Patent Document ID: 20050251049
Application ID: 11151389
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. Apparatus for monitoring the presence of individual chromophores in a tissue sample, said apparatus comprising: a light source operable to illuminate an area of a tissue sample with different wavelengths of light; a photo-receptor arranged to receive light re-emitted by an area of a tissue sample illuminated by said light source; and a spectroscopic analyzer operable to utilize the spectral characteristics of re-emitted light received by said photo-receptor and the spectral characteristics of light projected by said light source to identify the presence of said one or more chromophores within the area of the illuminated issue sample from which re-emitted light is received by said photo-receptor, wherein said spectroscopic analyzer comprises: records of the spectral characteristics of light re-emitted by reference samples of tissue of known structure containing identified chromophores; said spectroscopic analyzer being arranged to compare the spectral characteristics of re-emitted light received by said photo-receptor with said records to identify the record including spectral characteristics most closely matching the characteristics of said re-emitted light received by said photo-receptor and to output as an identification of individual chromophores present in the area of the illuminated issue sample from which re-emitted light is received by said photo-receptor an identification of the chromophores associated with said spectral characteristics by said record.