Calibration method and apparatus for optical-response tissue-examination instrument
First Claim
1. Apparatus for calibrating optical-response in-vivo tissue-examination apparatus of the type having an optical probe with at least one light-sending terminal portion adapted for introducing examination light into a living mammalian subject and a terminal portion for receiving resulting light from said mammalian subject, said apparatus comprising:
- a body having outer walls defining and enclosing areas of internal space, said body having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture;
means communicating with at least one of said inlet and one of said outlet apertures for cooperatively receiving said light-sending and said light-receiving terminal portions of said optical probe, in a manner substantially precluding entry and exit of ambient light; and
means within said body for guiding light energy admitted into said body at said inlet, including means for conveying at least certain of such light energy along at least one defined tortuous path through at least certain of said body spaces and communicating with said outlet aperture.
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Abstract
The specification discloses apparatus and methodology for calibrating optical-response tissue-examination apparatus of the type having an optical probe with at least one light-sending terminal portion adapted for introducing light into a test subject and a terminal portion for receiving resulting light from such subject. The calibration apparatus includes a body having outer walls which enclose an internal area and define an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture adapted to receive the terminal portions of the optical probe in a manner to substantially preclude entry or exit of ambient light. Means are included within said body for conveying inlet light from the test probe along a tortuous path communicating with the outlet aperture. In a preferred embodiment, the body includes means defining an outlet aperture located near the inlet aperture, and another outlet aperture may also be provided generally opposite from the inlet aperture or at a similar position of substantially greater distance from the inlet than the first outlet aperture. Also, in a preferred embodiment, internal chambers are provided within the body, certain of which is or adapted to admit a removable sample of selected media, e.g., substances selected as analogs to the anticipated examination tissue, for example, water and/or fused quartz or carbon tetrachloride.
76 Citations
21 Claims
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1. Apparatus for calibrating optical-response in-vivo tissue-examination apparatus of the type having an optical probe with at least one light-sending terminal portion adapted for introducing examination light into a living mammalian subject and a terminal portion for receiving resulting light from said mammalian subject, said apparatus comprising:
- a body having outer walls defining and enclosing areas of internal space, said body having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture;
means communicating with at least one of said inlet and one of said outlet apertures for cooperatively receiving said light-sending and said light-receiving terminal portions of said optical probe, in a manner substantially precluding entry and exit of ambient light; and
means within said body for guiding light energy admitted into said body at said inlet, including means for conveying at least certain of such light energy along at least one defined tortuous path through at least certain of said body spaces and communicating with said outlet aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- a body having outer walls defining and enclosing areas of internal space, said body having at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture;
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16. A wide-band attenuator and diffuser apparatus for use as a calibration interface between the sending and receiving terminal portions of an optical probe in an optical-response data-gathering apparatus, comprising:
- a generally tubular body having substantially opaque walls;
said body having at least one light-admitting inlet and at least one light-exiting outlet; and
internal baffle wall means inside said body defining a labryinthine light-transmission path extending between said inlet and said outlet, said baffle wall means including a reflection wall within said body having at least a portion extending generally traversely across the extended axis of said inlet to reflect at least certain of the light rays entering said body back along the axis of said inlet and light-guiding wall means connected to said reflection wall and extending generally perpendicular thereto and along said extended axis. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- a generally tubular body having substantially opaque walls;
Specification