Patent ID: 7627363
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: A61B,A61K,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining images of skin condition in skin tissue, the method comprising the steps of: (a) applying a contrast agent to the skin tissue; (b) illuminating the skin tissue with polarized light of a first wavelength in an absorption range of the contrast agent and a second wavelength outside an absorption range of the contrast agent; (c) detecting remitted light that is polarized in a direction parallel to and perpendicular to a polarization of the polarized light; (d) for each wavelength, converting the remitted light into first data and second data, the first data being representative of the remitted light in a direction parallel to the polarized light and the second data being representative of the remitted light in a direction perpendicular to the polarized light; (e) producing a difference image for each wavelength by subtracting the respective second data from the first data; (f) subtracting the second wavelength difference image from the first wavelength difference image to create an image of a layer below a surface of the skin tissue in which background noise is largely cancelled out; and (g) mapping a skin condition border based on the image.