Patent ID: 6957094

Claim:
A system for in vivo characterization of biological tissue by measuring scattering properties of the tissue, comprising: a source-detector arrangement including at least one light source constructed to deliver into biological tissue light of at least one wavelength, at a known location, and at least one light detector constructed to provide at least one detected signal, wherein said detected signal depends on photon migration paths in the examined biological tissue; an oscillator constructed to generate a first carrier waveform at a frequency on the order of 10 8 Hz, wherein said light source is coupled to said oscillator and constructed to generate light modulated by said carrier waveform; said detector being constructed to detect said modulated light that has migrated in the tissue; a phase detector constructed to measure a phase shift of said detected light that has migrated in the tissue compared to said introduced light and provide said phase shift signal to said processor; and a processor arranged to determine, based on said detected light and said phase shift signal, scattering properties of the biological tissue.