Method and apparatus for detecting cancerous tissue using luminescence excitation spectra
US5042494A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 4, 1989 |
| Grant date | Aug 27, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 4, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/0059
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of cancerous tissue using native visible luminescence. The tissue to be examined is excited with a beam of monochromatic light that causes the tissue to fluoresce over a spectrum of wavelengths. The intensity at which the excited tissue fluoresces can be measured either over a spectrum or at a predetermined number of preselected wavelengths. By determining the wavelength(s) at which maximum intensity(ies) are attained for the tissue in question and by comparing these peak wavelengths, either visually or electronically, to the peak wavelength(s) derived from a known non-cancerous tissue, or by comparing the luminescence spectrum of the excited tissue with the luminescence spectrum of a known noncancerous tissue and/or known cancerous tissue or the excitation spectra of the excited tissue with the excitation spectra of known cancerous and/or known non-cancerous tissue one can determine the carcinomatoid status of the tissue in question. Once it has been determined that the tissue is cancerous, it may by destroyed by ablation by exposing it to a beam of light from a high power laser. The invention is based on the discovery that the vis…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.