Patent ID: 7510699

Claim:
A detection system for detecting fluorescence in a body of a subject associated with an administered fluorescent analyte, the fluorescent analyte including at least one of a fluor-labeled analyte, a naturally fluorescent analyte and an analyte that exhibits fluorescence when administered to the subject, the detection system comprising: at least one fluorescence sensor configured for in vivo operation, the at least one sensor comprising at least one excitation light source held therein, the excitation light source being configured to emit a fluorescent excitation light signal used to generate a fluorescent response of the fluorescent analyte in local tissue, wherein the sensor projects the excitation light signal outside the sensor at a distance sufficient to probe fluorescent activity at locations away from the sensor of several millimeters, with the fluorescent excitation light signal having a wavelength that is at least about 400 nm to about 900 nm, and to detect fluorescence from the fluorescent analyte in the local tissue in the body in response to the emitted excitation light signal, at least intermittently, over a period of time extending for at least about 24 hours after administration of the fluorescent analyte to the subject, wherein the fluorescent analyte is internally administered from a source other than the at least one sensor; and a processor operably associated with the at least one sensor configured to direct the output of the excitation signal and to receive fluorescence intensity signal data associated with the detected fluorescence of the administered analyte in response to the excitation light signal at the fluorescence excitation wavelength from the at least one sensor, wherein said processor is configured to monitor intensity of the detected fluorescence over time and determine at least one of the following: a pharmacokinetic, a pharmacodynamic, or a biokinetic response to the internally administered fluorescent analyte and/or local bioactivity based on the monitored intensity over at least one monitoring period.