Analysis of volume elements for tissue characterization
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a characteristic of a sample of a material by the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the sample. The apparatus includes a source of electromagnetic radiation, an optical assembly and a detector. The optical assembly sequentially illuminates a plurality of volume elements in the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path and collects electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the volume elements. The optical assembly collects the electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the volume elements with a collected distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path. The first and second regions at least partially overlap in each of the volume elements. The detector detects the collected electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the sequentially illuminated volume elements to produce responses representative of the characteristic in each of the volume elements.
49 Citations
127 Claims
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1-104. -104. (canceled)
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105. A method of detecting an interaction of electromagnetic radiation with a volume element of a tissue sample, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selectively illuminating a discrete volume element of a tissue sample;
(b) collecting electromagnetic radiation from the volume element, wherein the collected electromagnetic radiation is representative of a response of the volume element to the selective illumination, the response being associated with a tissue characteristic; and
(c) detecting the collected electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121)
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122. A method of determining a characteristic of an in vivo tissue sample, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selectively illuminating a discrete volume element of an in vivo tissue sample;
(b) collecting electromagnetic radiation from the volume element, wherein the collected electromagnetic radiation is representative of a response of the volume element to the selective illumination;
(c) detecting the collected electromagnetic radiation; and
(d) analyzing the collected electromagnetic radiation to determine a characteristic of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (123, 124)
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125. An apparatus for detecting an interaction of electromagnetic radiation with a volume element of a tissue sample, the apparatus comprising:
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an illuminator for generating electromagnetic radiation;
directing optics adapted to selectively illuminate a discrete volume element of a tissue sample;
collector optics adapted to collect electromagnetic radiation from the volume element, wherein the collected electromagnetic radiation is representative of a response of the volume element to the selective illumination; and
a detector for detecting the collected electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (126, 127)
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Specification