Patent ID: 8190245

Claim:
A system for detecting the depth of non homogeneities in a body, using time resolved optical tomography, comprising, a computer data processor; said computer data processor including a memory, a computer program operating said computer data processor, a data base, a data base program, a light detector, and a display; a scanning short pulse light source producing a light pulse with a light pulse intensity with a light pulse width and light pulse time period, and transmitting said light pulse to a body containing a tumor on the surface of a body and a tumor below the surface of a body; said computer data processor, connected to said light source and to said light detector, responsive to said computer program, recording in said data base, or producing on said display, the intensity of reflected light scattered for separate intervals on a body from a tumor on the surface of said body and the intensity of said reflected light scattered for separate intervals on a body from a tumor below the surface of said body; said computer data processor, responsive to said computer program and said recording of said intensity of said reflected light scattered for separate intervals on a body from a tumor on the surface of a body and said recording of said intensity of said reflected light scattered for separate intervals on a body from a tumor below the surface of a body, recording the additional time for said intensity of said reflected light scattered from a tumor on the surface of a body to reach the light detector, compared to the time taken for said reflected light scattered from a tumor below the surface of a body, to reach said light detector; said computer data processor responsive to said computer program, and to said recording of additional time, multiplying the peak separation time between said additional time for said reflected light scattered from a tumor on the surface of a body to reach said light detector, compared to said time taken for said reflected light scattered from a tumor below the surface of a body to reach said light detector, by the speed of light and recording the result of said multiplying; and said computer data processor responsive to said computer program, displaying or recording said result of said multiplying as a quantitative measurement of the depth of a tumor below said surface of a body.