moving the eyes; or moving the forehead. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DISC analysis is performed on two or more occasions in time in order to assess the stability or instability of the nerve function. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DISC analysis comprises quantifying the strength and/or qualifying the direction of the effect produced when the patient is performing an action relative to the patient at rest. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DISC analysis comprises the step of examining one or more vector displacement maps of skin pores. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DISC analysis further comprises the step of identifying the principle axis of strain in the vector displacement maps. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the skin is located on one or more of the chest, back, arm, leg, hand or foot. 
     
     
         9 . A non-invasive technique useful in determining where a cosmetic agent that causes muscle paralysis should be injected, the method comprising photographing a patient who wishes to be treated with the cosmetic agent, wherein the photographs are taken of one or more areas of the patient's skin while the patient is at rest and again while the patient is performing an action, and subjecting the photographs to DISC analysis. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising generating a vector diagram based on the DISC analysis that indicates the locus of large stress on the skin from muscular tension. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of injecting the cosmetic agent at the locus of large stress. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more areas of the patient's skin comprises skin of the face or neck. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the patient is instructed to perform one or more of the following movements: moving the jaw, lips, or tongue; moving the eyes; or moving the forehead. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the DISC analysis comprises quantifying the strength and/or qualifying the direction of the effect produced when the patient is performing an action relative to the patient at rest. 
     
     
         15 . A non-invasive technique for assessing a patient's recovery from stroke, the method comprising photographing a patient who has had a stroke, wherein the photographs are taken of one or more areas of the patient's skin covering an area of the body affected by the stroke while the patient is at rest and again while the patient is attempting to move the area of the body affected by the stroke, and subjecting the photographs to DISC analysis. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more areas of the patient's skin comprises skin of the face or neck. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the patient is instructed to perform one or more of the following movements: moving the jaw, lips, or tongue; moving the eyes; or moving the forehead. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the DISC analysis is performed on two or more occasions in time in order to assess the patient's ability to move the area of the body affected by the stroke. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the DISC analysis comprises quantifying the strength and/or qualifying the direction of the effect produced when the patient is performing an action relative to the patient at rest. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the DISC analysis comprises the step of examining one or more vector displacement maps of skin pores.