Patent ID: 6070096
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: A61B,G01J

Abstract:
A fluorescence detecting apparatus, comprising:i) an excitation light irradiating means for irradiating excitation light to a region of interest in a living body, said excitation light having wavelengths falling within an excitation wavelength range for an intrinsic dye in the living body, which intrinsic dye is capable of producing fluorescence when it is excited with said excitation light,ii) a first fluorescence detecting means for detecting a first fluorescence component, which is either one of:a) an entire intrinsic fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a visible wavelength range, which contains a comparatively short wavelength range and a comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of intrinsic fluorescence, that is produced by said intrinsic dye in said region of interest in the living body, andb) a fluorescence sum component, which is the sum of a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively short wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, that is produced by said intrinsic dye in said region of interest in the living body, and a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence,iii) a second fluorescence detecting means for detecting a second fluorescence component, which is either one of:a) a fluorescence component having wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, andb) a fluorescence difference component, which is the difference between a fluorescence component, that have wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively short wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, and a fluorescence component, that has wavelengths falling within a part of the comparatively long wavelength range among the wavelength range of the intrinsic fluorescence, andiv) a division means for carrying out a division of said first fluorescence component, which has been detected by said first fluorescence detecting means, by said second fluorescence component, which has been detected by said second fluorescence detecting means.