Patent ID: 8243269
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of determining, in vivo, one or more characteristics of a sub-surface tissue or fluid, through a diffusely scattering overlying tissue, comprising steps of: (a) supplying incident light as a continuous wave laser beam at one or more entry regions on a surface of the overlying tissue; (b) collecting, from one or more collection regions on the surface of the overlying tissue, light produced by scattering of said incident light within the overlying tissue, wherein the one or more collection regions on the surface are located at a plurality of spacings from the one or more entry regions on the surface; (c) detecting using a detector, in the collected light, a plurality of Raman features for said plurality of spacings, wherein one or more of the Raman features corresponds to each different spacing, said Raman features being spectrally related to the incident light and originating from the sub-surface tissue; and (d) determining said characteristics of the sub-surface tissue or fluid from said Raman features.