Patent ID: 8437845

Claim:
A method of diagnosing a biological tissue comprising: engaging the biological tissue with a probe, the probe having 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 further comprises a tip and a shaft and is adapted to be separately actuable to apply an electrical signal to the biological tissue of a mammal between selected pairs of electrode elements on the electrode array wherein each of the one or more pairs of electrode elements form 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 to the electrode array; an electrode selector adapted and configured to switch a signal pulse from the RF signal source between the plurality of electrode elements; and a detection circuit for analyzing a dielectric response received from a first electrode element by a second electrode element after the electrical signal passes through the biological tissue; emitting an electrical signal from one or more electrode elements in the electrode array of the probe; collecting the dielectric response from the first electrode element in the electrode array of the probe by the second electrode element in the electrode array of the probe after the electrical signal passes through the biological tissue; analyzing the dielectric response received from the first electrode in the electrode array of the probe by the second electrode in the electrode array of the probe after the electrical signal passes through the biological tissue to produce a result; and diagnosing the biological tissue based on the result.