Patent ID: 6738659
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A system for optical imaging using a pulse of radiation in a radiation path to an enclosed material within a non-homogeneous body and responsive to reflected radiation, producing an indicator for said enclosed material, comprising,a. means for producing one or more pulses of radiation, to radiate a plurality of materials with varying scattering mediums within a non-homogeneous body, in a radiation path, with at least one pulse of radiation of a temporal pulse width tp; b. means for selecting said laser temporal pulse width tp in relation to a combined factor tp*=&kgr;Â·cÂ·tp for a minimum value for said combined factor tp* or for a value of said combined factor tp* no greater than about 1, where &kgr; represents said extinction coefficient of said scattering mediums, and c represents the propagation speed of light radiation through said scattering mediums; c. means for receiving said reflected radiation from respective incident points located in said radiation path; d. means for producing an indicator for at least one material in said radiation path, responsive to said radiation reflected by said respective incident points.