Patent Document ID: 5507287
Application ID: 08428494
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. Apparatus for imaging diseases in tissue using autofluorescence comprising: a visible light source for generating excitation light that includes wavelengths that generate characteristic autofluorescence for abnormal and normal tissue; means for illuminating tissue with light from the visible light source that includes at least said excitation light thereby exciting tissue to emit said characteristic autofluorescence; collecting means for gathering a reflected excitation light and an emitted autofluorescence light from said tissue; a dichroic mirror positioned to receive the reflected excitation light and the emitted autofluorescence light gathered by the collecting means, the dichroic mirror operating to separate the spectral components of said autofluorescence light into at least a first spectral band including the reflected excitation light and the emitted autofluorescence light having wavelengths where an autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially different from normal tissue and a second spectral band different from said first spectral band including the emitted autofluorescence light having wavelengths where an autofluorescence intensity for abnormal tissue is substantially similar to normal tissue; a first optical filter positioned to receive the light within the first spectral band, said first filter operating to remove the reflected excitation light from light within the first spectral band; a second optical filter positioned to receive the light within the second spectral band; a first detector array for receiving the autofluorescence light within the first spectral band and for producing a first auto fluorescence image of the tissue; a second detector array for receiving the autofluorescence light within the second spectral band and for producing a second autofluorescence image of the tissue; and a color monitor having at least a first and second color input whereby the first color input is coupled to receive the first autofluorescence image and the second color input is coupled to receive the second autofluorescence image to create a combined, display image in which said abnormal and normal tissue are displayed on the color monitor.