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Optical needle for spectroscopic diagnosis

  • US 5,199,431 A
  • Filed: 10/04/1989
  • Issued: 04/06/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1985
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An optical needle device for the diagnosis of tissue comprising:

  • an optical needle having a sharp distal tip for the incision of tissue and an optically conductive element at the distal tip which directs light to a distal surface of the element and through which light is transmitted and received from tissue contacting the distal surface;

    a plurality of optical fibers coupled to the optically conductive element to receive light returning from the tissue and directed through the distal surface of the optically conductive element, and to transmit the received light to a proximal end of the optical fibers;

    a light source optically coupled to a proximal end of at least one of the optical fibers such that light from the source can be directed through the optically conductive element onto the tissue to be diagnosed; and

    an analyzer coupled to the proximal end of at least one of the optical fibers to compare a characteristic of the light emitted by the tissue with a reference signal such that the condition of the tissue can be diagnosed.

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