Patent ID: 6205354
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
A method for noninvasively determining the presence or risk of a malignancy disease in biological tissue, comprising the steps of:obtaining a light sourse which generates light at a wavelength that produces a Raman tenoids to be detected;directing light from the light sourse onto biological tissue for which carotenoid levels are to be measured, the light having an intensity which does not cause destruction of the tissue and does not substantially alter carotenoid levels in the tissue;collecting light scattered from the tissue, the scattered light including elastically and inelastically scattered light, the inelastically scattered light producing a Raman signal corresponding to carotenoid in the tissue;filtering out the elastically scattered light; andquantifying the intensity of the Raman signal, wherein a substantial difference between the intensity of the Raman signal and the intensity of Raman scattering from adjkacent normal biological tissue indicates the presence or risk of a malignancy disease.