Patent ID: 6091983
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method for imaging an object located in a turbid medium, said method comprising the steps of:(a) making the object luminescent by adding to the object a contrast agent of the type that emits at least partially polarized light when appropriately excited with polarized radiation;(b) exciting the luminescent object through the turbid medium with polarized radiation so as to cause luminescent light to be emitted from the luminescent object, said luminescent light initially being at least partially polarized;(c) after said luminescent light has emerged from the turbid medium, said luminescent light consisting of a ballistic component, a snake-like component and a diffuse component, detecting a pair of complementary polarization components of said luminescent light; and(d) forming an image of the object using the pair of complementary polarization components.