Patent ID: 6280703
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: A61B,A61K

Abstract:
A method of measuring at least two physiological activities wherein said activities are i) at least two activities of a single type of tumor tissue or organ or ii) at least one activity of each of at least two types of tumor tissues or organs in a patient's body, wherein said organ is a kidney, liver, brain or heart, comprising the steps of:a) administering into said patient's body fluid a detectable amount of at least two tracers selected from the group consisting of: i) chromophores or fluorophores capable of absorbing or emitting electromagnetic radiation of wavelength ranging from 400 to 900 nm, ii) paramagnetic agents, and iii) radiopharmaceuticals, with the proviso that at least one tracer is from group (i) or group (ii), wherein said tracers are selectively removed from said body fluid by said tissues or organs;b) detecting an amount of each of said tracers in said body fluid by measuring i) an absorption or emission of electromagnetic radiation for each of said chromophores or fluorophores that are used, ii) a magnetic signal produced by each of said paramagnetic agents that are used, and iii) a radioactive decay for each of said radiopharmaceuticals that are used, by using 1) at least one non-invasive surface monitoring probe, 2) at least one invasive endoscopic device or catheter capable of detecting said tracers, or 3) at least one non-invasive surface monitoring probe and at least one invasive endoscopic device or catheter capable of detecting one or more of said tracers;c) determining a clearance rate or a clearance profile for each of said tracers from said body fluid based on each tracer's amount in said body fluid detected in step (b); andd) correlating said clearance rate or profile of each tracer with one of said physiological activities of said organs or tissues,wherein said physiological activities result in i) accumulation of said tracers in said organ or tumor tissue, or ii) removal of said tracers from the blood;wherein at least two physiological activities are determined, further wherein at least two tracers are present simultaneously in said body fluid at detectable amounts at a time during step (b).