Intrinsic raman spectroscopy

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for the measurement of analytes such as glucose. Raman and reflectance spectroscopy are used to measure a volume, of material such as a blood sample or tissue within a subject and determine a concentration of a blood analyte based thereon. The present invention further relates to a calibration method, constrained regularization (CR), and demonstrates its use for analyzing spectra including, for example, the measurement glucose concentrations using transcutaneous Raman spectroscopy.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . The Raman spectral measurement system comprising a processing system connected to a detector such that the processing system receives Raman data and reflected light data, the system processing the Raman data and reflected light data to provide spectral data indicating a concentration of analyte in the region of material. 
     
     
         2 . A method for analyzing a spectrum comprising:
 providing a spectrum to be analyzed; and   applying a transformation to the spectrum, the transformation including a spectral constraint.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising providing a Raman spectrum to be analyzed. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising providing a Raman spectrum of a blood glucose measurement of a subject. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the spectral constraint comprises a spectrum of glucose. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of applying a transformation comprises applying a regularized calibration vector including a spectrum of an analyte. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the method comprises calibrating a spectrum. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the step of applying the regularized calibration vector comprises determining a product of a measured spectrum and a regularized calibration vector. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising determining the regularized calibration vector by summing a plurality of regularized components and a plurality of spectrally constrained components. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of providing a spectrum comprises providing a measured Raman spectrum that is processed using a reflectance spectrum. 
     
     
         11 . A method of analyzing a spectrum to measure a blood analyte comprising:
 processing a Raman spectrum of a material containing a blood analyte with a reflectance spectrum of the material to provide a processed spectrum.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising calibrating the processed spectrum with constrained regularization. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising determining an area of the reflectance spectrum and determining a ratio of the Raman spectrum and said area. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising determining a concentration of the analyte in the material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising determining a blood glucose concentration. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising determining a regularization vector including a spectral constraint comprising a spectrum of the analyte.