Patent ID: 9398876
Filing Date: 2016-07-26
CPC Classification: A61B,A61K,A61M,A61P

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for analyzing the condition of a kidney, said apparatus comprising: a source of an analysis composition, said analysis composition comprising a plurality of fluorescent reporter molecules and a plurality of fluorescent marker molecules, said reporter molecules and said marker molecules sharing a molecular property; a percutaneously introducible catheter configured for introducing the analysis composition into a blood steam of a patient and for in situ delivery of excitation energy from an optical fiber extensible from a distal end of the catheter into the bloodstream of the patient and for collection of emission energy from within the bloodstream of the patient; and a detector for monitoring a level of the analysis composition within the blood stream and reporting the operating condition of the kidney; wherein a volume of plasma distribution of the patient is calculated based on the fluorescence of the marker molecules, and wherein the fluorescence of the marker molecules relative to the fluorescence of the reporter molecules is calculated and reported as a measure of kidney function.