Patent ID: 6678541
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
A probe assembly comprising:a probe comprising: an illumination fiber to radiate light in a wavelength range of about 200 to about 800 nm toward an object; a plurality of collection fibers spatially separated from the illumination fiber to receive light from the object; and at least one spacer; wherein at least two of the collection fibers are at different distances from the illumination fiber, wherein each individual collection fiber is spatially separated from every other collection fiber by at least one of said spacers, wherein said probe is utilized to calculate at least a scattering coefficient of said light from said object, and wherein said scattering coefficient is utilized to characterize a region of said object, wherein the illumination fiber and the collection fibers form a linear arrangement and the illumination fiber is located at one end of the linear arrangement; a light source; and a detector for calculating at least a scattering coefficient of the light received by the collection fibers, wherein said scattering coefficient is utilized to characterize a region of said object.