In vivo spectral micro-imaging of tissue
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- illuminating target tissue with ultraviolet (UV) light having a wavelength of less than 400 nm to produce fluorescense;
providing imaging optics capable of producing microscopic resolution within a range from about 0.2 μ
m to about 5 μ
m, wherein a portion of said flourescense is directed toward said imaging optics to produce directed flourescense;
optically collecting, with said imaging optics, substantially all of said directed fluorescense to produce collected fluorescense; and
producing an image from said collected fluorescense;
wherein said image comprises an image spatial resolution, wherein said target tissue is within a living organism, wherein the step of optically collecting substantially all of said directed fluorescense is accomplished within a time duration that is no greater than the time it takes said target tissue to move, with respect to said imaging optics, the distance of said image spatial resolution.
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Abstract
In vivo endoscopic methods an apparatuses for implementation of fluorescence and autofluorescence microscopy, with and without the use of exogenous agents, effectively (with resolution sufficient to image nuclei) visualize and categorize various abnormal tissue forms.
49 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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illuminating target tissue with ultraviolet (UV) light having a wavelength of less than 400 nm to produce fluorescense; providing imaging optics capable of producing microscopic resolution within a range from about 0.2 μ
m to about 5 μ
m, wherein a portion of said flourescense is directed toward said imaging optics to produce directed flourescense;optically collecting, with said imaging optics, substantially all of said directed fluorescense to produce collected fluorescense; and producing an image from said collected fluorescense;
wherein said image comprises an image spatial resolution, wherein said target tissue is within a living organism, wherein the step of optically collecting substantially all of said directed fluorescense is accomplished within a time duration that is no greater than the time it takes said target tissue to move, with respect to said imaging optics, the distance of said image spatial resolution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for illuminating target tissue with ultraviolet (UV) light having a wavelength of less than 400 nm to produce fluorescense; imaging optics capable of producing microscopic resolution within a range from about 0.2 μ
m to about 5 μ
m, wherein said imaging optics are fixed such that a portion of said flourescense is directed toward said imaging optics to produce directed flourescense, wherein said imaging optics substantially collect all of said directed fluorescense to produce collected fluorescense; andmeans for producing an image from said collected fluorescense;
wherein said imaging optics produce an image spatial resolution that is no less than the time it takes said target tissue to move, with respect to said imaging optics, the distance of said image spatial resolution. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification