Spectroscopic detection of brain damage

Abstract

The present invention provides a non-invasive device and method of detecting or evaluating brain damage in a living subject.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 causing a directed light source comprising a plurality of wavelengths to produce multiple spectra, wherein the plurality of wavelengths comprises visible wavelengths through near-infrared wavelengths;   determining, based on a relative intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths for each spectrum, an intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths and a spectroscopic lineshape for the multiple spectra;   determining, based on a plot comprising the intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths and the spectroscopic lineshape for the multiple spectra, a numerical value for a first intensity and a first slope selected from the plot, wherein the first intensity and the first slope are associated with one or more of the plurality of wavelengths; and   determining, based on a control value for the first intensity and a control value for the first slope, that the numerical value for the first intensity and the numerical value for the first slope are indicative of brain damage in a patient.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the directed light source is directed toward a head of the patient. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the directed light source comprises a xenon lamp, a mercury lamp, a tungsten lamp, a laser, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the brain damage comprises one or more of a mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Alzheimer's disease, or a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the brain damage is associated with one or more of an abnormal accumulation of proteins, deposits of proteins or other molecules, or diffuse axonal injury that alters the multiple spectra as they pass through affected tissue of the patient. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the abnormal accumulation of the proteins or the deposits of the proteins or the other molecules are associated with a formation of one or more of cortical neuritic plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, Lewy bodies, lipofuscin granules, amyloid derived diffusible ligands, or neuropil threads. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of wavelengths range between 350 nm to 2250 nm. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the visible through near-infrared wavelength range is from 610-1030 nm. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:   cause a directed light source comprising a plurality of wavelengths to produce multiple spectra, wherein the plurality of wavelengths comprises visible wavelengths through near-infrared wavelengths;   determine, based on a relative intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths for each spectrum, an intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths and a spectroscopic lineshape for the multiple spectra;   determine, based on a plot comprising the intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths and the spectroscopic lineshape for the multiple spectra, a numerical value for a first intensity and a first slope selected from the plot, wherein the first intensity and the first slope are associated with one or more of the plurality of wavelengths; and   determine, based on a control value for the first intensity and a control value for the first slope, that the numerical value for the first intensity and the numerical value for the first slope are indicative of brain damage in a patient.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the directed light source is directed toward a head of the patient. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the directed light source comprises a xenon lamp, a mercury lamp, a tungsten lamp, a laser, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the brain damage comprises one or more of a mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Alzheimer's disease, or a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the brain damage is associated with one or more of an abnormal accumulation of proteins, deposits of proteins or other molecules, or diffuse axonal injury that alters the multiple spectra as they pass through affected tissue of the patient. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the abnormal accumulation of the proteins or the deposits of the proteins or the other molecules are associated with a formation of one or more of cortical neuritic plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, Lewy bodies, lipofuscin granules, amyloid derived diffusible ligands, or neuropil threads. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of wavelengths range between 350 nm to 2250 nm. 
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 cause a directed light source comprising a plurality of wavelengths to produce multiple spectra, wherein the plurality of wavelengths comprises visible wavelengths through near-infrared wavelengths;   determine, based on a relative intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths for each spectrum, an intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths and a spectroscopic lineshape for the multiple spectra;   determine, based on a plot comprising the intensity at each of the plurality of wavelengths and the spectroscopic lineshape for the multiple spectra, a numerical value for a first intensity and a first slope selected from the plot, wherein the first intensity and the first slope are associated with one or more of the plurality of wavelengths; and   determine, based on a control value for the first intensity and a control value for the first slope, that the numerical value for the first intensity and the numerical value for the first slope are indicative of brain damage in a patient.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the directed light source is directed toward a head of the patient. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the directed light source comprises a xenon lamp, a mercury lamp, a tungsten lamp, a laser, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the brain damage comprises one or more of a mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Alzheimer's disease, or a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the brain damage is associated with one or more of an abnormal accumulation of proteins, deposits of proteins or other molecules, or diffuse axonal injury that alters the multiple spectra as they pass through affected tissue of the patient.