Patent ID: 8346347

Claim:
A dermatological treatment device, comprising: a radiation source assembly configured to generate radiation having at least a first wavelength for tissue irradiation; a waveguide coupled to said source assembly for directing the radiation from the radiation source assembly to a portion of tissue, and having a surface configured to irradiate said portion with said radiation; a detector optically coupled to a sidewall of said waveguide and configured to detect radiation backscattered from said tissue in response to irradiation from said radiation source assembly and transmitted through the sidewall to the detector, said detector generating signals indicative of the level of radiation detected; said sidewall being configured such that the level of backscattered radiation reaching the detector changes due to a change in the level of internal reflection of said backscattered radiation incident on said sidewall based on absence or presence of contact between said surface of the waveguide and the tissue; and a processor configured to process the level of radiation detected and indicating at least one of contact of said surface of the waveguide with said tissue, absence of contact of said surface of the waveguide with said tissue, and one or more characteristics of said tissue.