Tri modal spectroscopic imaging

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spectroscopic imaging system using autofluorescence and reflectance images to diagnose tissue. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses a plurality of light sources to illuminate a tissue region to provide the fluorescence and reflectance images, respectively.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 702,246, filed Jul. 25, 2005 entitled, TRI MODAL SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING. The entire content of the above application is being incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world. Each year, cancer kills over 500 thousand people in the United States alone (National Cancer Institute). Current cancer diagnosis methods usually involve two medical procedures. The first procedure is a wide-area surveillance over the tissue, for example: mammogram, colposcopy, palpation, or visual examination. When warning signs are present, biopsy is performed on the suspicious tissue sites. However, many forms of precancerous and early cancerous lesions are difficult to detect using these traditional surveillance procedures. Therefore, there is a need for wide-area surveillance systems capable of precancer detecti...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] Ex-vivo tissue measurements performed with LSS imaging system and measurements conducted using tri-modal spectroscopy implemented in a single point instrument showed LSS imaging and TMS can be used for precancer diagnosis. Implementing TMS into an imaging system provides the advantage for screening larger regions of the body at faster speeds. The TMS imaging instrument can improve the sensitivity and specificity of cancer diagnosis with wide-area imaging systems while maintaining their abilities to provide real-time, non-invasive diagnosis.

Problems solved by technology

Note that propagation of diffusely scattered light renders localized diagnosis more difficult because reflectance detected in one area of the tissue may carry contributions from other areas.

Another challenge is to isolate single backscattering, diffuse reflectance, and intrinsic fluorescence so each component can be analyzed separately.

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