Scanning Tissue Oxygen Needle Probe

A new device designed to scan oxygen partial pressure along a line in a biological tissue is described in this paper. The probe is housed in a stainless-steel needle. As opposed to other devices for oxygen scanning in tissue, the new probe does not require mechanical translation of the needle in the tissue. The probe includes an active sensing area along the needle shaft that can be scanned optically by an internal optical fiber. This feature allows for repeated scans of tissue oxygen along a line without translating the needle with respect to the tissue, thus avoiding tissue damage associated with needle motion. First, we describe the design of the device including its sensing mechanism, mechanical design, optical configuration, and signal processing. We then move on to describe the results of the device characterization and testing. Finally, we conclude by discussing possible applications of the device in research and in clinical diagnoses and treatment monitoring.