Patent ID: 6594518
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: A61B,G01N,G16H

Abstract:
A medical probe for performing a tissue diagnosis on a region of known tissue type, comprising:(a) a source optical fiber; (b) a white light source for generating optical illumination optically coupled to an entrance of said source fiber; (c) a first fiber optic switcher for guiding illumination from an exit of said source fiber to an entrance of a selected at least one of N illumination fiber in a first defined sequence; (d) probe means for supporting and aligning M detection fibers and said N illumination fibers, said probe means including a holding structure for said illumination and detection fibers, said probe means additionally maintaining said illumination and detection fibers in optical contact with the tissue region, said probe means further illuminating the tissue region with light from an exit of said at least one illumination fibers, and for receiving a resultant illumination at an entrance of said at least one of said M detection fibers, said resultant illumination having passed though a portion of the tissue region; (e) a second fiber optic switcher for guiding illumination having entered said M detection fibers in a second defined sequence from an exit of a selected said one or more M detection fibers to an entrance of a spectrum analyzer fiber; (f) a spectrum analyzer for receiving light from an exit of the spectrum analyzer fiber, and for producing a first output signal representative of an intensity of at least a portion of the received light; (g) a computer for receiving said first output signal, said computer configured to compare said first output to a database of known spectral characteristics and reference criteria, and for determining a presence or absence of a target tissue type within said region of known tissue type based upon said comparison, and for generating a second output signal based upon said comparison.