Patent ID: 7485098

Claim:
A method of detecting diseased tissue comprising: recording first and second series of infrared images of a predetermined area of tissue, the first and second series of infrared images recorded in respective first and second bands of infrared wavelengths, the second band of infrared wavelengths different from the first band of infrared wavelengths; converting the first and second series of infrared images into corresponding first and second series of thermal images having a plurality of subareas; determining a first plurality of average temperature values and a first plurality of temperature standard deviations for each of the plurality of subareas, each of the first plurality of average temperature values and each of the first plurality of temperature standard deviations corresponding to each of the plurality of subareas determined from a corresponding one of the first series of thermal images; determining a first average temperature standard deviation from the first plurality of temperature standard deviations; determining a second plurality of average temperature values and a second plurality of temperature standard deviations for each of the plurality of subareas, each of the second plurality of average temperature values and each of the second plurality of temperature standard deviations corresponding to each of the plurality of subareas determined from a corresponding one of the second series of thermal images; determining a second average temperature standard deviation from the second plurality of temperature standard deviations; and analyzing the first and second pluralities of temperature standard deviations for each of the plurality of subareas, wherein when a spatial distribution of first plurality of temperature standard deviations corresponding to a cluster comprising at least six adjacent subareas is less than about 20% or more than about 100% of the first average temperature standard deviation, tissue corresponding to the cluster is preliminarily determined to be diseased, and wherein when tissue corresponding to the cluster is preliminarily determined to be diseased and when a spatial distribution of second plurality of temperature standard deviations corresponding to the cluster is less than about 20% or more than about 100% of the second average temperature standard deviation, tissue corresponding to the cluster is confirmed to be diseased.