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Title: Method and apparatus for non-invasive monitoring of blood glucose

Abstract

A new and improved method and apparatus are provided for non-invasive monitoring of changes in blood glucose concentration in a tissue specimen and particularly in an individual. The method uses acoustic velocity measurements for monitoring the effect of glucose concentration upon the density and adiabatic compressibility of the serum. In a preferred embodiment, the acoustic velocity measurements are made through the earlobe of a subject by means of an acoustic probe or monitor which includes a transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy pulses to and from the blood flowing in the subject's earlobe and a reflector for facilitating reflection of the acoustic pulses from the blood. The probe is designed in such a way that when properly affixed to an ear, the transducer is positioned flush against the anterior portion of an earlobe while the reflector is positioned flush against the interior portion of the earlobe. A microthermocouple is provided on the probe for monitoring the internal temperature of the blood being sampled. An electrical system, essentially comprising a frequency generator, a time intervalometer and an oscilloscope, is linked to the glucose monitoring probe. The electrical system analyzes selected ones of the pulses reflected from the blood sample inmore » order to determine therefrom the acoustic velocity of the blood which, in turn, provides a representation of the blood glucose concentration levels at the time of the acoustic velocity measurements.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Livermore, CA
  2. Modesto, CA
  3. Mishawaka, IN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
868328
Patent Number(s):
5119819
Assignee:
Miles Inc. (Elkhart, IN)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61B - DIAGNOSIS
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-76
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; apparatus; non-invasive; monitoring; blood; glucose; improved; provided; changes; concentration; tissue; specimen; particularly; individual; acoustic; velocity; measurements; effect; density; adiabatic; compressibility; serum; preferred; embodiment; earlobe; subject; means; probe; monitor; transducer; transmitting; receiving; ultrasonic; energy; pulses; flowing; reflector; facilitating; reflection; designed; properly; affixed; positioned; flush; anterior; portion; interior; microthermocouple; internal; temperature; sampled; electrical; essentially; comprising; frequency; generator; time; intervalometer; oscilloscope; linked; analyzes; selected; ones; reflected; sample; determine; therefrom; provides; representation; levels; blood flow; blood glucose; pulses reflected; interior portion; blood sample; ultrasonic energy; improved method; preferred embodiment; time interval; acoustic velocity; concentration levels; velocity measurements; monitoring probe; acoustic pulse; selected ones; receiving ultrasonic; energy pulse; internal temperature; energy pulses; frequency generator; acoustic pulses; acoustic probe; non-invasive monitoring; velocity measurement; tissue specimen; concentration level; /600/

Citation Formats

Thomas, Graham H, Watson, Roger M, and Noell, J Oakey. Method and apparatus for non-invasive monitoring of blood glucose. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Thomas, Graham H, Watson, Roger M, & Noell, J Oakey. Method and apparatus for non-invasive monitoring of blood glucose. United States.
Thomas, Graham H, Watson, Roger M, and Noell, J Oakey. Tue . "Method and apparatus for non-invasive monitoring of blood glucose". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868328.
@article{osti_868328,
title = {Method and apparatus for non-invasive monitoring of blood glucose},
author = {Thomas, Graham H and Watson, Roger M and Noell, J Oakey},
abstractNote = {A new and improved method and apparatus are provided for non-invasive monitoring of changes in blood glucose concentration in a tissue specimen and particularly in an individual. The method uses acoustic velocity measurements for monitoring the effect of glucose concentration upon the density and adiabatic compressibility of the serum. In a preferred embodiment, the acoustic velocity measurements are made through the earlobe of a subject by means of an acoustic probe or monitor which includes a transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy pulses to and from the blood flowing in the subject's earlobe and a reflector for facilitating reflection of the acoustic pulses from the blood. The probe is designed in such a way that when properly affixed to an ear, the transducer is positioned flush against the anterior portion of an earlobe while the reflector is positioned flush against the interior portion of the earlobe. A microthermocouple is provided on the probe for monitoring the internal temperature of the blood being sampled. An electrical system, essentially comprising a frequency generator, a time intervalometer and an oscilloscope, is linked to the glucose monitoring probe. The electrical system analyzes selected ones of the pulses reflected from the blood sample in order to determine therefrom the acoustic velocity of the blood which, in turn, provides a representation of the blood glucose concentration levels at the time of the acoustic velocity measurements.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1992},
month = {6}
}