Patent ID: 8417328

Claim:
An apparatus for diagnosis of a biological sample, comprising: a probe, a probe head distally connectable to the probe, the probe head further comprising a fixed plate having a plurality of electrode elements forming an electrode array extending therefrom, wherein each electrode element comprises a tip and a shaft and is adapted to be separately actuatable to apply an electrical signal to the biological sample between selected pairs of electrode elements on the electrode array forming an electrical circuit through the biological tissue; a moveable plate adjacent the fixed plate wherein the moveable plate controls a depth of penetration of the electrode elements; an RF signal source for applying the electrical signal respective electrode elements within the electrode array forming a respective selected pair of electrode elements; an electrode selector adapted and configured to switch a signal pulse from the RF signal source to one of the selected electrode elements forming the respective selected one or more pairs of electrode elements; and a detection circuit configured to detect the effect on the signal pulse of a dielectric property of the biological sample intermediate the respective selected pair of electrode elements and to generate a tissue map of normal and abnormal cells.