Steven P Ackerman

US Patent:

8637239, Jan 28, 2014

Filed:

Nov 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/741549

Inventors:

Glenn T. Furuta - Aurora CO, US
Steven J. Ackerman - Naperville IL, US

Assignee:

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois - Urbana IL
The Regents of the University of Colorado, A Body Corporate - Denver CO

International Classification:

C12Q 1/68
G01N 33/53

US Classification:

435 61, 435 71

Abstract:

The methods and apparatus of the present invention allow the evaluation of inflammation of the esophagus. Measurements may be utilized, for example, to diagnose a disease of the esophagus, to monitor inflammation of the esophagus, or to access the treatment of a disease of the esophagus. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a method for measuring esophageal inflammation comprising deploying a device into the esophagus of a subject, removing the device after a predetermined period of time, analyzing the device for a diagnostic indicator of esophageal inflammation and evaluating the diagnostic indicator to diagnose esophageal inflammation.