Contour mapping of spectral diagnostics
First Claim
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1. A method of optically measuring tissue comprising:
- directing light from a broadband light source having a multiplicity of excitation wavelengths onto tissue to induce autofluorescence at a multiplicity of emission wavelengthsmeasuring intensities of the induced autofluorescence at the multiplicity of emission wavelengths to produce intensity data;
generating a contoured electronic representation of the intensity data, the contoured representation being a function of both excitation wavelengths and emission wavelengths;
correcting the contoured representation by removing a component of the representation correlated with a spectrally absorbing material within the tissue; and
identifying the presence of a plurality of fluorophores within the tissue from the corrected contoured representation.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of generating and processing spectral information arising from the laser induced fluorescence of tissue. The intensity of fluorescence is recorded as a function of both excitation and emission wavelengths and contour maps of tissue fluorescence are generated which are useful in the diagnosis of condition of the tissue under examination.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of optically measuring tissue comprising:
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directing light from a broadband light source having a multiplicity of excitation wavelengths onto tissue to induce autofluorescence at a multiplicity of emission wavelengths measuring intensities of the induced autofluorescence at the multiplicity of emission wavelengths to produce intensity data; generating a contoured electronic representation of the intensity data, the contoured representation being a function of both excitation wavelengths and emission wavelengths; correcting the contoured representation by removing a component of the representation correlated with a spectrally absorbing material within the tissue; and
identifying the presence of a plurality of fluorophores within the tissue from the corrected contoured representation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of optically measuring vascular tissue comprising:
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directing light from a broadband light source having a multiplicity of excitation wavelengths onto vascular tissue to induce autofluorescence at a multiplicity of emission wavelengths; measuring intensities of the induced autofluorescence at the multiplicity of emission wavelengths to produce intensity data; generating a contoured electronic representation of the intensity data, the contoured representation being a function of both excitation wavelengths and emission wavelengths; and identifying the presence of a plurality of fluorophores within the tissue from the contoured representation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of optically measuring tissue comprising:
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inserting a fiber optic probe into a body lumen; directing light from a broadband light source having a multiplicity of excitation wavelengths through the probe and onto tissue within the lumen to induce autofluorescence at a multiplicity of emission wavelengths; collecting induced autofluorescence radiation from the tissue with the fiber optic probe and coupling the collected radiation at a proximal end of the probe to a detector; measuring intensities of the induced autofluorescence at the multiplicity of emission wavelengths to produce intensity data; generating a contoured electronic representation of the intensity data, the contoured representation being a function of both excitation wavelengths; forming a displayed image from the contoured electronic representation; and identifying the presence of a plurality of fluorophores within the tissue from the contoured representation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification